Wood v. Orford
Wood v. Orford
Opinion of the Court
A married woman cannot bind herself by a promissory note unless it grew out of a transaction respecting her separate property.
That this note would be void at common law will not be disputed. Has the Code removed the disability of a married woman, except to a certain extent ? And that respecting her sep
Sec. 167 being directly in conflict with sec. 153, was very properly amended so as to harmonize the two sections.
As it stood at first, a married woman could not bind herself by any contract for the “ payment of money,” even if that contract was respecting her separate property.
As amended, it leaves a married woman to make such contracts as sec. 158 provides that she may make.
Sec. 157, as amended in 1874, provides that the community property shall not be responsible for the contracts of the wife (as provided in sec. 158) unless by consent of husband, evidenced by his pledge or mortgage.
Neither the community property of Mr. and Mrs. Orford, or the separate property of Bobert Orford, is responsible for this judgment, and therefore the judgment, as against him, is clearly erroneous.
Bishop & Fifield filed a brief on behalf of Appellants, as attorneys for one who, though not a party to the record, was interested in the question, in which they cited Yale v. Dederer, 22 N. Y.! 450 ; Peake v. Le Baw, 21 N. J. 282; Kimm v. Weippert, 40 Mo. 542, 543; Shannon v. Canney, 44 N. H. 593; Eantrowitz v. Prather, 31 Ind. 92; Terry v. Hammonds, 47 Cal. 35, and argued that her promissory note was absolutely void at law, and cited Hodson v. Davié, 43 Ind. 258 ; O’Daily v. Morris, 31 Ibid. Ill; Jones v. Crosthwaite, 17 Iowa, 397; Emery v. Lord, 26 Mich. 431; Vance v. Wells, 6 Ála. 737; Whitworth v. Carter, 43 Miss. 61; Norris v. Lantz, 18 Md. 260,
On the facts disclosed by the pleadings, there can be no personal judgment against the husband. It is therefore ordered that the judgment be and it is hereby modified by limiting the same to the defendant Mary J. Orford.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- MARIA WOOD v. MARY J. ORFORD and ROBERT J. ORFORD
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Husband not Liable on Note of Wife.—A personal judgment cannot bo rendered against the husband on a promissory note given by the wife before the marriage. Pbomissoby Note of Mabbied Woman. — A married woman may bind herself by a promissory note, even if not given in a transaction respecting her separate property.