UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT DECISIONS ON-LINE

SEVIER V. HASKELL, 81 U. S. 12 (1871)

81 U. S. 12

U.S. Supreme Court

Sevier v. Haskell, 81 U.S. 14 Wall. 12 12 (1871)

Sevier v. Haskell

81 U.S. (14 Wall.) 12

Syllabus

The Supreme Court of Arkansas ordered judgment for a plaintiff suing on a note given for the price of slaves. Subsequently to this, the State of Louisiana ordained as part of its constitution,

"That all contracts for the sale or purchase of slaves were null and void, and that no court of the state

Page 81 U. S. 13

should take cognizance of any suit founded upon such contracts, and that no amount should ever be collected or recovered on any judgment or decree which bad been or should thereafter be rendered on account of any such contract or obligation."

On application by the defendant in the suit to supersede and perpetually stay all proceedings on the judgment against him, the Supreme Court overruled the application. The case being brought here under an assumption that it was within the 25th section, held that it was not so, and the case was dismissed for want of jurisdiction accordingly.

Motion by Mr. S. W. Williams to dismiss for want of jurisdiction a writ of error to the Supreme Court of Arkansas, taken under an assumption that the case fell within the 25th section of the Judiciary Act, quoted supra, pp. 81 U. S. 5-6. The plaintiff in error was Sevier, administrator of Jordan; the defendant in error Haskell, administrator of Smith.


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