Sir Francis Buller, 1st Baronet Quotes

It seems to me that the argument of the defendant's counsel blows hot and cold at the same time.

My distinction is, that in incorrect wills the Court may take liberties, but that if the words are correct they have no power to make any alteration.

There is no distinction between a good jury and a common jury.

Wherever a man neglects to take advantage of any defence which he has at the time, he waives it.

Customs which are consistent may be pleaded against each other.

An action cannot be supported for telling a bare naked lie: but that I define to be, saying a thing that is false, knowing or not knowing it to be so, and without any design to injure, cheat, or deceive another person. Every deceit comprehends a he; but a deceit is more than a lie, on account of the view with which it is practised, its being coupled with some dealing, and the injury which it is calculated to occasion, and does occasion, to another person.

If the law be thought to be improper or inconvenient, application to correct it must be made elsewhere, and not to those who are bound by the repeated and solemn judgments of their predecessors.

There is not in this country one rule by which the rich are governed, and another for the poor. No man has justice meted out to him by a different measure on account of his rank or fortune, from what would be done if he were destitute of both. Every invasion of property is judged of by the same rule; every injury is compensated in the same way; and every crime is restrained by the same punishment, be the condition of the offender what it may. It is in this alone that true equality can exist in society.

We must not overturn, the cases.

I think what has been considered as settled law for thirty years past ought not now to be departed from.

A casus omissus can in no case be supplied by a Court of law, for that would be to make laws.

It has been uniformly laid down in this Court, as far back as we can remember, that good faith is the basis of all mercantile transactions.

Dissentions existing between man and wife are in all events very unfortunate: when they become the subject of consideration to third persons, they are very unpleasant, and if the case requires that the conduct of each party should be commented upon in public, it is a most painful task to those to whose lot it falls to judge on them. The subject therefore is always to be handled with as much delicacy as it will admit of; but the infirmities of human nature have given rise to cruelties and other ill-treatment on the part of husbands, and to cases in which this Court has thought it indispensably necessary to interpose.

Expressions used in particular cases are to be understood with relation to the subject-matter then before the Court.

It is certainly a rule that the jury must find facts, and not merely evidence of facts.