Benson v. Clark

Aug 15, 1823
Reporters:
Curia.

Both these acts were irregular. The Justice ‍‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‍had no right to have any intercourse with the jury, without consent ‍‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‍of the parties; and though he states, that he did not answer their ‍‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‍questions, the practice may lead to great abuse, if tolerated. The observations ‍‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‍of the Court in Taylor v. Betsford, (13 John. 487) are strictly applicable. It is unnecessary, therefore, to ‍‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‍consider the other errors assigned.

Judgment reversed . . .