Crum v. Laidlaw
Crum v. Laidlaw
Opinion of the Court
It is alleged by the plaintiffs in this case, that they obtained a judgment for the sum of $ 11,239 94 cents, with interest at six per cent, from the 8th of January, 1818; against Peter Laidlaw & Co., and that the
Johnson, who bought them subject to this lien of the petitioners.
It is further alleged, that there is yet due of the judgment already mentioned, $1500, with interest, and that Laidlaw & Co., and Thomas Johnson have become bankrupts. The petition concludes with a prayer, that notice be given to the syndics of those persons, and that the property above described, be seized and sold.
An answer was filed by one of the syndics of Laidlaw & Co., averring that the plaintiffs had a judicial mortgage on all the property owned by that partnership on the 2d of Nov. 1818, and praying the decision of the court, whether under these circumstances the plaintiffs were entitled to the remedy they asked for.
Nathan Morse, who had purchased the premises from Johnson, afterwards intervened, and stated that he was the owner and possessor of them; and among various objections
There was judgment for Morse, the intervening petitioner, and the plaintiffs appealed.
It has been already decided by this court in the case of Chiapella vs. Lanusse and others, that on a failure being decreed, the whole of the property of the insolvent passes into the hands of the syndics, whose duty it is to sell it pursuant to law, and pay each creditor according to the rank and order of his claim. And for the better attainment of this object, an act of the legislature has provided (act relative to the voluntary surrender of property, 20th of February, 1817, sec. 31) that the syndics shall be authorised to give a release of the mortgages existing on the property, and that the creditor shall retain on the proceeds the same privilege he had on the thing disposed of.
If therefore these lots of ground still remained in the possession of Laidlaw’s syndics, the present plaintiffs could not sue and sell
An objection has been made that the sale to Johnson was irregular, that it was not executed in pursuance to the formalities which the law requires, and that the judge did not authorise it. Admitting all this to be correct, I cannot see how it aids the pretentions which the plaintiffs set up. For if it be true that no legal alienation of this property has taken place, then it still remains as a part of the bankrupts’ estate; and so situated, no particular creditor has the right of selling it; it yet forms a portion of what was surrendered by the insolvent, and must he disposed of by the syndics.
On the whole, I have no doubt that the judgment of the parish court should be affirmed with costs.
Concurring Opinion
I concur with judge Porter.
I do also.
It is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed, that the judgment of the parish court be affirmed with costs.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- CRUM & AL. v. LAIDLAW & AL. SYNDICS
- Status
- Published