A STUDY IN LEGAL ADMINISTRATION AND RECORDS SHARON ...

John, Merchant, Deceased.' Under the heading "Bill, Date of Filing, etc." is
entered the type of document used to initiate the suit. The two most mmmon
documents are bill of complaint and petition. The former is employed when
there is a contentious issue, and thus, a plaintiff and a defendant. The latter is
used when a petition is being presented to the court in the name of a plaintiff
who is unabie to do so. Occasionally to be seen in the style-of-suit wlumn is
the term "Information." This designation is used 'If the suit is instituted on behalf
of the Crown (and] the matter of complaint is offered to the Court, not by way of
petition, but of information ...."" Bill of wmplaint, petition, or information is
foilowed, with few exceptions, by the date of filing. If the defendant intends to
contest the suit an answer, or demurrer (depending on the plan of defense), will
be filed and noted in the appropriate column, with the date of filing. If the
defendant fails to file a response in the allowed time, he is in default, and the bill
is taken as "pro wnfesso." That is, the defendant is assumed to have confessed
and the plaintiff is awarded the decree appropriate to the suit.12 When the
plaintiff makes a pleading in response to the defendant's answer or demurrer,
that is entered as a "replication," again with the date of filing. The "Note
disputing daimn column accommodates entries refening to either party's
disputing the claimed amount. Under "Remarksn are to be seen a variety of
notations, usually including the final disposition of the case, and the instrument
used to effect the remedy, for example, "Deaee absolute for Plaintiff, 2" Sept.
1885."