Commissioner in Equity of Union Distict v. Philips
Commissioner in Equity of Union Distict v. Philips
Opinion of the Court
By the act of Assembly of 1808, the masters and commissioners in equity are authorized to grant writs of ne exeat and attachments. Does this empower them to order that the defendant shall give security to abide by or perform the decree, as well as not to go without the limits of the State? If not, the bond of the defendants must be regarded as obtained by duress. Certainly the general condition of the ne exeat bond is merely that the defendant will remain within the limits of the State. It is regarded as a bail bond. “ The writ is usually directed to the sheriff, to make defendant find sufficient surety that he will not depart the realm without the order of the Court, and on his refusal to give such bail or surety to the sheriff, to commit him to prison.” 2 Mad. Ch. 183. See also Blake’s Ch. Prec. 409 for the form of the order, and 410, for the form of the writ. In 2 Atk. 210, Anon. the motion for ne exeat was refused, on the ground of its being a legal demand. The Chancellor says that the plaintiff might have had bail on bringing his action at law, and that if he were to grant the writ, it must be discharged on the defend, ant’s putting in bail. The sureties being regarded as bail, must, I suppose, have the right to surrender.
The order that the defendant shall give security to abide by or perform the decree, is regarded as a substitute for the ne exeat and an indulgence to the defendant. Woodward v. Schatzel, 3 Johns. Ch. Ca. 414. “ The writ will be discharged if the party pays into Court the sum for which the writ was marked, or what upon the answer appears to be due, or if he gives security to answer the decree.” 2 Mad. Ch. 183. In Atkinson v. Leonard, 3 Bro. C. C. 218, the motion was to discharge the ne exeat, which was granted on the defendant’s ¿riving security to pav what should be found due on the
The motion is dismissed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.