Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1840

Gordon v. Commonwealth

Gordon v. Commonwealth
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania · Decided September 15, 1840
10 Watts 443

Gordon v. Commonwealth

Opinion of the Court

Per Curiam.

Such an action as this, though instituted in the name of the commonwealth for the use of a party grieved, is strictly a civil suit, and therefore within the very letter of the eighth section of the act of 1836. Even a qui tarn action to recover a penalty, has been deemed a civil suit both here and in England; and how much more is an action for a private injury to be deemed so where the name of the commonwealth, as a common trustee, has been introduced into the security only to make it afford a re-medyfor all who should be injured. That.there is anything in the nature of such a remedy to make it an impracticable or unfit subject of arbitration, has not been pretended; and there is therefore no ground for the allegation of error.

Judgment affirmed.

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