Laborde v. City of New Orleans
Laborde v. City of New Orleans
Opinion of the Court
This suit is brought to recover @4800 damages alleged to have been occasioned by the institution of a suit by Richard Rdf, syndic of Morgan’s creditors, against the plaintiffs.
It appears that the plaintiffs bought a vacant lot of the city in March, 1853, for @11,000. In August following Relf, syndic, commenced a suit- against the plaintiffs and others to recover the property. In November the plaintiffs filed their answer calling the city in warranty. Judgment was rendered in the district court in favor of Relf, syndic, in January, 1854. An appeal having been taken, Relf, authorized by a decree of the court having jurisdiction of the insolvent proceedings, in June, 1854, abandoned the lot in controversy and certain other property to the city, in consideration of @31,581 06.
The plaintiffs built in September, 1854, and the property rents for @200 per month.
' The plaintiffs, alleging that they bought the property with the intention to build and that they were delayed in commencing the improvements by reason of the institution of the suit, brought the present action to recover two hundred dollars damages a month for the delay occasioned by the suit, and two thousand dollars damages occasioned by the cloud hanging over the title and deteriorating its value, and five hundred dollars for counsel fees paid for the defence of the suit.
The plaintiffs proved that they bought the property with the intention of building upon it as alleged, and that they had paid their attorney five hundred dollars for defending the suit of Relf, syndic, against them. The district judge allowed for eight months rent at @200 per month, and @500 attorneys fees, and rendered judgment accordingly in favor of plaintiff for @2100. The city appealed.
It is, therefore, ordered, adjudged and decreed by the court, that the judgment of the lower court be avoided and reversed, and that there be judgment in favor of the defendant, with costs of both courts.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.