Mitchell v. Cotton

3 Fla. 134
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedJanuary 15, 1850
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 3 Fla. 134 (Mitchell v. Cotton) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mitchell v. Cotton, 3 Fla. 134 (Fla. 1850).

Opinion

LANCASTER, J.

This cause was before this Court by writ of error, at the January term, 1848 — see Report of that year from page 136 to 158,-inclusive. It is now again here by appeal from Leon Circuit Court; but the questions raised by the bill of exceptions, which have been made part of the record in this cause, are very different from those then presented. After this case went back to the Circuit Court, upon the production of the mandate of the Supreme Court, it was ordered by the Court, in pursuance of said mandate, that the judgment theretofore rendered by the Circuit Court in this cause be reversed and set aside, and that the cause be docketed, and such further proceedings be had therein, as are in conformity, &c. After this cause was so docketed, and before trial, the defendant by his attorney moved the Court for leave to file two additional and amendatory pleas, to wit: A plea of the statute of limitations, and a plea averring that the promises and undertakings of John W. Cotten, defendant’s testator, and on which this suit was brought, were made as surety of one Henry Doggett, and alleging that, for a valuable consideration given by Doggett, the principal, to Mitchell, the plaintiff, time was given, or a credit extended, without the knowledge or consent of defendant’s testator, J. W. Cotten. After argument, the pleas were allowed by the Court, and the plaintiff by his counsel excepted thereto. And it is assigned for error, that the Court erred in permitting defendant to amend his pleadings, by filing the pleas before mentioned.

The act of November 23d, 1828, sec. 50, see Thompson’s Digest, 332, provides : “ The Court may, in its discretion, give leave to a party to amend his declaration, or other pleadings, at any time before the case is submitted to a jury;” but it must be done instanter, and if of substance, the adverse party has a right to a continuance. The record shows, after leave given, the pleas were filed on the same [158]*158day, to wit, instanter ; and the record does not show that any continuance was asked by plaintiff, by reason of the filing of said pleas. It was contended that the Court must, in any such case, exercise a sound discretion, in permitting the amended pleas to be filed — or, otherwise, it will be subject to reversal in this Court. It might be a sufficient answer to this objection to say, the record does not state the circumstances or reasons on which the Court exercised its discretion of permitting the pleas, by way of amendment, to be filed, and in the absence of such reasons, this Court will presume the discretion of the Circuit Court was soundly exercised. But the question was considered by this Court, in the case of Stewart & Fontaine vs. Bennett, 1 Fla. Reps., 446, and it was there held, that, after a “ new trial, the pleadings of both parties can be amended by leave of the Court.” Now, after the former judgment of the Circuit Court, in favor of defendant, was reversed and set aside, the case docketed, and further .proceedings ordered, it seems obvious that both parties could look to nothing but another, or new trial, and the -case stood, in all respects, precisely like one on which a new trial had been ordered. The parties, therefore, had a right, by leave of the Court, to amend their pleadings, unless the decision in the case of Stewart & Fontaine vs. Bennett, is erroneous ; but, on looking into that decision, we are inclined to think it correct, and to regard it as authority.

From what has been said, it will be perceived that this Court is disinclined to entertain or allow objections to the rulings of the Circuit Court, in matters appertaining to the pleadings, where a discretion is given them by law, and we might cite much authority for a similar practice in other Courts. We are, therefore, of opinion the exception we have been considering .was not well taken, and do overrule it.

The action in this case is founded on a promissory note, in the words following, to wit:

“ On or before the 1st day of January next, we, or either of us, promise to pay Isaac W. Mitchell, or order, fifteen thousand nine ihundred and fifty-five dollars, with ten per cent, interest from date, for value received, this the 2d of January, 1841.

(Signed,) “ H. DOGGETT,

“ J. W. COTTEN.”

[159]*159The declaration of the plaintiff contains two counts — the first is a special count on the note above set forth, and the second contains the common money counts, and account stated. To this declaration, there were at the original trial eight issues joined, two pleas having been demurred out — all which is fully stated in the report of that case in the year 1848, at page 136-7, and for brevity, is here referred to. At the late trial, and from which this appeal is had, all the issues of fact in the former trial, and the two others in this opinion before noticed, came on to be tried. At the trial, plaintiff, as appears by the bill of exceptions, offered in evidence the note herein before set forth — a letter from John W. Cotten to Dr. Mitchell, the plaintiff,post-marked Tallahassee, Fla., Dec. 3, paid — 10 cents, and dated 25th November, 1844, and also the preecipe, showing the commencement of the original suit, to wit, January 8th, 1845.

The defendant then offered sundry depositions and exhibits, and the testimony of sundry witnesses sworn to in Court, which may be referred to herein, but for brevity, will not be set out.

It is contended “ in limine,” by defendant’s counsel in this Court,that the note of 1841 (before set-forth) and the special count of the declaration thereon, are not longer to be considered as constituting' a ground of recovery for plaintiff, because (as he says) of a waiver and abandonment of that note and count on the former trial, and by' the leading counsel at the last trial. The only matter on the record touching a waiver by the plaintiff’s attorney, will be found in the-note appended to the bill of exceptions at the request of defendant’s' counsel, also signed by the Judge, and made part: of (the record'and excepted to by defendant’s counsel.

On the former trial, by reference to that record, it appears the-Court instructed the jury, that the counsel for the plaintiff did not ask-a recovery on the special count on'the note, having conceded he-could not recover thereon. And this, we apprehend, .is as much as= he at any time intended to admit. It was his intention, which Kehas followed with unwavering fidelity, to recover on the commom counts, and whether he really entertained the opinion, he could not recover on the note and special count, or whether he desired to avoid. that note, the interest of which by the testimony, he knew to be tainted with usury, and by recovering the consideration for which the note was given, on the common counts, to have interest divested of. [160]*160usury, from the date of that consideration, up to the time of judgment, it is perhaps not material to inquire; but, admitting that counsel thought and conceded he could not recover on the special count, and the plaintiff’s other counsel thought he could, and insisted on such recovery before the jury, to which insisting defendant’s counsel were permitted to reply, and one of them did reply, ought such an admission to discharge and defeat any legal liability or obligation of the defendant, if plaintiff’s counsel was mistaken in point of law, as to his client’s rights ? In the case of Colledge vs. Horn, 3 Bingham, 199, where it was sought to introduce proof of an admission by plaintiff’s counsel, and the testimony had been ruled out: Best, C.

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Bluebook (online)
3 Fla. 134, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mitchell-v-cotton-fla-1850.