M'Connell v. Linton

Sep 15, 1835
Reporters:
Per Curiam.

—A jury may undoubtedly be sent out again to give an opportunity for correction ‍​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‍in matters of obvious inadvertence : but it is a discretion to be tenderly exercised ; never to alter the substance of their verdict at the bidding of the judge. ‍​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‍Here the damages were increased to give the plaintiff costs, on a suggestion which, if productive of the legal effect ascribed to it, ought not to have been made even ‍​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‍in the course of the trial. In trover, the value of the property is ordinarily the measure of the damages; and whatever is given for this or for the detention, ‍​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‍ought to be compensatory, and never with a view to affect the right of an appellant to pay or receive costs. The error, being an incident of the trial, ivas ‍​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‍proper for a bill of exceptions, and for correction here.

Judgment reversed, and a venire de novo awarded.