Campbell v. Read

THE act of Congress of April 2d, 1816, regulating appeals and writs of error from the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia to this court, limits them to cases in which the matter in dispute is of the value of $1000 or upwards. It provides, however, that if 'any questions of law of such extensive interest and operation as to render the final decision of them by the Supreme Court desirable' are involved in the alleged errors of the Circuit Court, the case may be heard here, even though the matter in dispute is of less value than $1000; and any judge of the court, if he is of opinion that the questions are of such a character, may allow the writ or appeal accordingly. With this statute in force, Campbell, by will, left legacies to his widow and several illegitimate children; but, after paying them all, a fund of $141 remained in the hands of the executor undisposed of; there being no residuary legatee named in the will, and no parents, &c., legitimate children, 3 Stat. at Large, 261. or collateral relations, who had the right to claim it as next of kin in preference to the widow.