AMMENDMENT, practice. The correction, by allowance of the court, of an error committed in the progress of a cause.

2. Amendments² at common law, independently of any statutory provision on the subject, are in all cases in the discretion³ of the court, for the furtherance of justice they may be made while the proceedings⁴ are in paper, that is, until judgment⁵ is signed, and during the term in which it is signed ; for until the end of the term the proceedings are considered in fieri, and consequently subject to the control of the court; 2 Burr. 756; 3 Bl. Com. 407; 1 Salk. 47; 2 Salk. 666 ; 8 Salk. 31; Co. Litt. 260; and even after judgment is signed, and up to the latest period of the action, amendment¹ is, in most cases, allowable at the discretion of the court under certain statutes⁷ passed for allowing amendments of the record; and in later times the judges have been much more liberal than formerly⁸, in the exercise of this discretion. 3 McLean, 379; 1 Branch, 437; 9 Ala. 647. They may, however, be made after the term, although formerly the rule was otherwise; Co. Litt. 260, a; 3 Bl. Com. 407; and even after error brought, where there has been a verdict in a civil or criminal case. 2 Serg. & R. 432, 3. A remittitur damna may be allowed after error; 2 Dall. 184; 1 Yeates, 186; Addis, 115, 116; and this, although error be brought on the ground of the excess of damages remitted⁹. 2 Serg. & R. 221. But the application must be made for the remittitur in the court below, as the court of error must take the record as they find it. 1 Serg. & R. 49. So, the death of the defendant¹⁰ may be suggested after errer coram nobis. 1 Bin¹¹. 486; I Johns. Cases, 29; Caines' Cases, 61. So by agreement of attormeys, the record may be amended¹² after error. 1 Bin. 75; 2 Binn. 169.

3. Amendments are, however, always Iimited by due consideration of the rights of the opposite party; and, when by the amendment he would be prejudiced or exposed to unreasonable¹³ delay, it is not allowed. Vide Bac. Ab Com. Dig. h. t.; Viner's. Ab. h. t.; 2 Arch. Pr. 200; Grah. Pt. 524; Steph. Pl. 97; 2 Sell. Pr. 453; 3 Bl. Com. 406; Bouv. Inst. Index, h. t.

AMENDS¹⁴. A satisfaction, given by a wrong doer to the party injured for a wrong committed. 1 Lilly's Reg. 81.

2. By statute⁶ 24 Geo. II. c. 44, in England, and by similar statutes in some of the United States, justices of the peace, upon being notified of an intended suit against them, may tender amends fore¹⁵ the wrong alleged¹⁶ or done by them in their official character, and if found sufficient, the tender debars the action. See Act of Penn. 21 March, 1772, 1 and.2; Willes' Rep. 671, 2; 6 Bin. 83; 5 Serg. & R. 517, 299; 3 Id. 295; 4 Bin. 20.

AMERCEMENT, practice. A pecuniary¹⁷ penalty imposed upon a person who is in misericordia; as, for example, when the defendant se retaxit, or recessit in contemptum curioe. 8 Co. 58; Bar. Ab. Fines and Amercements. By the common law, none can be amerced in his absence, except for his default. Non licet aliquem in sua absentia amerciare nisi per ejus defaltas. Fleta, lib. 2, cap. 65, 15.

2. Formerly, if the sheriff failed in obeying the writs¹⁸, rules, or orders of the court, he might be amerced; that is, a penalty might be imposed upon bim; but this practice has been superseded¹⁹ by attachment²⁰. In New Jersey²¹ and Ohio, the sheriff may, by statutory provision, be amerced for making a return contrary to the provision of the statute. Coxe, 136, 169; 6 Halst. 334; 3 Halst. 270, 271; 5 Halst. 319; 1 Green, 159, 341; 2 Green, 350; 2 South. 433; 1 Ham. 275; 2 Ham. 603; 6 Ham. 452; Wright, 720.