Wood v. Davis
Supreme Court of the United States
ERROR to the Circuit Court for the district of Columbia, sitting at Washington; The Defendants in error, John Davis and, others, were children of Susan Davis, á mulatto woman, who had obtained a judgment for her freedom in a suit which she had brought against Caleb Swann, to whom she had been sold by Wood the Plaintiff in error. The petition of the children stated that their mother Susan Davis, had obtained a judgment for her freedom upon the ground that she was born free.
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ERROR to the Circuit Court for the district of Columbia, sitting at Washington; The Defendants in error, John Davis and, others, were children of Susan Davis, á mulatto woman, who had obtained a judgment for her freedom in a suit which she had brought against Caleb Swann, to whom she had been sold by Wood the Plaintiff in error. The petition of the children stated that their mother Susan Davis, had obtained a judgment for her freedom upon the ground that she was born free. The issue was joined upon the question whether the petitioners were entitled to their freedom, Upon the trial of this…
1Opinion of the Court
Marshall, Ch. J.
Stated that the opinion of the Court to be, that the verdict and judgment in the case of Susan Davis against Swann, were not conclusive evidence in the present case. There was no privity between Swann and Wood; they were to be considered as perfectly distinct persons.. Wood had a right tp defend his own title, which lie did not derive from Swann.
Judgment reversed-
2Cited by12 opinions
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- Hayward v. HaywardIndiana Court of Appeals · 1917
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- Kapiolani Estate, Ltd. v. AtcherleySupreme Court of the United States · 1915
- Brown v. ChaneySupreme Court of Georgia · 1846
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