Putnam v. McDougall
Putnam v. McDougall
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
The power of attorney given by the plaintiff to Asahel P. Squires, was sufficiently broad in the language used, to empower said Squires to have appeared for the plaintiff, and to have litigated the plaintiff’s right to the wagon in controversy, in the proceedings in favor of the defendants in Canada. But he did not do so, nor undertake to do so, nor did the Canadian court undertake in any way to bring the plaintiff,' or Squires as his appointed attorney, before it, nor to adjudicate the plaintiff’s right to the wagon in controversy. Hence, except to show that the wagon was rightfully in Canada with the consent of the plaintiff, the consideration of the power of attorney can be laid out of the case. It need not be considered in reference to the notice Squires had of the proceedings in favor of the defendants in the Canadian court, for the case finds than the plaintiff, through Squires, had actual notice of those proceedings. The plaintiff, although he had notice of the proceedings in the court in Canada, was under no obligation to volunteer to make himself a party to those proceedings; neither- was he bound to have submitted himself to the jurisdiction of that court, if it had endeavored to have made him a party to those proceedings, and had given him notice thereof through Squires. Price v. Hickok, 39 Vt. 292, and case cited in the opinion. He owed no allegiance to the laws of Canada. The Canadian court had, and could have, no jurisdiction over the person of the plaintiff, except such as he might volunteer to give it. There being no duty resting upon the plaintiff to submit the determination of his right to the wagon in controversy to the Canadian court, and that court having no power ,to compel him to do so, he could, though notified, refrain from
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Rufus Putnam v. Hollis McDougall and John McDougall
- Status
- Published