Craven County v. . Investment Co.

With respect to parties and causes of action there is a distinction between proceedings in courts of law and proceedings in courts of equity. The object of the common-law courts as originally constituted was to reduce the litigation to a single issue and upon such issue to obtain a decision — on an issue of law from the court and on an issue of fact from the jury; but by statutory enactment several distinct issues were permissible in the same action. In courts of equity the object sought is a complete decree on the general merits — -the administration of justice by settling the rights of all…