DISTRESS

distress,n.1. The seizure of another’s property to secure the performance of a duty, such as the

payment of overdue rent. [Cases: Landlord and Tenant    263–270. C.J.S. Landlord and Tenant §§

674–681, 683–696,  699–711.]  2. The  legal  remedy  authorizing  such  a  seizure; the  procedure by

which the seizure is carried out.

“Distress … may be defined as the taking, either with legal process, or extra-judicially subject

to the performance of some necessary condition precedent, by a private individual or by an officer

of the court, of a personal chattel, out of the possession of a wrongdoer or defaulter and into the

custody of the law to be impounded as a pledge in order to bring pressure to bear upon the owner

of  the  chattel  to  redress  an  injury,  to  perform  a  duty,  or  to  satisfy  a  lawful  demand,  subject,

however,  to  the  right  of  the  owner  to  have  the  chattel  returned  to  him  [up]on  the  injury  being

redressed, or the duty performed, or the demand satisfied or [up]on security being given so to do.”

F.A. Enever, History of the Law of Distress 7–8 (1931).

“The word distress is derived from distringere, meaning to put into a strait or pound. In early

English  custumals  the  word  used  is  nam,  which  is  of  Scandinavian  derivation  and  indicates  a D

taking.  In  the  Latin  legal  documents  of  early  medieval  times  pignorare  is  used  as  well  as

distringere to  denote the act of distraining, but whereas  distringere is used  in relation to  distress

for rent and services, pignorare is applied to distress for debts.” Id. at 3.

distress damage feasant.The right to seize animals or inanimate chattels that are damaging or

encumbering  land  and  to  keep  them  as  security  until  the  owner  pays  compensation.  [Cases:

Animals    95. C.J.S. Animals §§ 250, 252.]

distress  infinite.A  distress  that  the  sheriff  can  repeat  from  time  to  time  to  enforce  the

performance of something, as in summoning a juror or compelling a party to appear in court. • The

goods must be returned after the delinquent person performs his or her duty.

“[F]or the most part it is provided that distresses be reasonable and moderate; but, in the case

of distress for fealty or suit of court, no distress can be unreasonable, immoderate, or too large: for

this is the only remedy to which the party aggrieved is entitled, and therefore it ought to be such as

is sufficiently compulsory; and, be it of what value it will, there is no harm done, especially as it

cannot  be  sold  or  made  away  with,  but  must  be  restored  immediately  on  satisfaction  made.  A

distress of this nature, that  has no bounds with regard to its quantity, and  may be repeated  from

time  to  time  until  the  stubbornness  of  the  party  is  conquered,  is  called  a  distress  infinite.”  3

William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England 231 (1768).

grand distress.Hist. In a quare impedit action in which the  defendant has failed to appear, a

distress of the defendant’s goods and lands to compel the defendant’s appearance.

second  distress.A supplementary  distress allowed when  goods seized  under the first distress

are insufficient to satisfy the claim.

3. The property seized. — Also termed distraint. [Blacks Law 8th]