Coggs v. Bernard

Case Overview

Coggs v. Bernard, decided by the Court of Exchequer in 1703, is the foundational English bailment case. Justice Holt's opinion classified the six types of bailment and established that a bailee who voluntarily undertakes to carry goods can be liable in negligence for damage even without compensation. The case is a cornerstone of Anglo-American property and contract law taught in virtually every first-year law school course.