McLellan v. Fuller

Decision Date20 November 1914
Citation219 Mass. 209,106 N.E. 851
PartiesMcLELLAN v. FULLER.
CourtUnited States State Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts Supreme Court
COUNSEL

R. W. Gloag, of Boston, for plaintiff.

S. A. Fuller, of Boston, for defendant.

OPINION

RUGG, C.J.

This is a petition to establish the truth of exceptions disallowed by the presiding judge. These facts are admitted: The petitioner prepared his petition in accordance with the statute and verified it by affidavit. Thereafter he added to it averments as to the date on which notice of the disallowance of his exceptions was received by him, and that within 20 days thereafter he filed the present petition after giving notice of the filing to counsel for the other party. He made no supplemental, additional or new affidavit after this addition. It is not necessary to determine whether these additional averments were necessary in view of other facts stated in the petition. They were inserted in and made a part of the petition after the affidavit was made and before it was filed. Hence, a part of the petition never was verified by affidavit, although on its face, apart from outside evidence, the oath appeared to apply to the entire petition and all its allegations of facts.

The strictest compliance with all the provisions of the rule as to procedure always has been held essential in cases like the present. Rule 6, for the regulation of practice before this court, requires that the petition must be 'verified by affidavit.' This means that the truth of all facts which the petitioner thinks sufficiently material to be in the petition must be supported by oath. It prohibits the insertion of additional averments after the affidavit has been made and without indicating that the affiant does not assume responsibility for their truth. Manifestly such practice as the present record discloses does not accord with the letter or with the spirit of the rule. Tufts v. Newton, 117 Mass. 68; Hadley v. Watson, 143 Mass. 27, 9 N.E. 806; Bishop, Pet'r, 208 Mass. 405, 94 N.E. 479. The reason for this is that such a petition undertakes to control the statement of a judge made under the solemn obligations of his official duty. Justice does not demand an investigation of the subject unless some one is willing to assume the burden of making oath to the truth of all the facts on which action is sought.

Petition dismissed.

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9 cases
  • Lincoln Nat. Bank v. Mundinger
    • United States
    • Indiana Appellate Court
    • September 27, 1988
    ...requiring that the truth of all facts sufficiently material to be in a complaint or petition be supported by oath. McLellan v. Fuller (1914), 219 Mass. 209, 106 N.E. 851. Lincoln Bank, by its argument, fails to recognize that there is a distinction between types of affidavits. There are tho......
  • In re Thorndike
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts Supreme Court
    • March 28, 1923
    ...an essential part of the petition. Without it a petition would have to be dismissed. Tufts v. Newton, 117 Mass. 68.Fuller, Petitioner, 219 Mass. 209, 106 N. E. 851. Proceedings to establish the truth of exceptions are strictissimi juris. There must be precise compliance with every requireme......
  • In re Corey
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts Supreme Court
    • October 21, 1925
    ...by the judge of the superior court. Without further discussion, it is plain that the petition cannot be maintained. Fuller, Petitioner, 219 Mass. 209, 106 N. E. 851;John Henry Co., Petitioner, 222 Mass. 182, 111 N. E. 720;Thorndike, Petitioner, 244 Mass. 429, 139 N. E. 208. Petition ...
  • McLellan v. Fuller
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts Supreme Court
    • March 11, 1915
    ...Company. There was a verdict for plaintiff, and defendant brings exceptions. Sustained in part, and overruled in part. See, also, 219 Mass. 209, 106 N. E. 851.[220 Mass. 499]R. W. Gloag and T. J. Clarke, both of Boston, for plaintiff.Robert Homans, of Boston, for defendant.PIERCE, J. The ju......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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