Sir Francis Buller, 1st Baronet Quotes

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.

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.

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

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

It was nobly said in another place (I heard it with pleasure, and thought it becoming the dignity of the person who pronounced it, and the place in which it was pronounced) "that the law is best applied, when it is subservient to the honesty of the case."

The intention of the testator is the polar star by which we must be guided.

The law merchant is a system of equity, founded on the rules of equity, and governed in all its parts by plain justice and good faith.

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

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.

The Court is to pronounce according to the apparent intent of the testator, but that intent must be found in the words of the will, and is not to be collected by conjecture dehors the will.

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

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.

Each plea must stand or fall by itself.

The Court is at liberty to transpose and mould clauses and words in a will so as to make the whole take effect.

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