United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

United States v. 1,960 Bags of Coffee, 12 U.S. 8 Cranch 398 398 (1814)

United States v. 1,960 Bags of Coffee

12 U.S. (8 Cranch) 398

Syllabus

The forfeiture of goods for violation of the Nonintercourse Act of March 1, 1809, takes place upon the commission of the offense, and avoids a subsequent sale to an innocent purchaser, although there may have been a regular permit for landing the goods and although the duties may have been paid.

This was an appeal from the sentence of the Circuit Court for the District of Maryland which restored a quantity of coffee which had been seized and libeled for violating the Nonintercourse Act of March 1, 1809, vol. 9, p. 243, § 4 & 5.

The claimants in the court below alleged by way of plea that the coffee was regularly entered and the duties

Page 12 U. S. 399

secured according to law, after which they became the purchasers for valuable consideration. They also denied that it was imported contrary to law.

The United States demurred to that part of the plea which states the purchase, &c., and took issue upon that part of the plea which denies the illegal importation. By the sentence of the district court the demurrer was overruled and the coffee restored, which sentence was affirmed in the circuit court, and the United States appealed to this Court.

Page 12 U. S. 404