McBrayer v. Wash

29 Ky. 464, 6 J.J. Marsh. 464, 1831 Ky. LEXIS 216
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedOctober 7, 1831
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 29 Ky. 464 (McBrayer v. Wash) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McBrayer v. Wash, 29 Ky. 464, 6 J.J. Marsh. 464, 1831 Ky. LEXIS 216 (Ky. Ct. App. 1831).

Opinion

Chief Justice Robertson,

delivered the opinion of the court.

Benjamin .Wash sued out a warrant against Robert McBrayer and James McBrayer, complaining of a forcible entry, or detainer of 150 acres of land. On the trial in the country, the jury found both defendants “guilty of the forcible entry and de-tainer complained of” in the warrant; and on a traverse to the circuit court, a jury found the inquisition true, and judgment for restitution was rendered accordingly; to reverse which this appeal is prosecuted.

The appellants complain, that the circuit court erred in refusing, on their motion, to quash the inquisition; in refusing instructions moved for by them; [465]*465ín giving an instruction on the motion of the appellee; and in overruling a motion for a new trial.

Warrant for a forcible entry or detain-er, is maintainable. On a warrant charging only a forcible entry, an inquisition finding a forcible de-tainer, is bad. And so e con-verso, on a warrant charging only a forcible de-tainer, an in-qui-ition finding a forcible entry, is bad. If the inquisition, in the country, find a forcible de-tainer, a verdict in the circuit court finding a forcible entry, should be set aside. On a warrant for a forcible entry, nn.jn-qui-ition finding a forcible entry and de-tainer is good. On a warrant for a forcible entry or de-tainer, an inquisition finding a forcible entry and de-tainer, is valid

I. The motion to quash, was made on the ground, that the inquisition transcended the complaint in the warrant, the latter being only for a forcible entry or detainer, and the former being for a forcible entry and detainer. It has been decided that a warrant for a forcible entry or detainer may be maintained; see Carpenter vs. Shepherd (IV. Bibb) and as the substance, rather than the form, should be regarded in such summary remedies in the country, we fully approve that decesion. But,as the object of a warrant is to specify, and notify the accused of, the charge to be enquired into, the utmost indulgence which jus-trice or the object of all pleading would allow, could not sustain an inquisition convicting a party of an act not charged in the warrant. Hence, as forcible entries and detainers are specifically different, an inquisition finding a forcible detainer, would not be good on a warrant charging only a forcible entry; and e converso. And for a similar reason,as on a traverse, the only question is, whether or not the inquisition is true, if the inquisition be for a forcible detainer, a verdict in the circuit court, finding a forcible entry, will not be responsive to the issue, and should be set aside; Commack vs. Macy,(III. Marshall, 296.)

As the charge in this case is in the alternative, it necessarily imports either a forcible entry or detain-er, but not both; and therefore, as the inquisition convicted the appellants of both, it is more comprehensive, in terms, than the warrant. But it has not convicted them of that with which they were not charged, but only of more than was imputed to them. If the inquisition had found them guilty of a forcible entry, it would have been good, because they are charged with such an entry. On such an inquisition, judgment would have been rendered, for restitution and for costs. Although the inquisition is fora forcible detainer, as well as entry, the judgment would be precisely the same, as if a forcible entry only had been found; wherefore, on a warrant for a forcible entry, an inquisition for a forcible entry and detainer ought, in our opinion, to be sustained; because, as to the entry, it is unquestionably good, and adding the [466]*466detainer (not charged) as immaterial, as it docs not affect the judgment in any degree: Consequently, there is no error In the refusal to quash the inquisi- : tion in this case.

IL & III. As the circuit court gave an instruction In lieu of those asked for hy the appellants, we shall consider that given, and those refused, together: and in doing so, it will not be necessary to notice all the points involved; because, by disposing of the instruction which was given, we shall settle the law of the case.

The father of the appellants having bought an interest, to the extent of 200 acres, in a settlement and preemption®}' 1400 acres; the grant issued to him and others for the entire tract of !400 acres. About the year J794, he entered on the land, and having, by actual survey, laid off and demarked 200 acres, (all he claimed or had a just right to) settled upon it, and conlintsed, with the assent of his co-grantees, to live ni-pon it many years, and until his death, since 5 82!. His enclosure extended beyond bis marked boundary, and Imiladed about 20 acres, not embraced by that ¡¡toaisdary. It -does not appear that lie claimed more ilian ike 200-arresor considered himself in possession ©1" ¡more than 200 acres and the 20 acres which he had enclosed beyond his marked boundary, until IS 17, when be purchased from T. Malisan® iveirs (who held an elder grant, covering the settlement and a small part of Ihe pre-emption) their claim to 575 arres, including his .improvements, and all the land wtr in controversy, a part of -which, is the 20 acres already described. Since his death, all the land, ftas claimed by him,has been partitioned among Ids •children, and about a year prior to the date of the warrant m this case, one-of thesa (the appellant Robert) entered. ®n the p-urt allotted to him, and within 'the bomidarj purchased, as aforesaid, from Madison’s licks.

fa l@SB, Samuel Hatton purchased the entire and’aided interest in the settlcíncaí and pre-emption, excepting She interest of the father of the appellants; and immediately settled on the pre-emption, hut did not enter ¡or encroach upon Madison. Some time in 3 817, (hat at what particular iitne it does not appear) [467]*467he settled a son-in-Jaw within the boundary of Madi* son, but not within that of MeBrayer, as purchaser from 1\J idison; the tenement Urns possessed has been ever since occupied under Hutton’s title, but is no proof as to its extent beyond its actual close. In 1818, Hutton sold ail Ins interest (excepting a designated boundary not interfering with Madison) to Chiles, who sold the same to Phillips, who sold to the «appellee; in consequence whereof, Hutton conveyed his title to the appellee in 1820. But Chiles did not,. in fad, claim or sell any land covered by Madison; and the appellee has never been actually possessed of any land within Madison’s boundary, except so far as a continued occupancy, by bis tenant, of the tenement settled by the son-in-law- of Hutton, and the extension. about the year 1825, of his own fence over one of Madison’s lines so as to enclose about five acres in Madison’s grant.

MeBrayer (the father of the appellants) held and occupied, ever since 1821, a field within the boundary of his purchase from Madison, and unconnected with • the 20 acres field before-described.

Ot this stale of case, the circuit court instrncted tlie jury ‘'that if they believed, from the evidence, that.

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

Related

Newsom v. Damron
193 S.W.2d 643 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976), 1946)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
29 Ky. 464, 6 J.J. Marsh. 464, 1831 Ky. LEXIS 216, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcbrayer-v-wash-kyctapp-1831.