Henry v. Roberts

Aug 12, 1913
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Fish
Fish, C. J.

1. While the plaintiff in an action for land must recover on the ‍‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‍strength of his own title, yet, in passing on a motion, for nonsuit upon the conclusion of the evidence submitted in behalf of the plaintiff, such evidence should ‍‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‍be construed most favorably to him, and if, so construed, a prima facie case for the plaintiff is made out, a nonsuit should be refused.

2. Construing the evidence ‍‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‍for the plaintiff upon the trial most favorably in his behalf, the jury would have been authorized to find, that he and those under whom he claimed had ‍‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‍actual and adverse possession of the land for which the action was brought, for more than twenty years prior to the date when the defendant entered into possession ‍‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‍thereof. It follows that the court erred in granting a nonsuit.

Judgment reversed.

All the Justices concur.