De May v. Roberts

9 N.W. 146, 46 Mich. 160, 1881 Mich. LEXIS 541
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedJune 8, 1881
StatusPublished
Cited by60 cases

This text of 9 N.W. 146 (De May v. Roberts) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
De May v. Roberts, 9 N.W. 146, 46 Mich. 160, 1881 Mich. LEXIS 541 (Mich. 1881).

Opinion

Marston, C. J.

The declaration in tbis case in tbe first count sets forth that the plaintiff was, at a time and place named, a poor married woman, and being confined in child-bed and a stranger, employed in a professional capacity defendant De May who was a physician; that defendant visited the plaintiff as such, and against her desire and intending to deceive her wrongfully, etc., introduced and . caused to be present at the house and lying-in room of the plaintiff anfl. while she .was in the pains of parturition the defendant Scattergood, who intruded upon the privacy of the plaintiff, indecently, wrongfully and unlawfully laid hands upon and assaulted her, the said Scattergood, which was well known to defendant De May, being a young unmarried man, a stranger to the plaintiff and utterly ignorant of the practice of medicine, while the plaintiff believed that he was an assistant physician, a competent and proper person to be present and to aid her in her extremity.

[162]*162The second and third counts while differing in form set forth a similar cause of action.

The evidence on the part of the plaintiff tended to prove the allegations of the declaration. On the part of the defendants evidence was given tending to prove that Scattergood very reluctantly accompanied Dr. De May at the urgent request of the latter; that the night was a dark and stormy one, the roads over which they had to travel in getting to the house of the plaintiff were so bad that a horse could not be ridden or driven over them; that the doctor was sick and very much fatigued from overwork, and therefore asked the defendant Scattergood to accompany and assist him in carrying a lantern, umbrella and certain articles deemed . necessary upon such occasions; that upon arriving at the house of the plaintiff the doctor knocked, and when the door was opened by the husband of the plaintiff, De May said to him, “that I had fetched a friend along to help carry my things ; ” he, plaintiff’s husband, said “ all right,” and seemed to be perfectly satisfied. They were bidden to enter, treated kindly and no objection whatever made to the presence of defendant Scattergood. That while there Scattergood, at Dr. De May’s request, took hold of plaintiff’s hand and held her during a paroxysm of pain, and that both of the defendants in all respects throughout acted in a proper and becoming manner actuated by a sense of duty and kindness.

Some preliminary questions were raised during the progress of the trial which may first be considered.

The plaintiff when examined as a witness was asked, what idea she entertained in' reference to Scattergood’s character and right to be in the house during the time he was there, and answered that she thought he was a student or a physician. To tliis there could be no good legal objection. It was not only important to know the character in which Scattergood went there, but to learn what knowledge the plaintiff had upon that subject. It was not claimed that the plaintiff or her husband, who were strangers in that vicinity, had ever met Scattergood before this time or had any knowledge or information concerning him beyond what they obtained on that evening, and it was claimed by the [163]*163defendant that both the plaintiff and her husband must have known, from certain ambiguous expressions used, that he was not a physician.

“VVe are of opinion that the plaintiff and her husband had a right to presume that a practicing physician would not, upon an occasion of that character, take with him and introduce into the house, a young man in no way, either by education or otherwise, connected with the medical profession; and that something moré clear and certain as to his non-professional character would be required to put the plaintiff and her husband upon their guard, or remove such presumption, than the remark made by De May that he had brought a friend along to help carry his things. The plaintiff was not bound however to rest her case upon this presumption, how- ■ ever strong it might be considered, but had a right to prove what she supposed was the fact, and this she could do by showing anything said at the time having such a tendency, or in the absence thereof what she actually believed to be the fact.

The question asked the plaintiff’s husband as to what he had stated under oath in an affidavit was properly overruled. This court has repeatedly pointed out the proper practice in such cases. Hamilton v. The People 29 Mich. 198, and cases cited.

The question asked the witness Dr. Monfort

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Ava Cetera v. Lauren Mileto
Michigan Court of Appeals, 2022
Animal Legal Defense Fund v. Kimberly Reynolds
8 F.4th 781 (Eighth Circuit, 2021)
Neal v. United States
D. Maryland, 2019
Ignat v. Yum! Brands, Inc.
214 Cal. App. 4th 808 (California Court of Appeal, 2013)
Dalley v. Dykema Gossett PLLC
788 N.W.2d 679 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 2010)
Lewis v. LeGrow
670 N.W.2d 675 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 2003)
Sanchez-Scott v. Alza Pharmaceuticals
103 Cal. Rptr. 2d 410 (California Court of Appeal, 2001)
American Transmission, Inc v. Channel 7 of Detroit, Inc
609 N.W.2d 607 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 2000)
Sanders v. American Broadcasting Companies
978 P.2d 67 (California Supreme Court, 1999)
Mahaffey v. Attorney General
564 N.W.2d 104 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1997)
Desnick v. American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
44 F.3d 1345 (Seventh Circuit, 1995)
Doe v. Department of Social Services
487 N.W.2d 166 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1992)
Ralph Baggs v. Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc.
957 F.2d 268 (Sixth Circuit, 1992)
Baggs v. Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc.
957 F.2d 268 (Sixth Circuit, 1992)
Doe v. Director of the Department of Social Services
468 N.W.2d 862 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1991)
Y.G. v. Jewish Hospital of St. Louis
795 S.W.2d 488 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1990)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
9 N.W. 146, 46 Mich. 160, 1881 Mich. LEXIS 541, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/de-may-v-roberts-mich-1881.