Hounsell v. Hounsell, (1948) 47 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 108 (NFSC)

• Judge: Dunfield, J.
• Court: Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada)
• Case Date: October 23, 1948
• Jurisdiction: Newfoundland and Labrador
• Citations: (1948), 47 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 108 (NFSC)

Hounsell v. Hounsell (1948), 47 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 108 (NFSC);

    139 A.P.R. 108

MLB headnote and full text

Hounsell v. Hounsell

Indexed As: Hounsell v. Hounsell

Newfoundland Supreme Court

Dunfield, J.

October 23, 1948.

Summary:

In this pre-Confederation case a wife, who was separated from her husband, brought an action against her husband for maintenance or alimony. The husband raised the preliminary issue of the jurisdiction of the Newfoundland Supreme Court to award alimony, claiming that the court lacked the jurisdiction of the English Ecclesiastical Courts, which administered marital relations law when the court received its charter.

The Newfoundland Supreme Court held that it had jurisdiction to award alimony after reviewing the history and development of the jurisdiction of the court.

Courts - Topic 167

Reception of English law - Newfoundland - The Newfoundland Supreme Court discussed the history of the development of the jurisdiction of the Newfoundland Supreme Court and the extent of the reception of English common law and statutory law into the colony - The court held in particular that it had jurisdiction to award alimony.

Courts - Topic 2003

Jurisdiction - Remedies - Ubi jus, ibi remedium - Where there is a right, there is a remedy - The Newfoundland Supreme Court held that, if a right exists, there is a presumption that the court can enforce it or, if the substantive law is there, the court can deal with it - See paragraphs 38 to 40, 45.

Courts - Topic 6327

Provincial Courts - Newfoundland - Supreme Court - History - The Newfoundland Supreme Court discussed the history of the development of the jurisdiction of the Newfoundland Supreme Court from earliest times to 1948.

Courts - Topic 6335

Provincial courts - Newfoundland - Supreme Court - Jurisdiction - Alimony - The Newfoundland Supreme Court held that it had jurisdiction to award alimony.

Cases Noticed:

Young v. Blackie, 1 Nfld. L.R. 283, consd. [para. 21].

Natal (Lord Bishop), Re (1865), 3 Moo. P.C.C.(N.S.) 115; 12 L.T. 118, consd. [para. 31].

Blankard v. Caldy, 91 E.R. 356, consd. [para. 30].

Campbell v. Hall (1774), 98 E.R. 1045, consd. [para. 30].

Advocate General of Bengal v. Surnomoye Dossee (1863), 2 Moo. P.C.C.(N.S.) 22; 15 E.R. 811 (P.C.), consd. [para. 30].

Kielly v. Carson (1842), 4 Moo. P.C.C. 63; 13 E.R. 225, consd. [para. 30].

The Lauderdale Peerage Case (1885), 10 App. Cas. 692, consd. [para. 30].

R. v. Eton College (Provost and Fellows), 120 E.R. 228, consd. [para. 31].

MacKonochie v. Lord Penzance (1881), 6 App. Cas. 424, consd. [para. 32].

Sharpe v. Sharpe (1877), 1 B.C.R. 25, consd. [para. 34].

Turner v. Meyers (1808), 1 Hag. Con. 414; 161 E.R. 600, consd. [para. 35].

Frankland v. Nicholson (1805), 3 M. & S. 259; 105 E.R. 607, consd. [para. 35].

Sottomayer v. De Barros (1879), 5 P.D. 94, consd. [para. 35].

Jones v. Newtown and Llanidlces Guardian, [1920] 3 K.B. 383, consd. [para. 35].

Read v. Legard (1851), 6 Ex. 640, consd. [para. 35].

Dixon v. Hurrell (1838), 8 Car. & P. 717, consd. [para. 35].

Read v. Moore, 5 Car. A.P. 200, consd. [para. 35].

R. v. Plummer (1844), 1 Car. & Kir. 600, consd. [para. 35].

Colmer v. Colmer (1729), 25 E.R. 304, consd. [para. 35].

Watts v. Watts, [1908] A.C. 573, appld. [para. 38].

Walker v. Walker, [1919] A.C. 947, appld. [para. 38].

Board v. Board, [1919] A.C. 956, appld. [para. 38].

London Corporation v. Cox (1867), L.R. 2 H.L. 239, appld. [para. 38].

Newman v. The Church Wardens (1823), 1 Nfld. L.R. 310, consd. [para. 40].

Earl v. Simms (1861), 4 Nfld. L.R. 551, consd. [para. 40].

Anonymous Case, No. 269, 2 Showers R. 283; 89 E.R. 941, consd. [para. 42].

Ashton v. Ashton, 21 E.R. 538, consd. [para. 42].

Howell v. Waldron, 21 E.R. (Abridgement) 939-940, consd. [para. 42].

Pamplin v. Greene, 21 E.R. (Abridgement) 939-940, consd. [para. 42].

Bissell v. Axtell, 21 E.R. (Abridgement) 939-940, consd. [para. 42].

Lawless v. Chamberlain (1889), 18 O.R. 296, consd. [para. 42].

Duncan v. Duncan (1815), 34 E.R. 564, consd. [para. 42].

Dawe v. Dawe (1928), 138 L.T. 556, consd. [para. 42].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Anson, Law and Custom of the Constitution (2nd Ed.), p. 454 [para. 33].

Carter, A.F., History of English Courts (7th Ed.), p. 92 [para. 42].

McLintock, A.H., The Establishment of the Constitutional Government in Newfoundland 1783-1832 [para. 29].

Stephenson's Commentaries (9th Ed.), Book 3, chapter 2 [para. 34].

Counsel:

Isaac Mercer, for the plaintiff;

Eric Cook, K.C., for the defendant.

This case was heard before Dunfield, J., of the Newfoundland Supreme Court, who delivered the following judgment on October 23, 1948: