LeBoeuf v. Melancon
LeBoeuf v. Melancon
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiff alleges that “just before her marriage she gave her husband $1,300.00 in money to take care of for her” and that he has never repaid, but still owes same and she seeks to enforce her alleged legal mortgage to secure said claim against property sold by her husband to defendant since the recordation of notice of her claim.
On an exception filed by defendant the lower Court held that the wife had no legal mortgage to secure the restitution of funds entrusted to the husband before marriage and dismissed the suit; and the only question presented on plaintiff’s appeal is the correctness of this ruling.
The point involved is a novel one in our jurisprudence and the only case which appellant cites as being directly in point is that of Newman vs. Eaton, 27 An., 341. There,
“There is no exception stated. It is given in unequivocal language. * * * The mortgage is given because of her being under the power and*236 dominion of the Iiusband and her Incapacity to contract without his intervention. The mortgage springs from the fact that she is the wife. * * *
Pascal vs. Folse, 48 Ann., 1229.
We do not consider that the cases cited by appellee have any application to the present controversy. They hold that the wife’s legal mortgage does not extend to funds received of her by her husband prior to their becoming domiciled in Louisiana and the decisions are founded simply upon the principle that the law conferring the legal mortgage is not a “real” statute, operating upon immovables, irrespective of the domicile of its owner. Moreover, great stress was laid upon the fact that the mortgage was then tacit.
Pratt vs. Creditors, 2 R., 501.
Stewart vs. Creditors, 12 A., 89.
Succession of Volansant, 12 A., 850.
Insurance Company vs. Tio, 15 A., 174.
Succession of Kirby, 18 A., 584.
It is accordingly ordered that the judgment appealed from be set aside and reversed and the cause is now remanded to the lower Court for further proceedings according to law.
Reversed and remanded.
070rehearing
ON REHEARING.
The case has been fully reargued and reconsidered, particularly in connection with the French authorities, which have been cited as announcing a doctrine contrary to that which we have heretofore expressed. The majority of the Court believes that the question under consideration is settled in this State by the decision in the 27th Annual case, referred to in our original opinion, and that consequently, we cannot consider nor be governed by the French jurisprudence.
The Court adheres to its original opinion and decree and our previous decree is accordingly reinstated and made the judgment of the Court.
Previous decree re-instated.
April 17, 1912.
Writ granted by Supreme Court, May 6, 1912.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.