20 Hibberd v. Rohde and McMillian

Hi bber dv.RohdeandMc McMi Mi l l i an No.8418,9December1915 FACTS Ac c or di ngt ot het es t i monyoft hedef endantRohde,Mc Mi Mi l l i anwasi nt her et ai ll i quorbus i nes s and secur ed a st ockofmer chandi se val ued atP1, 200 f r om Br and & Hi bber d and sol di t . Al l e gi n gt h att h eyd el i v e r e dt h eme r c ha nd i s et oh i mo nd ep os i to nl y ,Br a nd& Hi b be r dfi l eda c ompl ai ntofes t af aagai ns tMc Mi Mi l l i an.I nor dert opr ot ec thi sc l i ent ,Rodheagr eedt os i gna pr omi s s or yno t eont hec ondi t i ont hatBr and&Hi bber dwoul dwi t hdr a wt hees t af ac ompl ai nt . Af t ert hee x ec ut i onoft heno t e,Br and& Hi bber dmo v edi nt hej us t i c ec our tt hatt hees t af a c o mp mpl a i n tb ed i s mi mi s s ed a nd t h i smo t i o n wa sg r a nt e db yt h e pr e s i d i n gj u s t i c e.I nt h eo r d er di s mi mi s si ngt hec ompl ai nt ,t hej us t i c es t at edt hat ,f r om t heev i denc ei nt r oduc edatt hehear i nghe wasc on vi nc edt hatt her ewasnos uffic i entbas i sf orac r i mi nala ct i on,butt ha tt hec ont r o v er s y wasofac i v i l c har ac t er . Af t erdef aul t i ngont hepay ment me s ,t hepet i t i oner sfil edas ui tenf or c i ngt hepr omi s sor ynot e.Onl y Ro hd ea pp ea r e da nda ns we r e db utd i dn ote nt e rad en i a lo nt h eg en ui n en es san dt h ee x e c ut i o n oft henot e.Heonl yr ai s edt hes pec i al def ens eofi l l egal i t yofc ons i der at i on.Thet r i alc our tr ul ed i nf a v oro fRo hd e,s i n cet h ec o ns i d er a t i o no ft h ep r o mi mi s s or yno t ewa st h ec omp r o mi mi s eo fa publ i co ffens e. I SSUE+RULI NG Whet herRohdewasbar r edf r om quest i oni ng t hel egal i t yoft henot eduet onothavi ng v e r i fie ds pe ci ficde ni a loft hege nui ne ssandduee xe cut i onoft henot e . Byt h ea dmi s s i o no ft h eg en ui n en es san dd uee x ec ut i o no fa ni n s t r u me me nt ,a st h et e r mi sus edi n s ec t i on103oft heCodeo fCi v i lPr oc edur e,i sme meantt hatt hepar t ywhos es i gnat ur ei tbear s admi t st hathes i gnedi tort hati twass i gnedbyanot herf orhi m wi t hhi saut hor i t y ;t hatatt he t i mei twassi gnedi twasi nwor dsandfi gur esex ac t l yass etouti nt hepl eadi ngo ft hepar t y r el y i nguponi t ;t hatt hedoc umentwasdel i v er ed;andt hatan yf or mal r equi s i t esr equi r edb yl aw, s u c ha sa s e a l ,a na c k n o wl e dg me me nt ,o rr e v e n ue s t a mp mp ,wh i c hi tl a c k s ,a r e wa i v e db yh i m. Henc e,s uc hdef ens esast hatt hes i gnat ur ei saf or ger y ;ort ha ti twasunaut hor i z ed,asI nt he c as eofanagents i gni ngf orh i spr i nc i pal ,oro nes i gni ng:i nbehal fofapar t ner s hi p,oro fa c or por at i on;ort hat ,i nt hec as eoft hel at t er ,t hatt hec or por at i onwasnotaut hor i z edunderi t s c har t ert os i gnt hei ns t r u me ment ;o rt ha tt hepar t yc har geds i gnedt hei ns t r umen ti ns omeo t her c apac i t yt hant hatal l egedi nt hepl eadi ngs et t i ngi tout ;ort hati twasnev erdel i v er ed;ar ec utoff b yt headmi s s i onofi t sgenui nenes sanddueex e cut i on. T oi nt er pr ets ec t i on103oft heCodeofCi v i lPr oc edur e,ac cor di ngt ot hepl ai nt i ff“ ast opr ohi bi t s uc hadef ens easi l l egal i t yofc ons i der at i on”whi c hi scl ear l yadef ens eofnewmat t er ,woul dpr o

t a nt or e pe alt h es e c o nd p ar a gr a ph o fSe c .9 4 wh i c hp er mi t sa d ef e nd an tt oa ns we rb y“ A s t at ementofan ynewmat t erc ons t i t ut i ngadef ens eorc ount er c l ai m. ”