If defendant or fome other perfon, that the defendant is immediately about to leave the province, and whereby the Plaintiff might be deprived of his remedy against fuch defendant, it fhall and may be lawful for one or more judge or judges of any court of common pleas, to grant a capias or attachment against the body of fuch defendant, to be directed to the sheriff in manner as aforefaid, to hold fuch defendant to bail, for his pearance at the return of fuch writ; and in default thereof, to commit him to prifon, there to remain until special bail may be given by fuch defendant, or until two days after execution may be obtained by the plaintiff, if judgement be in his favour. ap V. Provided always, that if any defendant fo bound in recognizance, by fpecial Bail, fhall or do furrender himself in open court, pending the action, or at any time within one month after judgement obtained; or do furrender himself unto the fheriff of the district where fuch court may have jurifdiction at any time within fifteen days after the day on which the plaintiff might legally have and obtain execution, by capias ad fatisfaciendum upon judgement obtained, that then and in fuch cafe fuch furrender of the defendant fhall be held, taken, and confidered, as a difcharge of the perfons bound for fuch defendant on fpecial bail.. VI. If on the day of the return of the writ of fummons the defendant does does not appear. not appear in perfon, or by attorney (proof of fuch fervice being produced or made in court) the plaintiff fhall obtain a default against the defendant; and if, on calling over the action on the next weekly court day, the defendant should fill neglect to appear, without any good reafon for fuch his neglect; the court, after hearing and receiving fufficient proof of the plaintiff's demand, fhall caufe their final. Judgement to judgement to be entered against the defendant, and fhall award fuch cofts thereupon as they fhall think reasonable, and iffue fuch execution as the law, according to the nature of the cafe, may direct, be entered. If defendant appears. the declaration. VII. Provided always, that every proof that may be offered by the plaintiff, in fupport of his action and demand, fhall be filed in court, and remain of record in the fame manner as if the defendant had appeared and defended the action, VIII. Provided alfo that the defendant, upon his appearance at the return day of the writ, or in cafe of default, upon his appearance at the next weekly court after fuch return, and after payment of cofts of fuch default as abovefaid, fhall then or on fuch He is to anfwer other day as he may obtain from the court, make his anfwer to the declaration, either in writing or verbally, as he thinks fit. And if the answer be verbal, the clerk of the court fhall take down the fubftance thereof in writing, and preferve the fame among the records of the court and in the faid action; and if the plaintiff doth not appear at the return day of fuch writ, or appearing, doth not profecute his action, the fame fhall be difmiffed with cofts to the defendant. Trials by Juries in certain cafes at the option of the parties. IX. That all and every perfon having fuits at law and actions in any of the faid courts of common pleas, grounded on debts, promifes, contracts and agreements of a mercantile nature only, between merchant and merchant, and trader and trader, fo reputed and understood, according to law, and alfo of perfonal wrongs, proper to be compensated in damages, may, at the option and choice of either party, have and obtain the trial and verdict of a jury, as well for the affeffment of damages on perfonal wrongs committed, as the determination of matters of fact in any fuch caufe. Provided always that the agreement of nine of the twelve jurors, who fhall compose fuch jury, fhall be fufficient and effectual to return a verdict, and that the fame fo made and returned fhall be held as legal and effectual, to every intent an purpose, in as much as if the whole twelve jurors had agreed therein. And the clerk of the court un débiteur qui quittera la pro. Plaidoiers-comuns, feront ou pourront être fatisfaits par le ferment du demandeur, V. Pourvû toujours que, fi aucun défendeur, ainfi fous cautions fpéciaux, fe rendra lui même, Cour tenante, pendant l'action, ou dans tout autre tems après le jugement obtenu, ou fe remettra entre les mains du Sherif du diftrict, où la Cour peut avoir jurifdiction, à tout tems, dans quinze jours après celui, où le demandeur peut légalcment demander et obtenir exécution par un Capias ad fatisfaciendum, fur jugement décerné, alors et dans tels cas, telle comparution du défendeur fera tenue, prife et confidérée comm'une décharge pour les particuliers engagés comme cautions spéciaux d'un tel défendeur. VI. Si le jour que fe fera le raport de la fomation, le défendeur ne comparait points: le défendeur en perfonne ou par procureur (la preuve de l'affignation de telle fomation aiant été ne produite en Cour) le demandeur obtiendra congé défaut contre le défendeur: et fi, point il fera don lorfqu'il aura été appellé fur l'afaire, la femaine fuivante un autre jour de Cour, il néglige encore de comparaitre, fans donner aucunes bonnes raifons de fa négligence, la Cour après avoir entendu et reçu les preuves fufifantes fur la requête du demandeur, prononcera fon jugement définitif, qui fera enrégîtré contre le défendeur, allouera les frais qu'elle jugera convenables, et décernera une exécution, telle que la loi prefcrit fuivant la nature de l'afaire. VII. Pourvû toujours que toute et chaque preuve oferte par le demandeur, au foutien de fon action et demande, foit enfilée en Cour, et reftera dans le regître, de même que fi le défendeur avait comparu et défendu l'action. VIII. Pourvû auffi que le défendeur fur la comparution au jour du raport de l'ordre, ou en cas de défaut fur la comparution à la Cour la femaine fuivante, après tel raport, et après le paiement des frais de tel défaut, comme ci-deffus, pourra alors, ou tel autre jour, ainfi qu'il l'obtiendra de la Cour, répondre à la déclaration, foit par écrit ou verbalement, ainfi qu'il le jugera à propos, et que fi fa réponse eft verbale, le Greffier de la Cour en prendra la fubflance par écrit, et la gardera dans les regîtres de la Cour et dans les procédures de la dite action; et fi le demandeur ne comparait point au jour du raport de tel ordre, ou que comparaiffant, il ne pourfuive point fon action, il fera débouté et les frais feront alloués au défendeur. Si le défendeut pondra à la décla:ation. comparait, il re en certains cas, à IX. Que tous et chaque particuliers, qui auront des procés dans aucunes des Cours Procés par jurés des Plaidoiers-comuns fondées fur dettes, promelles, engagemens et conventions, con- l'option des parcernant le comerce feulement, entre négocians et négocians et entre marchands et mar- ties. chands, réputés et conus comme tels, fuivant la loi, et aufli concernant les injures perfonelles qui doivent être compenfées en domages, pourront à l'option et choix de l'une English rules of evidence adopted in commercial ca Les. Where neither party is defirous jury, proceedings of the trial by as formerly. Provision for examining wit neffes, in cafe of ficknefs or when about to depart the province. Limitation of pleadings. When the fhe. is concerned court shall fet down the names of the jurors, on the regifter of the court, in every cause where verdicts may be returned, as abovefaid. Provided also that in all fuch causes and actions that may be between his Majefty's natural born fubjects of Great Britain, Ireland, or the plantations and provinces in America, the juries in fuch caufes, fhall be compofed of fuch natural born subjects as abovesaid. And in all causes and actions between his Majefty's Canadian or new fubje&ts, the juries fhall be compofed of fuch Canadian or new fubjects. And in all caufes and actions between natural born fubjects, and the Canadian or new fubjects, the jury fall be com pofed of an equal number of each, if such be required by either of the parties, in any of the abovementioned inftances. X. In proof of all facts concerning commercial matters, recourfe fhall be had, in all the courts of civil jurifdiction in this province, to the rules of evidence laid down by the laws of England. XI. Provided always and it is ordained and enacted, that in all causes, before the said courts of common pleas, where the parties, plaintiff nor defendant are neither of them defirous of a trial by the verdict of a jury, of and refpecting matters legally within the cognizance of fuch jury, but that fuch trial fhould be by the depofition of witnesses, and by proofs, as at prefent used in his Majesty's faid courts of common pleas, the court fhall, after iffue joined on the merits of the cause, in the manner as hereafter expreffed, appoint a day for hearing the evidence of the parties, plaintiff and defendant, and caufe the fame to be taken down in writing by the clerk of the court, in open court, and figned and fworn to by each refpective witnefs, fave and except as hereafter provided for witnelles absent by reafon of fickness or of departing the province. XII. Provided alfo that in cafe of fickness and where the witneffes cannot attend the court, to be ascertained by affidavit, it may be lawful for the court, in fuch cases, and of evident neceffity, after iffue joined as abovefaid, to allow and permit that any one judge, in the prefence of the parties, plaintiff and defendant, or their attornies, or in their or either of their abfence, after due notice fignified, may take the depofition of fuch witness, in writing, to be figned and fworn to, and certify and record the fame, in the faid court, and there to be of legal effect; and moreover, that fuch depofition, fo taken, may be offered and read to the jury, as legal evidence, if fuch caufe be to be tried by jury. And alfo in caufes inflituted in the faid court, where any witness may be about to depart the province, and by which means either party might be deprived of his teftimony to be ascertained by affidavit, it fhall and may be lawful for any judge of the faid courts to take the depofition of fuch witnefs in prefence of the parties or their attornies, in the manner as above expreffed, and the fame fhall be of legal effect, in every caufe, in the manner as abovefaid. XIII. And it is further ordained and enacted, that every iffue in law or fact, to be formed in any cause in either of the laid courts of common pleas, between the parties, plaintiff and defendant, fhall be made and compleated by the declaration, answer and replication; or by the plea, anfwer and replication, in cafes of abatement and bar, of the faid parties, plaintiff and defendant, and that no other or further pleadings or writings by way of plea upon fuch iffue or matter in difpute, whether of law or fact, fhall be received or admitted by the faid courts of common pleas, as part of and to be put upon record, in any caufe there inftituted, and to be heard and adjudged upon, any thing to the contrary notwithstanding. XIV. That every writ and procefs which ought to be ferved and executed by the .the:iff, l'une des parties, avoir et obtenir qu'elles feront plaidées devant un corps de jurés pour avoir un verdict, tant pour déterminer le fait qui doit être établi dans telles actions de comerce, que pour conftater les domages dans celles d'injures perfonelles. Pourvû toujours que l'opinion de neuf des douze jurés qui en compoferont le corps, foit fufifante pour faire le raport d'un verdict, et que le dit verdict, ainfi fait et raporté, fera tenu comme légal et effeclif, à toutes fins et à tous égards, comme fi les douze jurés avaient été unanimes en opinion. Et le Greffier de la Cour écrira les noms des jurés fur le regître de la Cour dans chaque caufe, où les verdicts pourront être raportés, comme ci-deffus. Pourvû auffi que dans tous tels procés ou actions; qui feront entre les fujets de fa Majefté nés dans la Grande-Bretagne, Irlande, ou Colonies et Provinces en Amerique, les jurés, en tels cas, feront compofés de fujets nés, comm'il eft dit ci-deffus; et que dans tous procés ou actions entre les Canadiens et nouveaux fujets de fa Majefté, les jurés feront compofés de tels Canadiens et nouveaux fujets; et que dans tous procés et actions entre les anciens fujets, et les Canadiens ou nouveaux fujets, les jurés feront compofés d'un nombre égal de chacuns, s'il en eft ainfi requis par l'une des parties, dans aucuns des cas ci-dessus mentionés. Formes Anglai. X. Dans la preuve de tous faits concernans les afaires de comerce, on aura recours dans toutes les Cours de jurifdiction civile en cette Province, aux formes admifes, fes adoptées quant quant aux témoignages par les loix Anglaifes. XI. Pourvû toujours, et il eft ftatué et ordoné que, dans tous procés devant les dites Cours des Plaidoiers-comuns, où ni l'une ni l'autre des parties, le demandeur ni le défendeur, ne voudront point que leurs procès foient déterminés par un verdict de jurés, dans les points qui pourraient être de leur compétence, mais qu'ils foient décidés, comm'il eft actuellement d'ufage dans les dites Cours des Plaidoiers-comuns, fur les dépofitions de temoins et fur preuves, la Cour après un plaidoier joint au mérite de l'afaire, dans la forme ci-après exprimée, fixera un jour pour entendre les témoins de la part du demandeur et de celle du défendeur, et fera écrire leurs dépofitions par le Greffier, Cour tenante, les fera enfuite figner par chaque témoin, après ferment prêté, fauf et excepté ce qui eft réfervé ci-après quant aux témoins abfens pour raisons de maladie ou de départ de la Province. XII. Pourvû auffi qu'en cas de maladie, où les témoins ne pourraient fe trouver à la Cour, ce qui doit être prouvé par ferment, la Cour, en tels cas, et dans une néceffité évidente, après le plaidoier joint comme deffus, pourra permettre qu'un des juges, en présence des parties, demandeur et défendeur, ou leurs procureurs, ou en l'abfence d'une des deux parties, après qu'elles en auront été duement averties, prendra la dépofition de tels témoins par écrit, fignée, affirmée, certifiée et enregîtrée dans la dite Cour, qui aura fon effet légal, et telle dépofition pourra être préfentée et luë au corps de jurés, comm'un témoignage légal, fi la caufe cft plaidée devant un juré. Et auffi dans les caules pendantes dans la dite Cour, où quelque témoin peut être fur fon départ de la Province, et que dans ce cas, l'une ou l'autre des parties pourrait être privée de fon témoignage, ce qui fera prouvé fous ferment, chacun des juges de la dite Cour pourra prendre la dépofition d'un tel témoin, en présence des parties ou de leurs procureurs, en la maniére ci-deffus exprimée; et telle dépofition aura un effet légal dans toutes caufes en la maniére fufdite. aux preuves, dana les affaires de co merce. Où ni l'un ni l'autre des partic il fera procédé comme evident. défirera desjurés, Maniére d'exam miner les témoins en cas de maladie, ou de départ de la province. Refrictions dea XIII. Et il e de plus ftatué et ordoné que, tous plaidoiers fur la lor, ou fur le fait, dans toutes actions pendantes dans les Cours des Plaidoiers-comuns entre les parties, plaidoiers. demandeur et défendeur, feront inférés dans la déclaration, la réponse et la réplique, ou en cas d'exceptions dilatoires ou au fonds, dans la requête, la réponse et la réplique ferved by the co the process to be fcriff, where it fhall happen that the, fheriff may be perfonally interefted and concerned, fhall be ferved and executed by the coroner of the diftrict in which fuch writ, procefs or execution may iffue. (O)“k。 Their qualifica tion. Sheriffs to make OF JURORS. XV. That all merchants or traders of lawful age, and alfo all perfons of lawful age, being houfe-holders, or occupying lodgings of the value of fifteen pounds per annum, rent, fhall be held and confidered qualified as jurors, and to ferve on petit juries. XVI. That the sheriff of each diftri fhall make out lifts of all perfons fo qualifiGut lists of jurors. ed as abovefaid, who may refide in the cities of Quebec or Montreal, and within the vicinage or banlieu thereof, and return the fame into the refpective courts of common pleas of the diftrict in which fuch fheriff may oficiate, and in which return fhall be fet down, the chriflian and furname, and allo the profeffion, trade or calling, and place of abode of fuch perfons fo returned. Juries to be taKenia Lotation. Challenges or exceptions to ju XVII. That from the faid general lift, the clerk of each court fhall make two feparate lifts or books, the one to contain the names of all merchants, perfons concerned intrade, or qualified to ferve on fpecial juries, and the cther lift or book to contain the names of perfons of different occupations, fo returned on the fail general lift by the fheriff as aforefaid. That the faid lifts or books, when fo made, fhall be exami ned by the judges and fheriff, and corrected if needful, and fhall be of record and open in the clerks's office, to the inspection of all perfons, without fee or reward. XVIII. That in all and every cause where a trial may be moved for, and directed to be taken by the verdict of a jury, it fhall and may be lawful for the parties, plaintiff and defendant, or their attornies, to ftrike a jury from the above lifts or books, fo retur ned into court, and compleated as abovelaid, in the fame manner and under the fame rules as fpecial juries are ftruck in the courts of record in England, that is to fay, from the firft lift or book fo formed by the clerk, and approved by the juges, as abovefaid, in all caufes of mercantile difpute or actions of damages; The total amount, fum, dealing, or matter of account, agreement or tranfaction between the parties, may exceed fifty pounds. And from the second lift, or jury book, where the total fam as abovefaid may not exceed the said sum of Fifty pounds. XIX. Provided alway that the faid jurics, fo to be ftruck from either of the faid lifts, fhall be taken from the fame in rotation and following each other, by commen cing at that part of the lift from whence the former or preceding jury was ftruck or taken. And alfo, that in all caufes that may appear to the court before which they are to be tried, to be of intricacy, and that ought to be tried by a jury from the first lift, although the fum or total amount may not exceed Fifty pounds, the judges of fuch court may permit and order the jury to be firuck from the firft lift; the party applying for fuch jury, paying the difference of fees between jurors from the firft and the fecond jury lift or book. XX. That all and every challenge or exception to the panel, or any particular jufore, to be deterror returned thereon, fhall be taken, made and determined upon in open court, and mined agreeable conformable to the laws of England. That jurors ferving on fpecial juries as abovefaid, and flruck from the firft lift or jury book, fhall have and receive two fhillings and fix pence each for every verdict to be made and delivered, and before returned into court. And jurors flruck from the fecond lift or jury book, one fhilling each for every verdict in manner as aforefaid, to the laws of England. XXI. |