Burks v. Lasseter
Burks v. Lasseter
Opinion of the Court
Lasseter, after having sued out an attachment -which was levied upon property of Burks and returned to the superior court, filed his declaration alleging the following in substance: He purchased a certain lot of land from Burks, made a cash payment of $50, gave his promissory notes for the balance of the purchase-money, and received from Burks a bond for title. These notes he afterward satisfied, and then he demanded of Burks a deed to the lot of land, but Burks failed and refused to make it. After the execution of the bond for title the plaintiff discovered that Burks was not the owner of the property therein described and never became the owner. The property, at the date of the bond for title, was owned by one Reese, subject to a bond for title which had been given by Reese to one Smith and one Plunkett, who gave their promissory notes for the land; and upon the failure to pay these notes suit had been brought by Reese against Smith and Plunkett, which resulted in a judgment against them; and after filing a deed to Smith and Plunkett, the property was levied upon as the property of Smith and Plunkett, sold at sheriff’s sale, and bought in by Reese, the sheriff executing and delivering to Reese a deed to the property. In order to protect himself against loss the plaintiff was forced to- buy in the property from Reese for the sum of $938, after having first notified Burks of the claim of Reese and having demanded of Burks that he pay off and satisfy that claim, with which demand Burks refused to comply. _ Plaintiff had incurred certain expenses and attorney’s fees.
The defendant filed an answer, admitting most of the material allegations in the petition, but denying the allegation that the notes given by the plaintiff for the purchase-money of the property had been paid in full. The defendant further filed certain affirma
The court struck these pleas and directed a verdict for the plain-, tiff for $938. We are of the opinion that the court correctly held that these pleas were, demurrable. The knowledge of the plaintiff that Burks did not have title at the time of the sale was immaterial. He had a right to rely upon Burks’ contract to execute a good and sufficient title; and when Burks failed to do so after the purchase-money notes given by plaintiff were paid, this was a breach of contract for which the plaintiff could recover damages. Time was not of the essence of the contract as contained in the bond between Burks and the plaintiff; and if Burks sold and transferred to a third person the notes given by the plaintiff, and the plaintiff subsequently paid off and discharged these notes, although the transferee accepted a less amount than their face value in satisfaction of them, Burk's could not complain of this. Nor were the promises of Plunkett as to the application of the payments of the notes binding upon the plaintiff. Although Plunkett may have been a partner of Lasseter in some other business, they were not partners
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- BURKS v. LASSETER
- Status
- Published