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Scottish Court of Session Decisions


You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> Scottish Court of Session Decisions >> Conroy v. A. & J. Inglis [1895] ScotLR 32_496 (4 June 1895)
URL: http://www.bailii.org/scot/cases/ScotCS/1895/32SLR0496.html
Cite as: [1895] SLR 32_496, [1895] ScotLR 32_496

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SCOTTISH_SLR_Court_of_Session

Page: 496

Court of Session Inner House First Division.

[Sheriff-Substitute at Glasgow.

Lord President Lord Adam Lord M'Laren Lord Kinnear

Tuesday, June 4. 1895.

32 SLR 496

Conroy

v.

A. & J. Inglis.

Subject_1Process-Sheriff
Subject_2Appeal for Jury Trial
Subject_3Competency
Subject_4Judicature Act 1825 (6 Geo. IV. cap. 120), sec. 40.
Facts:

A labourer brought an action of damages in the Sheriff Court against his employers, on account of injuries averred to have been sustained by him while in their service. The Sheriff-Sxk ubsitute before answer allowed a proof on the question of employment. The pursuer appealed for jury trial. Held that, as the Sheriff's interlocutor was one allowing proof, the appeal was competent under the 40th section of the Judicature Act.

Headnote:

Thomas Conroy, labourer, Partick, raised an action of damages in the Sheriff Court at Glasgow against A. & J. Inglis, shipbuilders, Partick, on account of injuries sustained by him, as he averred, while in their employment, and in consequence of their fault.

Upon 5th April 1895 the Sheriff-Substitute ( Spens) before answer allowed the

Page: 497

pursuer a proof of his averment that the relation of employer and employed subsisted between himself and the defenders at the time of the accident, reserving thereafter to allow further proof that might seem necessary or advisable.

The pursuer appealed to the Court of Session for jury trial under the 40th section of the Judicature Act.

The defenders argued that the appeal was incompetent. The interlocutor of the Sheriff-Substitute did not allow a proof of all the averments on record, but only of one small preliminary question. The determination of that question might render inquiry into the circumstances of the accident unnecessary. It was unreasonable that the defenders should in this position of matters be put to the expense of a jury trial. In the case of Shirra v. Robertson, June 7, 1873, 11 Maeph. 660, the opinion was expressed that an interlocutor allowing proof before answer of certain averments by the writ or oath of the pursuer was not appealable under the 40th section of the Judicature Act. That opinion was in the respondents’ favour.

Counsel for the appellant were not called upon.

At advising—

Judgment:

Lord President—Mr Watt's point upon the competency of this appeal is, I think, untenable. The 40th section of the Judicature Act allows an appeal to be taken as soon as an order allowing proof has been pronounced. The interlocutor here allows proof no doubt only of a part of the averments on record, but it is none the less an interlocutor allowing proof. The case referred to by Mr Watt was quite different; in it the opinion was expressed that an interlocutor restricting the mode of proof to writ or oath was not appealable under the 40th section of the Judicature Act. That opinion stands on an intelligible and distinct ground. In this case we have an allowance of proof at large albeit only of a part of the record.

I think therefore that the appeal is competent.

Lord Adam, Lord M'Laren, and Lord Kinnear concurred.

Counsel:

Counsel for the Pursuer— G. Watt— Orr. Agents— George Inglis & Orr, S.S.C.

Counsel for the Defenders— Crabb Watt. Agents— Dove & Lockhart, S.S.C.

1895


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URL: http://www.bailii.org/scot/cases/ScotCS/1895/32SLR0496.html