Martin v. Quinn

California Supreme Court
Martin v. Quinn, 37 Cal. 55 (Cal. 1869)
Rhodes

Martin v. Quinn

Opinion of the Court

By the Court, Rhodes, J.:

This is an action, as we construe the complaint, by the assignees of judgment debtors, to recover from the judgment creditor money received by the latter at a Sheriff’s sale of the debtor’s property, in excess of the amount due upon the judgment. The allegation of the assignment of the demand is sufficient, when taken in connection with the facts out of which the demand arose.

Had this been an action on the bond annexed to the complaint, it might be- material to inquire whether it was such a bond as the former statute required on an appeal to the County Court from a judgment of the character mentioned *58in the complaint, and was sufficient to bind the sureties; or whether the sureties were liable when the bond was not executed by the principals; but the case does not require the solution of these questions. Although the plaintiffs might not be liable as sureties, the judgment creditor demanded of them the money due upon the bond, and they paid the same, “to be applied by him in satisfaction of so much of said judgment.” The payment was appropriated by them to the satisfaction, in part, of the judgment, and the demand by him of the amount of the bond, which was executed, nominally, to secure the performance and satisfaction of the judgment, clearly shows that the money was received by him i'n part payment of the judgment, though he may have neglected after that time to place the proper credit upon the judgment or execution. The payment of a debt by a person not legally responsible for it is a satisfaction of the debt, if the money is accepted for that purpose. And so, bore, the payment on the one part, and the acceptance on the other, of the sum of five hundred dollars, operated pro tanto as a satisfaction of the judgment. The judgment debtors were entitled to a credit for that amount, and the creditor having received that amount in excess of what was due him from the proceeds of the execution sale, became liable to the judgment debtors for such excess. It is upon this demand that the plaintiffs, as assignees, bring suit.

The allegation that the judgment remained unpaid and unsatisfied at the time the payment was made by the sureties upon the bond, is a sufficient allegation that the judgment defendants had not paid the judgment.

The demurrer, in our opinion, was properly overruled.

Judgment affirmed, and remittitur directed to issue forthwith.

Mr. Chief Justice Sawyer expressed no opinion.

Reference

Full Case Name
C. W. MARTIN and G. W. SIMONTON v. JOHN QUINN
Cited By
10 cases
Status
Published
Syllabus
Payment of Debt by one not Legally Responsible.—The payment of a debt by a person not legally responsible for it is a satisfaction of the debt, if the money is accepted for that purpose. Action to Recover Overpayment made by Sheriff to Judgment Creditor on Sale of Judgment Debtor’s Property.—In 1861, Q. recovered a money judgment in Justice’s Court against K. and C., from which, in 1862, IC. and C. appealed to the County Court, and procured M. and S. as sureties to execute on undertaking in the sum of five hundred dollars, in the usual form on appeal, to stay execution. The undertaking was not executed by K. and C. Thereafter judgment was rendered by the County Court in said action against IC. and C. for a sum greater than five hundred dollars. Thereupon, Q. demanded of M. and S. said five hundred dollars expressed in their undertaking, to be applied in satisfaction of the last named judgment, which they paid. Q., however, failed to enter satisfaction of said judgment pro tanto, hut, on an execution issued thereon, collected, under a Sheriff’s sale of IC. and C.’s property, the whole amount of his judgment recovered in the County Court. IC. and C. then assigned their demand against Q. for the money received by him in excess of the unpaid balance duo on his judgment after deducting said five hundred dollars, to M. and S., who brought action therefor, setting up said facts, and recovered judgment. The only defense was by way of demurrer to the complaint, which was overruled. Meld, that said last named judgment was properly rendered.