Fairbanks v. Snow

This is an action upon a promissory note made by the defendant and her husband to the order of the plaintiff. The defendant alleges that her signature was obtained by duress and threats on the part of her husband. The judge below found for the plaintiff, on the ground, it would rather seem, that, whether there was duress or not, the defendant had ratified the note, which there seems to have been evidence tending to prove. See Morse v. Wheeler, 4 Allen, 570; Rau v. Von Zedlitz, 132 Mass. 164. But as this may not be quite clear, we proceed to consider the only exception taken by the defendant.…