Laying
| n. | 1. | The act of one who, or that which, lays. |
| 2. | The act or period of laying eggs; the eggs laid for one incubation; a clutch. | |
| 3. | The first coat on laths of plasterer's two-coat work. |
| Noun | 1. |  laying - the production of eggs (especially in birds)Synonyms: egg laying |
DAMAGES, LAYING, pleading. In personal and mixed actions, (but not in penal
actions, for obvious reason,) the declaration must allege, in conclusion,
that the injury is to the damage of the plaintiff; and must specify the
amount of damages. Com. Dig. Pleader, C 84; 10 Rep. 116, b.
2. In personal actions there is a distinction between actions that
sound in damages, and those that do not; but in either of these cases, it is
equally the practice to lay damages. There is, however, this difference:
that, in the former case, damages are the main object of the suit, and are,
therefore, always laid high enough to cover the whole demand; but in the
latter, the liquidated debt, or the chattel demanded, being the main object,
damages are claimed in respect of the detention only, of such debt or
chattel; and are, therefore, usually laid at a small sum. The plaintiff
cannot recover greater damages than he has laid in the conclusion of his
declaration. Com. Dig. Pleader, C 84; 10 Rep. 117, a, b; Vin. Ab. Damages,
R.
3. In real actions, no damages are to be laid, because, in these, the
demand is specially for the land withheld, and damages are in no degree the
object of the suit. Steph. Pl. 426; 1 Chit. Pl. 397 to 400.