PLAINTIFF
COMMON LAW ACTIONS (CAUSES OF ACTION)

1.  Trespass – injury committed with force, actual or implied; immediate and not consequential; if property involved, then property was in actual or constructive possession of plaintiff at time of injury.  Koffler:  Common Law Pleading, 152 (1969)

2.  Trespass on the Case – In practice.  The form of action by which a person seeks to recover damages caused by an injury unaccompanied with force or which results indirectly from the act of the defendant.  It is more generally called, simply, case.  2 Bouvier’s Law Dictionary 610 (1867)

Trespass and Trespass on the Case are supplementary to each other; and it may be said that, in general, Trespass on the Case lies where no other theory or Form of Action is available, though it is sometimes concurrent with other forms.  Koffler:  Common Law Pleading, 174 (1969)

3.  Trover – In practice.  A form of action which lies to recover damages against one who has, without right, converted to his own use goods or personal chattels in which the plaintiff has a general or special property.  2 Bouvier’s Law Dictionary 613 (1867)

4.  Ejectment – In practice.  A form of action by which possessory titles to corporeal hereditaments may be tried and possession obtained.  A form of action which lies to regain the possession of real property, with damages for the unlawful detention.  1 Bouvier’s Law Dictionary 518 (1867)

5.  Detinue – In practice.  A form of action which lies for the recovery, in specie, of personal chattels from one who acquired possession of them lawfully but retains it without right, together with damages for the detention.  1 Bouvier’s Law Dictionary 472 (1867)

6.  Replevin – In Practice.  A form of action which lies to regain the possession of personal chattels which have been taken from the plaintiff unlawfully.  2 Bouvier’s Law Dictionary 441 (1867)

7.  Debt – In practice.  A form of action which lies to recover a sum certain.  It lies wherever the sum due is certain or ascertained in such a manner as to be readily reduced to a certainty, without regard to the manner in which the obligation was incurred or is evidenced.  1 Bouvier’s Law Dictionary 436 (1867)

8.  Covenant – the action of covenant lies for the recovery of damages for breach of a covenant, that is a promise under seal, whether the damages are liquidated or unliquidated.  When the damages are unliquidated, it is the only proper form of action.  Koffler:  Common Law Pleading, 303 (1969)

9.  Account – The action of account lies where one has received goods or money for another in a fiduciary capacity, to ascertain and recover the balance due.  It can only be maintained where there is such a relationship between the parties, as to raise an obligation to account, and where the amount due is uncertain and unliquidated.  Koffler:  Common Law Pleading, 310 (1969)

In practice.  In Equity.  Jurisdiction concurrent with courts of law is taken over matters of account.  In addition to these peculiar grounds of jurisdiction, equity will grant a discovery in cases of account on the general principles regulating discoveries, and will afterwards proceed to grant full relief in many cases.  1 Bouvier’s Law Dictionary 54 (1867)

In practice.  At Law.  The action lay against bailiffs, receivers, and guardians, in socage only, at the common law,and, by a subsequent extension of the law, between merchants.  1 Bouvier’s Law Dictionary 54 (1867)

10.  Special Assumpsit – for the recovery of damages for the breach of a simple contract, either express or implied in fact.  the term “special contract” is often used to denote an express or explicit contract as contrasted with a promise implied in law.  Consideration is the test of whether there was sufficient ground to enforce the promise.  It is the proper remedy for the breach of any simple or unsealed contract, whether the contract is verbal or written, or whether it is for the payment of money, or for the performance of some other act, as to render services or deliver goods, or for the forbearance to do some act.  A promise either given in fact or implied by law is essential.  Koffler:  Common Law Pleading, 318-319 (1969)

11.  Indebitatus Assumpsit – Indebitatus or General Assumpsit is brought for the breach of a fictitious or implied promise raised by operation of law from a debt founded upon an executed consideration.  The basis of the action is the promise implied by law from the performance of the consideration, or from a debt or legal duty resting upon the defendant.  Koffler:  Common Law Pleading, 337 (1969)

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DEFENDANT
COMMON LAW DEFENSES

Demur (issue of law)final judgment or continue
Plead 
   Dilatory plea (attempt to stop final “judgment on merits”)(only for step 2)
        No jurisdictionlaw trial by court
        Abatementlaw trial by court
        Suspension of the actionaction temporarily stopped
   Peremptory plea (plea in bar)(attempt “judgment on merits”)
        Confession and avoidanceaction continues
          In justification or excuse
             Liability never existed
          In discharge
             Liability once existed, but now does not
        Traverse (denial) trial of facts by jury
          General issue (deny all facts)
          Specific or common traverse (deny some facts)
          Special traverse
             facts ok + new facts + non-liable)
          Estoppel (can’t harvest the fruit of the poisoned tree)

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Names of Pleading Papers filed

By PLAINTIFF               by DEFENDANT
--------------             -------------------------------------------------
 1 Declaration             2 Demur (issue of law)judgment or continue
   [action,                  Plead 
    complaint]   

                     --(forced joinder – Further papers prohibited)---------
                    |
 3 Replication      |      4 Rejoinder
    Peremptory      |
    Demur           |
--------------------

 5 Surrejoinder            6 Rebutter

 7 Surrebutter             8 Rebutter
 9 Surrebutter            10 Rebutter

11 Surrebutter            .
   .                   .
   .                   .
   .
Alternating pleadings continue until traverse or Tender of Issue by defendant.

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Declaration is the original Action in law or Complaint in equity
Tender of Issue = party informs court that the facts are now at issue
At Issue Memorandum is same as Tender of Issue
At Issue means the parties cannot agree on the facts
  The jury or court must decide what the facts are
Forced Joinder = some states prohibit filing more than 3 pleadings

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Pleading by plaintiff
   Name of Court
   The Venue (county name)
   Commencement
      Selection of forum
      Identification of parties
      Decree law of the case
   Body 
      Causes of action and/or counts
           Tort
              Trespass (injury + violence)
              Trespass on the Case (aka Case) (injury, no violence)
              Trover (recovery of conversion)
              Ejectment (adverse possession)
              Detinue (recovery of property or conversion, + damages)
              Replevin (immediate recovery of property, + damages)
           Contract
              Debt
              Covenant (breach of promise under seal)
              Account (breach of fiduciary capacity)
              Special Assumpsit (breach of simple [unsealed] contract)
              General (Indebitatus) Assumpsit (breach of implied contract)
      Plaintiff’s Right
      Wrongful act violating that right
         Only ultimate or operative facts
            Who, what, where, when, how
            Hear, see, feel, taste, smell, mental state
         No evidentiary facts (inferred or implied facts)
         No conclusions of law
      Injury
   Conclusion (prayer)
   Affidavit
   Date
   Signature
   Seal

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