Jones v. United States

Background

This case involves a claim by the estate of Joseph Ball, a deceased holder of U.S. bonds issued in 1790 when Congress assumed Revolutionary War debts. The estate sued to recover unpaid principal and interest on those bonds. The Government moved to dismiss, arguing that an 1796 Act set final payment dates and that the claims were therefore very old and time-barred under the six-year limit that applies to suits in the Court of Claims.

Reasoning

The key question was whether the estate’s right to demand payment arose in 1818 and 1824, making the suit too late. The Government pointed to the Act of April 28, 1796, which, it said, fixed the final dividend dates for the 1790 6% stock and the deferred 6% stock. The court reviewed the written submissions without oral argument, concluded the claims accrued in 1818 and 1824, found them barred by the six-year rule (28 U.S.C. § 2501), and dismissed the petition. The estate then asked the Supreme Court to review the dismissal, but that petition was denied.

Real world impact

Because the court treated the bonds as having become payable in 1818 and 1824, the estate cannot recover on these particular claims now. The dismissal was sustained procedurally and the Supreme Court’s denial of review ended further federal appeals, leaving the time-bar ruling in place for this dispute.