Kellogg v. Northrup

Declaration in assumpsit upon the common counts. Bill of particulars, balance due on sale of house and lot December 29, 1891. Plea, the general issue. The defense was that the deed was a mortgage. The court instructed the jury that the burden of proof was upon the plaintiff to establish the character of the deed. The learned circuit judge was in error. The onus probandi is upon him who asserts that a written instrument is not what it imports upon its face to be. A deed may be shown to be a mortgage. McMillan v. Bissell, 63 Mich. 66. While the court in that case were equally divided as to the…