Lindner v. Roth
Lindner v. Roth
Opinion of the Court
rendered tire opinion and decree of the Court, as follows:
Plaintiff avers that at a public auction, provoked by him, defendant became adjudieatee of certain lots; that he refused to comply with the adjudication, and plaintiff sues for specific performance.
The defense is that the title tendered by plaintiff is not good for the following reasons:
Plaintiff purchased this property at a sale made by the 'City of New Orleans for taxes of 1904, assessed to Honoré Garnet, as appears by act of Wm. V. Seeber,
There was judgment for plaintiff and defendant has appealed.
I.
It has been repeatedly decided that “the City had no authority while the State was the owner to have it (the. property) seized for taxes and sold for its own account as a tax collector.” In re. Lindner, 114 La., 895 (900); Desposito vs. City, No. 3207 Ct. App.; Aztec Land Co. vs. City, 2 Ct. App., 144; Veith vs. City, 3 Ct. App., 262; In re. Zahn, 8 Ct. of App. Prescription does not run against the State. Const. 1913, Art. 193; Cordell vs. Quaker Realty Co., 130 La., 940.
But if it did, a tax title to property of the State .is exempt from taxation, and a tax sale made without authority, cannot be the basis of prescription. Besides there is
130 La., 940.
II.
There was no law in 1909, authorizing the Auditor to grant a redemption certificate after the lapse of one year from the registry of the act of sale in the Conveyance Office. See. 62 of Act 170 of 1896.
Act 41 of 1912, p. 49 confers such power upon the Register of Land Office only.
The unauthorized act of one o'f its officers cannot estop the State.
III.
The State is not estopped from the fact that after an adjudication to itself it has continued to assess property in the name of the previous owner.' At any rate, the estoppel could be pleaded only by the original owner who continued in possession after the sale, and paid the taxes, or by his- assigns.
Quaker Realty Co. vs. Purcell, 131. La., 496; Quaker Realty Co. vs. Labasse, 131 La., 996; Quaker Realty Co. vs. Citizens Bank, 131 La., 845; Quaker Realty Co. vs. Odom, Ct. App., Feb., 1914, No. 5968.
The title tendered is not such as a purchaser can be made to accept. It is suggestive of litigation. The judgment of the. lower Court is accordingly reversed
Reversed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.