Lott v. Barnes & Jessup Co.
Lott v. Barnes & Jessup Co.
Concurring Opinion
concurring. — I concur in the conclusion reached by Mr. Justice Cockrell and in the main with what is said in his opinion. I would like to’ emphasize one point. Since the plea “fails to allege such an agreement as would in dignity overcome the solemn act of the parties as evidenced by the very full and complete sealed instrument set forth in the bill,” to use the apt words in Mr. Justice Cockrell’s opinion, that, in my opinion, makes the plea fatally defective. This court has consistently and uniformly held, since its organization in 1846 up to the present time, that any pleading, whether in an action at law or a suit in equity, is to be strongly construed against the pleader thereof. We have further held in pursuance of this principle, that the one filing a pleading must suffer the consequences of omitting therefrom essential matters which are presumed to lie peculiarly within his knowledge and which would tend to make the pleading certaiii. We have also held that “when a plea has on the face of it two intendments, it ought to be construed most strongly against the party who pleads it.” Cotton v. Williams, 1 Fla. 37, text 49. Also see Bennett v. Herring, 1 Fla. 387, text 390. In Atlantic Coast Line R. R. Co. v. Beazley, 54 Fla. 311, text 398, 45 South. Rep. 761, text 789, we held that this principle must apply with especial force to a plea which is in the nature of a confession and avoidance. It is also an established principle that the allegata and probata must meet and correspond and that the complainant should al
Concurring Opinion
Concurring. — I agree to the conclusion of Mr. Justice Cockrell that there is no reversible error in the order of the judge below overruling the plea. Brown v. Solary, 37 Fla. 102, 19 South. Rep. 161 (eleventh and twelfth head notes). But I do not wish' to commit myself to the proposition, that if the judge below had overruled the plea, as a plea to the whole bill, and allowed it to stand as an answer to that part of the bill to which it was applicable, such an order would have
Opinion of the Court
This is an appeal from an order overruling a plea to a bill filed, to enforce a mortgage lien executed under seal by Lott and Womack upon their turpentine plant lying principally in Liberty county, Florida, in which one R. B. Jackson subsequently acquired an interest subject to the mortgage.
The plea going to the whole bill interposed by Lott and Womack sets up substantially as epitomized in appellant’s brief as follows: ‘That the said mortgage and the notes thereby secured did not represent and constitute the entire agreement made and entered into by and between the said Barnes and Jessup Company, the North Carolina corporation mentioned in the bill of complaint, but that said instruments were only a part of the entire agreement entered into between the parties, and that it was also agreed between the parties that there was to be no personal liability upon the part of said Lott and said Womack, or either of them, or said company, on account of the turpentine, or other business, referred to in said mortgage, or by any agreement, covenant or obligation to be.found therein or in either of said instruments, or on account of any advances or expenditures made, and agreed to bs made by the said Barnes & Jessup Company thereunder.
The principal attack upon the plea is that it fails to allege such an agreement as would in dignity overcome the solemn act of the parties as evidenced by the very full and complete sealed instrument set forth in the bill. There is no attempt to charge fraud or mistake in the execution of the mortgage, nor does it appear wherein it was lacking in definiteness and completeness. This court does not seem to have definitely settled the question so raised though the cases of Solary v. Stultz, 22 Fla. 263; Booske v. Gulf Ice Co., 24 Fla. 550, 5 South. Rep. 247, and Griffin Bros. Co. v. Winfield, 53 Fla. 589, 43 South. Rep. 687, tend. strongly to show the plea vulnerable on this ground.
In their reply brief the appellants urge that they should have been permitted to- amend their pleas.- -We find no request for such amendment, and the suggestion if it ever had merit, comes too- late.
The order is affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.