12 April 1805

Evidence

Securities

Ch. Procedure Technical

''.3 Objects ulterior

Every suit that takes place is with reference to each of the parties either a bonâ fide suit, or a malâ fide suit. The uncertainty of the law is the instrument by which bonâ fide suits are brought into existence /The source of bonâ fide suits, is hath just been seen, in the unnotoriety source of bona fide suits/. To the existence of Mala fide suits on the other hand the notoriety of the law, as to certain points of it is requisite: - as to certain parts of it: viz: as to /in respect of/ those arrangements from /in/ which the suitor who is not only in the wrong but himself compleatly fully /compleatly/ conscious of his being so, may behold a certainty of success.

Every suit that takes place is either a bon fide suit, or a malâ fide suit: and that with reference to each one of the parties /the party or parties on each side/. Under /To/ which of the two predicaments /descriptions/ the rest comes, /belongs, so as it do but exist,/ is in every instance a matter of compleat indifference to the man of law. The circumstance to which the distinction in this case owes its inheritance is - that different causes as will be seen are required for the production of the two effects. That in the causes requisite for the production /by which the production/ of these two effects is promoted, there is a considerable difference. Mean time

1. A bonâ fide demand at any rate commences and pro tanto constitutes a suit: therefore it is the interest of the man of law requires that the number of bonâ fide demands be made as great as possible. First object of the technical system - to render the number of bonâ fide demands of bonâ fide suits being such on the part of the plaintiff or demandant - as great as possible.

2. To the continuance of a suit, a defence is for the most part as necessary as a demand and the continuance of the demand. Second object of the technical system - to render the number of bonâ fide defences as great as possible.
Similar Items
  • Title: [10 April 1805 Evidence Securities]
    Description: 10 April 1805

    Evidence

    Securities

    Ch. Procedure Technical

    ''.3 Objects ulterior

    9.1. A malâ fide demand makes a suit as much as a bonâ fide demand: therefore, it is the interest of the men of law requires that the number of malâ fide suits /demands/ be made as great as possible. Third object of technical procedure - to encrease /render/ the number of mala fide demands. of mala fide suits being such on the part of the demandant /plaintiff/ as great as possible.

    10.2. A mala fide defence continues a suit as much as a bonâ fide defence: therefore it is the interest of the man of law requires that the number of mala fide defences be made as great as possible. Fourth object of technical procedure - to render /encrease/ the number of malâ fide defences - of malâ fide suits being such on the part of the defendant, as great as possible.

    11.3. The quantity of profit extractable, in a given space of time, from the aggregate number of suits, being given, it is the interest of the man of law that the number of suits carried on within that time should be as small as possible: since whatever labour is not attended with profit, is needless. Fifth object of technical procedure, to render as small as possible the number of suits carried on by those whose capacity of expence affords no profit, or inferior profit as small as possible: in other words to exclude as much as possible the poorer classes, that is the great majority of the people, from the benefit of justice: - to place the great body of the people in a state of perpetual outlawry. N.B. This effect takes place in a considerable degree, without the necessity of any exertions directed to this special purpose /specially directed to this purpose. The greater the quantity /quantum/ of expense created, the less the number of those whose circumstances enable them to support it.
  • Title: [13 June 1807 A5 4 Letter V]
    Description: 13 June 1807

    A5 4

    Letter V

    II. Litigation

    Where the defendant is in the wrong, litigation is the result of wrong: where the plaintiff is in the wrong, litigation is the instrument of wrong.

    When litigation is either on the one part the result, on the other the instrument of wrong committed bonâ fide - in pure ignorance, the suit may be termed a bonâ fide suit: on each side of the cause, plaintiff's as well as defendant there is nothing but bonâ fides: plaintiff and defendant, are both of them bonâ fide suitors.

    Where both parties are in bonâ fide, the suit or cause may be termed a bonâ fide suit or cause: and here we see in the first class of suits, the first branch of litigation - the litigation as in the first case.

    Where either party is in malâ fide, the suit may be termed a malâ fide suit, or to avoid ambiguity the cause a malâ fide cause.

    Where the malâ fides is on the defendant's side, here we have a second class of suits, a second branch of litigation: the litigation is in the second case. Where the malâ fides is on the plaintiff's side, here we have the third class of suits, the third branch of litigation: the litigation is in the third case.

    Note

    (a) A possible case is - that both parties shall be in malâ fides: the one who is really in the right, not being conscious of his being so, but thinking himself in the wrong. But in a practical point of view this distinction can not often be of use. Whoever supposes a man to be in the right, will seldom see any reason for believing the man not to have supposed himself to be so.

    But a case that too frequently happens, is - that a man who at once is and believes himself to be legally speaking in the right, is and is conscious of being, morally speaking, in the wrong.
  • Title: [18 May 1805 Evidence Evils]
    Description: 18 May 1805

    Evidence

    Evils causes

    ch. -----------

    ' Effects on --------

    Effects of reform on the no of judges

    In the aggregate assemblage of the ends of procedure are included in substance /in purport/ though not in name /tenor/, two distinguishable objects: 1. the raising to its maximum the number of well-founded, i.e. non-temerarious and bonâ fide suits: the ----- to it minimum the number of ill-founded, i.e. temerarious and malâ fide suits. It is rarely by means of a suit /by means of a legal ----/ as often as the occasion a just occasion for the demand - a just cause of suit - presents itself, that the prescriptions of substantive law in that regard can be fulfilled.

    I say the increasing the number of well-founded, bonâ fide suits is among the ends of procedure /legislation/. Not that any increase in the number of suits of any kind /description/ is not in itself an evil (it is always so in virtue of the attendant vexation and expence attending them - it can never fail of being so) but in as much as so far as it extends, in so far as is necessary to the attainment of a preponderant good. Not that by the production of such ----- it may not happen to a law to be productive not only of evil but of preponderant evil: - but /that/ where the evil is thus preponderant, it is the work and product not only of the adjective system of law, but of the same /correspondent/ part or other of the substantive.

    By the ambiguity of its tenor, it may but too easily happen to the substantive branch of the law to give birth to a /an almost endless/ multitude of suits: but in this case the cause /fault/ of the evil lies solely in that branch of the law not in any respect in the adjective - not in the system of procedure.

    A case in which a misfortune of this head is still more apt to happen is that where the corresponding article of the substantive law in question has no tenor at all: which is the case in so far as the substantive branch of the body of the law remains /is suffered to remain/ in the form, or rather the no-form of jurisprudential law; but of this more fully in its place.