Kenner v. Schiro
Kenner v. Schiro
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiff, alleging himself -to be a judgment creditor of one Pasquale Scrummazza, brought his action to annul as a fraudulent simulation, the sale of the .undivided half of a certain tract of land made by Scrummazza to the appellant, Joseph Shiro.
The answer admits the sale, but denies that it is either fraudulent or simulated. There was judgment in favor of plaintiff annulling the sale from which judgment Shiro 'appeals.
Plaintiff’s, judgment against Scrammazza was obtained by default on the 12th December, 1905. The sale from Scram-mazza to Schiro was made and recorded a month earlier, November 9th, 1905.
On the trial of the cause below the plaintiff introduced in evidence not only a certified copy of his judgment against Scrammazza, which would have been prima facie evidence of the debt against the holder of the property claimed, but he introduced likewise, the entire record in that suit.
From that record it is learned that the debt alleged against Scrummazza and for which judgment was rendered had for its basis the assumption, as matter of law, that Scrummazza as head of the community existing between him and his wife, was liable for the fees of the attorney at law (the plaintiff) who had represented Mrs. Scrummazza in a suit against her said husband for separation from bed and board, notwithstanding the said suit had never been carried to judgment, but on the contrary was abandoned and formally discontinued by her.
It is contended by the appellant that in view of the fact that he has controverted the demand of the plaintiff against Scrum-mazza, although it be liquidated by a judgment and has shown that Scrummazza was not a debtor of the plaintiff when the
In order to maintain actions of this character, the person attacking the sale must, in the first place, be a creditor of the vendor and in the next place his debt must be liquidated by a judgment, unless the defendant in such action be made a party to the suit for liquidating the debt brought against the original debtor. Art. 1972 C. C.
In this latter event either of the defendants may controvert the demand of the plaintiff C. C. Art. 1975. When, however, the defendant in the action to annul the sale made to him, has net been made a party to the suit against the original debtor “he may controvert the demand of the plaintiff, although it be liquidated by a judgment, in the same manner that the debtor might have done before judgment.” C. C. Art. 1976. Lopez vs. Bergel 12 La. 197. Fox vs. Fox 4 A. 135; Pecot vs. Armelin 21 A. 667; Dumas vs. Lefebre 10 R. 399; Keith vs. Renaud 18 A. 735.
In the instant cause Schiro was not made a party to the suit against the original debtor, ncr was it sought in the present action, in which both he and the original debtor are made defendants, to liquidate the debt by judgment, hence he was authorized under Art. 1976 C. C. “to controvert the demand of the plaintiff, although it be liquidated by a judgment, in the same manner that the defendant might have done before the judgment.” This the defendant has done — not under formal pleadings — but by availing himself of evidence introduced not only without objection, but by the plaintiff himself. It is well settled that evidence received without objection of facts not alleged, will be considered as if it had been responsive to an allegation in an amended petition or answer, filed with the consent of the opposite party.
Whilst we are disposing of this case on the ground that the action must fail because the defendant herein has shown that Scrummazza is not a creditor of plaintiff, notwithstanding his judgment, and that he has successfully “controverted plaintiff’s demand against the original debtor,” we deem it proper to say, pretermitting this proposition, the plaintiff has not, in our opinion, established the fraudulent or simulated character of the transaction.
Besides, if by the judgment plaintiff thus became a creditor of Scrummazza, he became such only from the date the judgment was rendered. ITe was not a creditor before that date because, as we have shown, he did not owe the debt at the time he was sued for it. The judgment was rendered a month after the sale complained of, hence, so far as the petition seeks to annul the sale as being made in fraud of creditors, Art. 1993 C. C. interposes the objection that no creditor can sue individually to annul any contract made before the time his debt accrued. So far as the action may be one en declaration de simulation, Schiro’s answer to the interrogatories on facts and articles addressed to him, which constitute practically the only evidence adduced by plaintiff to establish the allegations of
The judgment appealed from must be reversed.
It is, therefore, ordered, adjudged and decreed that the judgment appealed from be and the same is hereby avoided, set aside and reversed and that plaintiff’s suit be rejected at his costs in both Courts.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.