Wood v. Curran
Wood v. Curran
Opinion of the Court
This is an action to quiet title to a lot of land in the city of San Francisco. John Agnew took possession of the property in 1868, and held the same until April 25, 1871, when he conveyed it to John Hogan, who entered into possession of the land and held it until his death, which occurred August 6, 1874. Hogan left surviving him the widow, Ellen, and four minor children. Letters of administration were issued to Ellen August 26, 1874. On October 3,1884, after due proceedings had, the lot was sold under an order of the probate court to the respondent, who received a deed from the administratrix on October 20th. On the same day the respondent received from Ellen Hogan a quit-claim deed of the property.
The appellant claims under a judgment in Harney v. Corcoran, foreclosing the lien of a street assessment on the property in controversy. This judgment was entered on June 3, 1879, and the sheriff’s deed to appellant is dated December 4, 1883. The proceedings leading up to the street assessment were initiated by resolution of intention, filed March 27, 1876. It is admitted that the respondent had actual notice of the sheriff’s deed to appellant.
Ellen was a party to "the action of Harney v. Corcoran, individually, but not as administratrix, and none of the minor heirs were represented.
We think, upon the facts stated, the court below properly held the title to be in defendant. Under the act of 1872, upon which the assessment lien was based, the land is not sued or summoned as a party; it is simply described, the owner being the defendant. The action therefore to foreclose was not a proceeding strictly in rem. The decree was in personam, the measure of satisfaction, however, being the interest which the defendant had in the land. Of course, the plaintiff did not acquire by his purchase under the decree in that action the interest of the minor children; that interest passed to the defendant herein by the probate sale subsequently made, neither the heirs nor the personal representative of Hogan having been a party to the action.
The judgment in Harney v. Corcoran against Ellen Hogan did not bind Ellen as administratrix of the estate of John Hogan, deceased. It is settled here that a judgment for or
That the proceeding for the foreclosure of an assessment under the act of 1872 is not strictly a proceeding in rem, with all the binding force claimed for it by the appellant, is clearly established by the decision in Wood v. Brady, 68 Cal. 78. The plaintiff had purchased the land at a sale made under a judgment in an action to enforce a street assessment lien which accrued July 10, 1875. Prior to the last-named date the defendant had acquired a street assessment lien upon the lot, and having recovered judgment was proceeding to sell the property in satisfaction thereof. The court pointed out the dis
While Ellen was personally bound' by the assessment, decree and sale, and the defendant if entering into possession only under her quit-claim deed would be likewise bound, yet he entered also under the deed of the administratrix of the estate of John Hogan, which vested in him the interest of the estate in the property. Where a party enters into the enjoyment of an estate under two claims, one of which is good and the other is bad, he will be regarded as having entered under the better claim.
We have carefully examined the authorities cited by the appellant, and find none of them inconsistent with the views above expressed.
The evidence supports the findings of the court, and we see no error in the record.
Judgment and order affirmed.
Harrison, J., and Garoutte, J., concurred.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- J. M. WOOD v. MICHAEL CURRAN
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- Foeeolosube of Stbeet Assessment—Natube of Pbooeeding—Effeot of Decebe—Parties. —An action to foreclose the lien of a street assessment, under the act of 1872, was not a proceeding strictly in, rem, but the decree therein was in personam,, the measure of satisfaction, however, being the interest which the defendants had^in the land, and such decree did not bind the interests in the laud of any persons not made parties to the action. Id. —Heir not Sued as Administratrix—Effect of Judgment upon Person in Different Rights.—Where an heir was made a party to such action individually, but was not sued as administratrix of the estate of the decedent, the judgment rendered in the action did not bind her as such administratrix, hut only bound her rights as heir. A judgment for or against a party in one right does not affect him when acting in another right. Id.—Bights of Heir Subject to Pbobate Proceedings—Sale by Obdeb of Pbobate Court. — The purchaser at the sale, under foreclosure of the street assessment lien, to which an heir was made a party, took the rights of such heir subject to the provisions of the Probate Act for the support of the family of the deceased, and for the payment of his debts and the expenses of administration, and subject to be divested by a sale of the realty for such purposes by order of the probate court. Id.—Right of Purchase at Pbobate Sale—Quit-claim Deed from Heib— Notioe of Sale under Street Assessment—Estoppel.—Where a purchaser at the probate sale entered both under the deed of the administratrix, which vested in him the estate in the property, and also under a quit-claim deed from her individually as heir, her right as such being bound by the prior decree of foreclosure and sale in the action to enforce the street assessment, to which she was a party, he is not estopped by such quit-claim deed from asserting his rights under the probate sale, thought he had actual notice of the foreclosure sale in that action. Id.—Entby undeb Good and Bad Claims.—Where a party has entered into the enjoyment of an estate, under two claims, one of which is good and the other bad, he will be regarded as having entered under the better claim.