As to the distinction between malicious prosecution and abuse of process, see Waters v. Winn, 142 Ga. 138; Wright v. Harris, 160 N. C. 542; Cooper v. Southern R. Co., 165 N. C. 578.
In Wood v. Graves, 144 Mass. 365, Allen, J., said, p. 366: “There is no doubt that an action lies for the malicious abuse of lawful process, civil or criminal. It is to be assumed, in such a case, that the process was lawfully issued for a just cause, and is valid in form, and that the arrest or other proceeding upon the process was justifiable and proper in its inception. Perhaps the most frequent form of such abuse is by working upon the fears of the person under arrest for the purpose of extorting money or other property, or of compelling him to sign some paper, to give up some claim, or to do some other act, in accordance with the wishes of those who have control of the prosecution. The leading case upon this subject is Grainger v. Hill, 4 Bing. N. C. 212, where the owner of a vessel was arrested on civil process, and the officer, acting under the directions of the plaintiffs in the suit, used the process to compel the defendant therein to give up his ship’s register, to which they had no right. He was held entitled to recover damages, not for maliciously putting the process in force, but for maliciously abusing it, to effect an object not within its proper scope.”
In Mayer v. Walter, 64 Pa. St. 283, Sharswood, J., said: “There is a distinction between a malicious use and a malicious abuse of legal process. An abuse is where the party employs it for some unlawful object, not the purpose which it is intended by the law to effect; in other words, a perversion of it. Thus, if a man is arrested, or his goods seized in order to extort money from him, even though it be to pay a just claim other than that in suit, or to compel him to give up possession of a deed or other thing of value, not the legal object of the process, it is settled that in an action for such malicious abuse it is not necessary to prove that the action in which the process issued has been determined, or to aver that it was sued out without reasonable or probable cause: Grainger v. Hill, 4 Bing. N. C. 212. It is evident that when such a wrong has been perpetrated, it is entirely immaterial whether the proceeding itself was baseless or otherwise. We know that the law is good, but only if a man use it lawfully.
“On the other hand, legal process, civil or criminal, may be maliciously used so as to give rise to a cause of action where no object is contemplated to be gained by it other than its proper effect and execution. As every man has a legal power to prosecute his claims in a court of law and justice, no matter by what motives of malice he may be actuated in doing so, it is necessary in this class of cases to aver and prove that he has acted not only maliciously, but without reasonable or probable cause. It is clearly settled also, that the proceeding must be determined finally before any action lies for the injury; because, as it is said in Arundell v. Tregono, Yelv. 117, the plaintiff will clear himself too soon, viz., before the fact tried, which will be inconvenient; besides, the two determinations might be contrary and inconsistent.”
To proceed unfairly and oppressively but without seeking to compel another to do what he is not obliged to do, e. g., to enter up judgment on a note after 10 P. M. and to bring immediate execution, is not a ground of action according to Docter v. Riedel, 96 Wis. 158. But see dissenting opinion of Marshall, J.
[411]. Only the opinion of the court is given.
[412]. Y. B. 7 Hen. VI. 43; 1 Roll. Ab. 101, pl. 1, S. C.; Holliday v. Sterling, 62 Mo. 321 Accord.
[413]. Edwards v. Wooton, 12 Rep. 35; Peacock v. Raynell, 2 Brownl. 151; Barrow v. Lewellin, Hob. 152; Hick’s Case, Hob. 375; Rex v. Burdett, 4 B. & Ald. 95 Accord.
[414]. Phillips v. Jansen, 2 Esp. 624; Ward v. Smith, 4 Car. & P. 302; Sharp v. Skues, (C. A.) 25 T. L. Rep. 336; Warnock v. Mitchell, 43 Fed. 428; Western Co. v. Cashman, 149 Fed. 367; Spaits v. Poundstone, 87 Ind. 522; Yousling v. Dare, 122 Ia. 539; Lyon v. Lash, 74 Kan. 745; Buckwalter v. Gossow, 75 Kan. 147; McIntosh v. Matherly, 9 B. Mon. 119; Roberts v. English Co., 155 Ala. 414; Dickinson v. Hathaway, 122 La. 644; Gambrill v. Schooley, 93 Md. 48; Rumney v. Worthley, 186 Mass. 144, 145; Youmans v. Smith, 153 N. Y. 214, 218; Lyle v. Clason, 1 Caines, 581; Waistel v. Holman, 2 Hall, 172; Prescott v. Tousey, 50 N. Y. Super. Ct. 12; Shepard v. Lamphier, 84 Misc. 498; Fonville v. McNease, Dudley, 303; State v. Syphrett, 27 S. C. 29; Fry v. McCord, 95 Tenn. 678; Sylvis v. Miller, 96 Tenn. 94; Wilcox v. Moon, 63 Vt. 481; Wilcox v. Moon, 64 Vt. 450 Accord.
See Ahern v. Maguire, A. M. & O. 39.