60. New action in supreme court; pleadings therein.

61. Costs of action in supreme court.

62. Proceedings where several causes of action, and answer of title
as to one.

63. Docketing justices' judgments, and effect thereof.

64. Rules in justices' courts.

RULE 1.

The pleadings.

2. Pleadings, how put in.

3. Complaint.

4. Answer.

5. Pleadings, what to contain.

6. Demurrer.

7. Proceedings in demurrer.

8. Plaintiff to prove his case, if defendant do not appear.

9. Proceedings in action on account or instrument for the pay.

certain ex

Visions

§ 52. The provisions contained in sections two, three and Repeal of four, of the article of the Revised Statutes, entitled "Ofisting prothe jurisdiction of justices' courts," as amended by sections one and two, of the act concerning justices' courts, passed May 14, 1840, and the provisions contained in sections 59 to 66, of the same article, both inclusive, are repealed, and the provisions of this title substituted in place thereof. But this repeal shall not affect any action heretofore commenced in a court of a justice of the peace.

tion of

§ 53. Justices of the peace shall have civil jurisdiction Jurisdicin the following actions, and no other:

1. An action arising on contract for the recovery of money only, if the sum claimed do not exceed one hundred dollars;

2. An action for damages for an injury to the person,

these courts.

Jurisdic

or to real property, or for taking, detaining, or injuring personal property, if the damages claimed do not exceed one hundred dollars;

3. An action for a penalty not exceeding one hundred dollars.

4. An action commenced by attachment of property, as now provided by statute, if the debt or damages claimed do not exceed one hundred dollars;

5. An action upon a bond, conditioned for the payment of money, not exceeding one hundred dollars, though the penalty exceed that sum, the judgment to be given for the sum actually due. Where the payments are to be made by instalments, an action may be brought for each instalment as it shall become due;

6. An action upon a surety bond taken by them, though the penalty or amount claimed exceed one hundred dollars;

7. An action on a judgment rendered in a court of a justice of the peace, or of a justices' or other inferior court in a city where such action is not prohibited by section

71;

8. To take and enter judgment on the confession of a defendant where the amount confessed shall not exceed two hundred and fifty dollars, in the manner prescribed by article eight, title four, chapter two, of part three of the Revised Statutes;

9. An action for damages for fraud in the sale, purchase or exchange of personal property if the damages claimed do not exceed one hundred dollars.

§ 54. But no justice of the peace shall have cognizance tion in civil of a civil action,

actions limited.

1. In which the people of this state are a party, excepting for penalties not exceeding one hundred dollars;

2. Nor where the title to real property shall come in question, as provided by sections 55 to 62, both inclusive; 3. Nor of a civil action for an assault, battery, false

imprisonment, libel, slander, malicious prosecution criminal conversation, or seduction;

4. Nor of a matter of account, where the sum total of the accounts of both parties, proved to the satisfaction of the justice, shall exceed four hundred dollars;

5. Nor of an action against an executor or administrator, as such.

title to

§ 55. In every action brought in a court of justice of Answer of the peace where the title to real property shall come in land. question, the defendant may, either with or without other matter of defence, set forth in his answer, any matter showing that such title will come in question. Such answer shall be in writing, signed by the defendant or his attorney, and delivered to the justice. The justice shall thereupon countersign the same, and deliver it to the plaintiff.

§ 56. At the time of answering, the defendant shall deliver to the justice a written undertaking, executed by at least one sufficient surety, and approved by the justice to the effect that if the plaintiff shall, within thirty days thereafter, deposite with the justice a summons and complaint in an action in the county court, for the same cause, the defendant will, within ten days after such deposite, give an admission in writing of the service thereof.

Where the defendant was arrested in the action before the justice, the undertaking shall further provide, that he will at all times render himself amenable to the process of the court during the pendency of the action, and to such as may be issued to enforce the judgment therein. In case of failure to comply with the undertaking, the surety shall be liable, not exceeding one hundred dollars.

Underta

king there

en.

justice to be discontin

§ 57. Upon the delivery of the undertaking to the justice, Suit before the action before him shall be discontinued, and each party ued. shall pay his own costs. The costs so paid by either party shall be allowed to him, if he recover costs in the action to be

Costs.

Proceed

ings if un

not given,

brought for the same cause in the county courts. If no such action be brought within thirty days after the delivery of the undertaking, the defendant's costs before the justice may be recovered of the plaintiff.

§ 58. If the undertaking be not delivered to the justice, dertaking he shall have jurisdiction of the cause, and shall proceed therein; and the defendant shall be precluded, in his defence, from drawing the title in question.

The same.

New ac

tion in su

preme

Court.

§ 59. If, however, it appear on the trial, from the plaintiff's own showing, that the title to real property is in question, and such title shall be disputed by the defendant, the justice shall dismiss the action, and render judgment against the plaintiff for the costs.

§ 60. When a suit before a justice shall be discontinued by the delivery of an answer and undertaking, as provided in sections fifty-five, fifty-six and fifty-seven, the plaintiff may prosecute an action for the same cause, in the county court, and shall complain for the same cause of action only on which Pendings he relied before the justice; and the answer of the defendant shall set up the same defence only which he made before the justice.

therein.

Costs of ac

tion in County court.

Prooeed

ings where

§ 61. If the judgment in the county court be for the plaintiff, he shall recover costs; if it be for the defendant, he shall recover costs, except that upon a verdict he shall pay costs to the plaintiff, unless the judge certify that the title to real property came in question on the trial.

§ 62. If, in an action before a justice, the plaintiff have several several causes of action, to one of which the defence of title

causes of

action and

answer of to real property shall be interposed, and as to such cause, the

title as to

one.

defendant shall answer and deliver an undertaking, as provided in sections fifty-five and fifty-six, the justice shall discontinue the proceedings as to that cause, and the plaintiff may commence another action therefor in the county court. As to the other causes of action, the justice may continue his proceedings.

justices'

and effect

§ 63. A justice of the peace, on the demand of a party Docketting in whose favor he shall have rendered a judgment, shall judgments, give a transcript thereof, which may be filed and docketed thereof. in the office of the clerk of the county where the judgment was rendered. The time of the receipt of the transcript by the clerk shall be noted thereon and entered in the docket; and, from that time, the judgment shall be a judgment of the county court. A certified transcript of such judgment may be filed and docketed in the clerk's office of any other county, and with the like effect, in every respect, as in the county where the judgment was rendered; except that it shall be a lien, only from the time of filing and docketing the transcript. But no such judgment for a less sum than twenty-five dollars, exclusive of costs, hereafter docketed, shall be a lien upon, or enforced against real property.

justices'

§ 64. The following rules shall be observed in the courts Rules in of justices' of the peace:

i.

The pleadings in these courts are ; 1. The complaint by the plaintiff;

2. The answer by the defendant.

2.

courts.

how put in.

The pleadings may be oral, or in writing; if oral the Pleadings substance of them shall be entered by the justice in his docket; if in writing, they shall be filed by him, and a reference to them shall be made in the docket.

3.

The complaint shall state, in a plain and direct manner, Complaint. the facts constituting the cause of action.

4.

The answer may contain a denial of the complaint, or Answer.