Braker v. Knight
Braker v. Knight
Opinion of the Court
The court do not deem it necessary to follow the counsel through their researches, on the question whether an appeal to this court does or does not lie from an order made at Chariibers, by a circuit judge. From the first organization of a court possessing appellate powers, it has sd far, as I have been able to learn, been the uáage of the court, to entertain appeals from all orders made at Chambers, which in their operation, were conclusive, as to the rights of parties; and such is the effect of the order complained of in the present case, if it be granted that the prison bounds act created a special jurisdiction and, invested it in the circuit judge, as has been argued, it would, as an inferior jurisdiction, fall under the general supervision and control of the court of sessions and be subjected to the process of mandamus, prohibition &c. and to avoid the incongruity of applying to'one circuit judge for these processes against another and the circuity of bringing it up, though the circuit court, was doubtless of the origin of the,usage referred to. It is convenient in practice, and tends to the prompt administration Of justice; and the court See no reasons for departing from it.
The remaining question is, whether the defendant is or is not entitled, to the benefit of the prison bounds’ act. (Public Laws, 456.) His claim to it is re.sist6d.on the ground, that the cause of action, for which he is arrested, and now in confinement, falls within the exception, contained in the act, which excludes all who aré committed on execution, for “wilful and malicious trespass.” There is some difficulty in determining to what class of injuries those terms were" intended to be referred. If we look to the injuries for which the common law'provides remedies, we find that there are others which correspond precisely with this definition. The injuries for which the action of trespass vi et amis lies, approach more closely than any others. But that it was not intended to cover the whole class, is apparent from the act itself. “Wilful maihem” and ‘^damages done to the freehold” would fall •within it; and these are expressly provided for in the act,
The court are, therefore, bf opinion that the present case is not included in the exception, and it is ordered that tjhe order to remand the defendant be reversed and that he b?
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.