M'Rae v. Woods (1807)

First page of the opinion M'Rae v. Woods, in Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia: With Select Cases, Relating Chiefly to Points of Practice, Decided by the Superior Court of Chancery for the Richmond District, by William Hening and William Munford. Flatbush, N.Y.: I. Riley, 1809.

M'Rae v. Woods, 11 Va. (1 Hen. & M.) 548 (1807), describes the continued proceedings of M'Rae v. Woods (1795).

Background

Fifteen years after Roderick and Philip M’Rae appealed before the court, the case was finally heard in a Court of Law as directed by Chancellor Wythe in M'Rae v. Woods (1795).

The Court’s Decision: The Court of Appeals after affirming Wythe’s decree, directed the case be sent to Charlottesville District Court. In that case, the jury found in favor of Richard Woods, who had since become the testator of Roderick M’Rae. However, the judge was unsatisfied with that decision and Wythe directed that the issue be tried again at the District Court in Richmond. Once again, the jury found in favor of Richard, which the judge believed to be against the evidence.

The Court's Decision

Despite the judges' opinions, Wythe declared in favor of Woods. The Court of Appeals unanimously affirmed.

See also

• M'Rae v. Woods (1795)
• Wythe's Judicial Career