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Miller v. DavisMiller v. Davis

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine
Feb 12, 1896
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Strout
Strout, J.

Trespass against a tax collector for an alleged wrongful arrest upon a warrant for taxes. Motion for new trial, ‍​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‍and exceptions to the charge of the presiding judge.

Upon the Motion. — The evidence was contradictory, but the preponderance was in favor of the defendant, for whom the jury returned a verdict. We perceive no reason to disturb the finding ‍​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‍of the jury.

Upon the Exceptions.— The question was, Avhat constituted a sufficient demand of payment of the taxes. The instruction was:: “What is a sufficient demand? Any intimation to the tax payer that a payment is desired. It need not ‍​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‍be in absolute words a demand; he need not go to the tax payer and say, I hereby demand of you payment; but anything that informs the tax payer that the collector has a warrant and desires the payment ‍​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‍of his taxes, is a demand. He may say, will you be good enough to pay this tax, or, can I have this tax to-day? or can’t I have it? Anything that plainly brings home to the tax payer that ‍​‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‍the collector is there officially.”

This instruction Avas in accordance Avith law, and’ fully protected the plaintiff’s rights.

Exceptions and motion overruled.

Case Details

Case Name: Miller v. Davis
Court Name: Supreme Judicial Court of Maine
Date Published: Feb 12, 1896
Citations: 34 A. 265; 88 Me. 454; 1896 Me. LEXIS 34
Court Abbreviation: Me.
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