New York Court of Appeals

Condit v. Baldwin

March 5, 186021 N.Y. 219

Summary

The New York Court of Appeals affirmed the judgment for the plaintiff, holding that the usury defense fails because the plaintiff neither took nor received the illegal interest and was not bound by her agent's unauthorized bonus. The court reasoned that usury requires a corrupt intent by both parties, which was absent, and that a principal is not liable for an agent's act done for the agent's own benefit.