Balentine v. Dodge

Appellants, as the heirs of J. J. Balentine, brought this suit in trespass to try title to recover of appellees, 1,476 acres of land, patented to the heirs of J. J. Balen-tine by virtue of a certificate issued February 5, 1838, to P. M. Mercer, as administrator of the estate of said Balentine by the board of land commissioners of Washington county. The defendants filed' formal answers and the cause proceeded to trial before a jury. After the introduction of the testimony, the jury, under peremptory instructions from the court, returned a verdict in favor of the ap-pellees for the whole amount…