Johnson v. Fall

The opinion of the Court was delivered by Mr. Justice Terry. Mr. Chief Justice Murray concurred.

At common law all wagers were recoverable, except such as were prohibited by law, were against public policy, or calculated to affect the interest, character or feelings of third parties. This principle is too well established to require either argument or authority. But it is contended by counsel that, inasmuch as the English Judges have uniformly looked with disfavor on this class of cases, and have frequently taken occasion to express their regret that a different rule had not been established, this Court should, as the question is for the first time presented in the State, without regard to precedent, declare all wagers illegal, on account of their manifest immoral tendency.

Such a course would, we conceive, he a usurpation of functions properly belonging to another department of government. The common law having been adopted as the rule of decision in this State, it is our duty to enforce it, leaving all questions of its policy, as applied to a particular class of contracts, for the consideration of the Legislature.

The questions which are made in the argument of counsel, as to the general utility of the work, which was the subject of the wager, its effect upon the interest of third parties, as well as the tendency of the wager to advance or retard such work, are, we conceive, questions of fact, which cannot properly be decided by a Court on demurrer.

The judgment of the Court below is reversed, and the cause remanded.