Facts
Six carpenters entered an inn, ordered and paid for wine, then ordered more and refused to pay for it.
Issue
Did their refusal to pay make them from the start?
Held
They were not trespassers.
Principle
A person who enters under authority given by law and then abuses it by a positive act becomes a trespasser from the start (). A mere omission, like not paying, is not enough.
Why it matters
The origin of trespass ab initio.
Cited in these chapters
Topics
Cite this page
The Six Carpenters' Case (1610) 8 Co Rep 146a (Lanbuk) <https://www.lanbuk.com/llb/torts/cases/six-carpenters-case> accessed 31 October 2026
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This summary is a Lanbuk study aid based on the generally known facts and reports of the case. It is not legal advice.