In any action the defendant may file a confession of the plaintiff's right to recover certain real estate, or a certain amount of debt or damages, and plead to the residue of his claim; and if the plaintiff further prosecutes the action, and fails to recover more than is so confessed, the defendant shall recover his costs from the date of the confession.
Source. RS 187:2. CS 199:2. GS 208:2. GL 227:2. PS 223:2. PL 335:2. RL 391:2.