Account, Action on

AuthorJeffrey Lehman, Shirelle Phelps

Page 58

A civil lawsuit maintained under the COMMON LAW to recover money owed on an account.

The action on account was one of the ancient FORMS OF ACTION. Dating back to the thirteenth century, it offered a remedy for the breach of obligations owed by fiduciaries. Originally,

Page 59

the action allowed lords to recover money wrongfully withheld by the bailiffs of their manors, whom they appointed to collect fines and rents. Later, statutes extended the right so that lawsuits could be brought against persons who were required to act primarily for someone else's benefit, such as guardians and partners. Eventually, the action withered away because its procedure was too cumbersome, and fiduciaries came under the jurisdiction of the special court of the king, called the Chancery.

An action on account is different from a...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT