Stevenson v. Belknap

6 Iowa 97
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedJune 19, 1858
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 6 Iowa 97 (Stevenson v. Belknap) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stevenson v. Belknap, 6 Iowa 97 (iowa 1858).

Opinion

Stockton, J.

— The questions arising under the first, second, third and fourth heads of the assignment of errors, have not been discussed by defendant, but have been abandoned by him. Our examination of the errors assigned, will be confined to those arising under the fifth and sixth specifications, and growing out of the instructions given and refused by the court.

At the request of the plaintiff, the court charged the jury, that “ if the daughter of the plaintiff was a minor, at the time of the seduction, alleged in the petition, and if she was seduced and debauched, as alleged, a right of action accrued to the plaintiff at the time of the seduction.” The defendant, on the ''.other hand, asked the court to charge, that “ if the daughter was a minor at the time of the seduction, and the suit was not brought by the father for the injury during her minority, that, then, the right of action was in the daughter alone, and the action cannot be maintained by the father.” This instruction asked by the defendant, was refused by the court. We think there was no error in such refusal, nor in giving the instruction asked by the plaintiff. The remedy is given to the father for the seduction of his minor daughter, (Code, sec. 1697), and he may maintain the action after she has attained her majority, for her seduction while a minor. The attaining the age of majority, by her, does not take away the father’s right of action; nor is it either taken away or negatived by the provisions of the statute, which gives to the unmarried female the right to prosecute an action for her own seduction. Code, sec. 1696; 2 Greenleaf’s Evidence, sec. 572; 3 Steph. N. P., 2353.

We are next to consider what facts the plaintiff may give in evidence, in aggregation of damages; and for what exemplary damages may be given. It is urged by defendant, that as the statute authorizes the daughter to sue in her own name, for her seduction, and to recover damages [101]*101for all the injury she may have sustained, the father, in any suit brought by him, is not entitled to exemplary damages, and can only recover for the loss of service, and the actual expense of sickness. We do not concur in these views. Under the old system of pleading, the action for seduction was eminently a legal fiction: it was based upon the relation of master and servant, and upon the loss of service, in consequence of the seduction. Though the rule has, in England, been relaxed as to what damages may be allowed, yet as to the right of recovery, the English .authorities still adhere to the idea on which the action is founded, and where there is no loss of service, there can be no relief. Grinnel v. Wells, 7 Manning and Granger, 1033. Our statute has so far swept away these fictions, as to provide a remedy, not for the father only, but for the daughter also; and not only may she prosecute an action in her own name for her seduction, but where she is, at the time of the seduction, a minor, her father, mother, or guardian may maintain an action, though she be not living with, nor in the service of, the plaintiff, and though there be no loss of service. Code, secs. 1696, 1697. The providing a remedy for the daughter, should not be construed as taking away that of the father, or as restricting his damages to the loss of service, or actual expenses incurred; especially since the relation of master and servant need not he shown to exist, and there may have been no actual loss of service proved.

Upon the question whether the father may not maintain the action, though the daughter be of full age, if living in his family, and rendering him service, we do not wish to be understood as expressing any opinion. See Clark v. Fitch, 2 Wend., 462; 10 Johns., 117; 5 Cow., 115.

It is urged as a further reason why the plaintiff should not recover in this action, for more than the loss of service, and actual expenses incurred, that defendant is still liable to an action for seduction by the daughter; and if the' father may recover exemplary damages, it may result in their being twice claimed against him in a civil suit, and [102]*102the defendant is in danger of being twice punished for the same injury. It is not necessary for us to inquire, at this time, what the rule of damages should be in an action by the daughter as plaintiff. If actions are brought by both the father and the daughter, we suggest that the jury may consider every fact which goes to the injury of the plaintiff, whether in mind, body, or estate; and may give damages commensurate with the injury sustained. The proof will be confined, in each case, to the damages resulting to the plaintiff alone, and not to another; nor to the plaintiff jointly with another. The injury to- the father is distinct from the injury to the daughter. They are different in character, and there is nothing incompatible or inconsistent in the idea of both resulting from the one wrongful act of defendant. In the present cause, we see no good reason why the rule as to plaintiff’s damages, should be changed. When the action was based upon the mere loss of service, the damages were very much at large, and in the discretion of the jury; and exemplary damages might always be given. Ingersoll v. Jones, 5 Barb., 661; Sedgwick on Damages, 542. Much more may exemplary damages be now given, when the jury are to look, not to the loss of service, but to the damages resulting from all that the father can feel, from the nature of the injury.

The court charged the jury, that “if the defendant visited the daughter of plaintiff as a suitor, and used arts, flatteries, pursuasions, and promises of marriage, to induce her to have connection with him, these facts may be considered by them in aggravation, and to increase the plaintiff’s damages.” We think theré was no error in this instruction. The objection taken to it by defendant, that plaintiff was not entitled to give in evidence a breach of promise of marriage, in order to enhance the damages, is made under a misapprehension of the language and tenor of the instruction. The language . does not necessarily refer to a promise of marriage, nor to a breach thereof by defendant. No proof of such promise was sought to be given to the [103]*103jury. The law is well settled, as claimed by defendant, that no evidence can be given of any such promise either as the basis of the action, or the measure of damages. It is permitted, however, to ask the daughter, whether the defendant was paying his addresses to her in an honorable way. Dodd v. Norris, 3 Campbell, 319. And plaintiff may give in evidence the terms 'On which defendant visited his house, and that he was paying his addresses to the daughter upon the promise, and with the intention of marriage. Elliott v. Nicklin, 5 Price 641 ; Sullidge v. Wade 3 Wils., 18; Caprond v. Balmond, 3 Steph., N. P. 2356; Greenleaf Ev: sec. 519.

In Dover v. Dill, 3 Iowa, 337, which was an action by the female to recover damages for her seduction, it was held by this court, that it was not sufficient for the plaintiff to show alone that defendant had sexual intercourse with-her; but she must show that he had accomplished his purposes by some promise or artifice, or that she had been induced to yield to his embraces by his flattery, or deception. If, without being deceived, and without any false promises, deceit or artifice, she voluntarily submits to the improper connection, the law affords her no remedy.

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Bluebook (online)
6 Iowa 97, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stevenson-v-belknap-iowa-1858.