Chase v. Chase

The report in this case presents a question of law for the consideration of the whole court, preliminary in its nature, which, if decided against the plaintiff, precludes the necessity of considering other questions raised at the trial.

It is an action of tort for verbal slander; and the preliminary question is, whether the plaintiff can maintain such an action in her own name and right, as a feme sole, under the circumstances disclosed by the report. Job Chase, the defendant, now an old man, lives, and for his whole life, or for many years, has lived, at Harwich in the county of Barnstable.…