Difference between revisions of "Branch v. Burnley"

From Wythepedia: The George Wythe Encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
(Created page with "{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Branch v. Burnley''}} File:CallsReports1854V1BranchvBurnley.pdf|link=Media:CallsReports1854V1BranchvBurnley.pdf|thumb|right|300px|First page of the opinion...")
 
m
 
(8 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Branch v. Burnley''}}
 
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Branch v. Burnley''}}
[[File:CallsReports1854V1BranchvBurnley.pdf|link=Media:CallsReports1854V1BranchvBurnley.pdf|thumb|right|300px|First page of the opinion [[Media:CallsReports1854V1BranchvBurnley.pdf|''Branch v. Burnley'']], in [https://catalog.swem.wm.edu/law/Record/2099031 ''Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Court of Appeals of Virginia''], by Daniel Call. 3rd ed. Richmond: A. Morris, 1854.]]
+
[[File:CallBranchvBurnley1854v1p146.jpg|link={{filepath:CallsReports1854V1BranchvBurnley.pdf}}|thumb|right|300px|First page of the opinion [[Media:CallsReports1854V1BranchvBurnley.pdf|''Branch v. Burnley'']], in [https://wm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01COWM_INST/g9pr7p/alma991006014269703196 ''Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Court of Appeals of Virginia''], by Daniel Call. 3rd ed. Richmond: A. Morris, 1854.]]
 
__NOTOC__
 
__NOTOC__
[[Media:CallsReports1854V1BranchvBurnley.pdf|''Branch v. Burnley'']], Call Vol. I 127 (1797), <ref>Daniel Call, ''[[Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Court of Appeals of Virginia]],'' 3rd. ed., ed. Lucian Minor (Richmond: A. Minor, 1854), 127.</ref> discussed whether an attorney at law may receive money recovered from the defendant. It also discussed whether the attorney’s receipt would discharge the judgment.
+
[[Media:CallsReports1854V1BranchvBurnley.pdf|''Branch v. Burnley'']], 5 Va. 146, 1 Call 147 (1797), <ref>Daniel Call, ''[[Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Court of Appeals of Virginia]],'' 3rd. ed., ed. Lucian Minor (Richmond: A. Minor, 1854), 1:147.</ref> discussed whether an attorney at law may receive money recovered from the defendant and whether an attorney’s receipt could discharge a judgment.
  
 
==Background==
 
==Background==
Burnley and Breckenridge hired an attorney, Mr. Briggs, to sue the Branch estate for a debt. In 1772, Mr. Briggs obtained a judgment on behalf of Burnely and Breckenridge. In 1774, a bond was given, however, in 1778, the Branch estate paid the judgment directly to Mr. Briggs, the attorney. After the war in 1787, Branch and Burnley went to court to collect on their bond but were refused. The two appealed to the court of chancery complaining of the payment to Briggs. The Branch estate then requested an injunction stating that Briggs, as their attorney, had the authority to accept payment on his client’s behalf. Chancellor Wythe awarded the injunction. Burnley and Breckenridge then brought a proceeding objecting to the Court of Chancery’s jurisdiction.
+
Burnley and Breckenridge hired an attorney, Briggs, to sue the Branch estate for a debt. In 1772, Briggs obtained a judgment on behalf of Burnely and Breckenridge. In 1774, a bond was given, however, in 1778, the Branch estate paid the judgment directly to Briggs, the attorney. After the war in 1787, Branch and Burnley went to court to collect on their bond. The court refused to enforce the judgment due to the pair's nine year delay in enforcing their right to collect the bond. Burnley and Breckenridge appealed to the District Court of Richmond claiming the delay was due to payment of their attorney, who held the bond in his office, rather than direct relief to themselves. The District Court found in favor of Burnley and Breckenridge and the Branch estate appealed to the Court of Chancery. The Branch estate requested an injunction stating that Briggs, as the attorney of the plantiffs, had the authority to accept payment on his client’s behalf. Chancellor Wythe agreed and awarded the injunction on the usual terms of releasing all errors at law. Burnley and Breckenridge responded to the judgment by demurring the Chancery Court’s jurisdiction.
  
 
===The Court's Decision===
 
===The Court's Decision===
Chancellor Wythe dismissed the case for failure to state a claim (want of equity). The court of appeals reversed the decision not because of the merits of the case but because the Chancellor did not have jurisdiction over this case, he prevented Burnley from requesting an appeal.  
+
Wythe dismissed the demure for want of equity. The Court of Appeals reversed finding that Wythe did not have jurisdiction over the case. The Court of Appeals also found that Wythe's release of errors decision effectively prevented Burnley and Breckenridge from requesting a substantive appeal on the merits of the case.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
Line 19: Line 19:
  
 
[[Category: Cases]]
 
[[Category: Cases]]
 +
[[Category: Debtor-Creditor]]
 +
[[Category: Procedure]]

Latest revision as of 11:22, 7 September 2023

First page of the opinion Branch v. Burnley, in Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Court of Appeals of Virginia, by Daniel Call. 3rd ed. Richmond: A. Morris, 1854.

Branch v. Burnley, 5 Va. 146, 1 Call 147 (1797), [1] discussed whether an attorney at law may receive money recovered from the defendant and whether an attorney’s receipt could discharge a judgment.

Background

Burnley and Breckenridge hired an attorney, Briggs, to sue the Branch estate for a debt. In 1772, Briggs obtained a judgment on behalf of Burnely and Breckenridge. In 1774, a bond was given, however, in 1778, the Branch estate paid the judgment directly to Briggs, the attorney. After the war in 1787, Branch and Burnley went to court to collect on their bond. The court refused to enforce the judgment due to the pair's nine year delay in enforcing their right to collect the bond. Burnley and Breckenridge appealed to the District Court of Richmond claiming the delay was due to payment of their attorney, who held the bond in his office, rather than direct relief to themselves. The District Court found in favor of Burnley and Breckenridge and the Branch estate appealed to the Court of Chancery. The Branch estate requested an injunction stating that Briggs, as the attorney of the plantiffs, had the authority to accept payment on his client’s behalf. Chancellor Wythe agreed and awarded the injunction on the usual terms of releasing all errors at law. Burnley and Breckenridge responded to the judgment by demurring the Chancery Court’s jurisdiction.

The Court's Decision

Wythe dismissed the demure for want of equity. The Court of Appeals reversed finding that Wythe did not have jurisdiction over the case. The Court of Appeals also found that Wythe's release of errors decision effectively prevented Burnley and Breckenridge from requesting a substantive appeal on the merits of the case.

See also

References

  1. Daniel Call, Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Court of Appeals of Virginia, 3rd. ed., ed. Lucian Minor (Richmond: A. Minor, 1854), 1:147.