Johnson v. Richardson
Johnson v. Richardson
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
Moses W. Richardson, as trustee for Charles Richardson, under the will of Rosa Baker Richardson, recovered a judgment in the district court of McPherson county against Joshua Baker, quieting the title to certain real estate in the trustee. Service was had on Joshua Baker by publication. Afterward, and within three years, Frank O. Johnson, as administrator, made application to have the judgment opened and to be permitted to defend. He served the proper notice and filed the necessary affidavits therefor, and also filed therein his answer, as such administrator, alleging, in substance: That the real estate held in the name of Joshua Baker, the
The answer shows that by the judgment of the court the title had passed back to the estate from which it is s'aid it had fraudulently passed to Baker, •and stands liable to the creditors of that estate. That is where it should be. What claim had Baker to demand of a court that it restore to him that which he admits he held only in fraud of the rights-of the creditors of his grantor ? ' The only reason-given by the administrator in the answer was that prior to his-death Baker conveyed these lands by warranty deed, and his estate is liable on this contract of warranty. To this there are two answers r First, if Baker during his lifetime parted with his title and interest in the property, the administrator-can have no interest in the litigation; second, if he-died insolvent, his estate will not suffer seriously from any liability that may exist on his contract of' warranty.
The statement in the answer that the title was
Having no other interest in the real estate than that of a fraudulent grantee, the judgment of the court refusing to set aside the judgment which canceled that title is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Frank O. Johnson, as Administrator, etc. v. Moses W. Richardson, as Trustee, etc.
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- SYLLABUS BY THE COURT. Conveyance — Fraud— Vacation of Judgment. A fraudulent grantee, whose title has been divested and restored to the grantor ■or a trustee appointed by the grantor, by a judgment of the district court on service by publication, who afterward applies and has the judgment tentatively opened that he may defend, and answers that the grantor conveyed the lands to him to defraud the creditors of the grantor, states no reasons for setting aside the judgment.