Hays v. Patterson
Hays v. Patterson
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
T. J. Patterson, at the age of eighty-nine, executed a deed conveying to W. S. Patterson, his son, a quarter section of land, worth about $10,000, the expressed consideration being one dollar, love and affection, and the grantee’s promise to support him and provide him with a home during his life. A contract was signed at the same time allowing the grantor to collect the rent during his lifetime. He died two months later. Other heirs brought an action to set aside the deed on the ground of want of capacity and undue influence. A jury found in favor of the plaintiffs upon both propositions, answering a number of questions in harmony with that view. The court approved all the findings excepting one which gave an affirmative answer to the question, “Did the defendant urge, ask, or solicit his father, Thomas Patterson, to deed him the land in question?” Judgment was rendered for the plaintiffs and the defendant appeals.
(2) As the finding of want of capacity is upheld, and is sufficient to sustain the judgment, we need not decide whether there was any evidence of the deed having been procured through undue influence, or whether any error was committed
(3) In response to a question submitted to them the jury-answered that the consideration expressed in the deed was not adequate for a conveyance of the land. This finding is criticised in part upon the theory that it means that the deed was not supported by a sufficient consideration, whereas the element of love and affection would alone serve that purpose. The word “adequate” in this connection, however, is not to be interpreted as the equivalent of “legally sufficient.” (Rosseau v. Rouss, 91 App. Div. 230, 238, 86 N. Y. Supp. 497, 502.) It refers rather to the proportion between the value of what is given and what is received. (9 Cyc. 365.) But in any event, whatever bearing this finding has is upon the question of undue influence rather than upon that of mental capacity.
The judgment is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Julia Hays v. W. S. Patterson
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- SYLLABUS BY THE COURT. 1. Deed — Menial Incapacity of Gh-antor — Evidence. The evidence examined and held to tend to show a grantor’s want of mental capacity tó make a deed. 2. Same — Mental Incapacity — Undue Influence. Upon appeal from a judgment setting aside a deed, if a finding that it was made while the grantor was without mental capacity is sustained, questions of error affecting only a finding that undue influence was exercised upon him become immaterial. 3. Same — “Adequate Consideration” — Legally Sufficient. A finding that the consideration of a deed was not adequate does not mean that it was not legally sufficient.