McGuire v. Circuit Judge

In chancery practice a cross-bill is a bill filed by the defendant against the complainant or other parties in a former bill pending, touching the matter in question in that bill. It is treated as a mere auxiliary suit, or as a dependency upon the original suit. It can be sustained only on matter growing out of the original bill. It is a mode of defense, and the original and cross-bill are but one cause. It is necessary when the defendant is entitled to some positive relief beyond what the scope of the complainant’s suit will afford him. 2 Daniell Ch. Pr. 1647, tit. “Cross-bill Story, Eq. Pl.…