Commercial Bank v. Brinkerhoff
Commercial Bank v. Brinkerhoff
Opinion of the Court
(after stating the facts).
In volume 27, at page 505 (2 Ed.), Am. and Eng. Ency. of Law, it is said: “An extension between the creditor and principal that will discharge the surety must be an extension for a fixed and definite period of time,” citing in support Vary v. Norton, 6 Fed. Rep. 808, and cases from the States of Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas.
In Rucker v. Robinson, 38 Mo. l, c. 158, it is said: ‘ ‘ The agreement must not only be upon a sufficient consideration, but it must amount in law to an estoppel on the creditor, sufficient to prevent him from bringing an action before the expiration of the extended time. . . . The agreement extending the time must not only be valid and binding in law, but the time of the extension must be precisely and definitely fixed.”
In Headlee v. Jones, 43 Mo. l. c. 237, citing Rucker v. Robinson, supra, it is said: “The agreement must not only be founded upon a sufficient consideration, but it must operate as an estoppel on the creditor sufficient to prevent him from bringing an action before the expiration of the extended time.” The same doctrine is
In Donovan Real Estate Co. v. Clark, 84 Mo. App. l. c. 167, this court said: “It is well-settled law that the extension of-time for payment of a promissory note, without the consent of the surety to have the effect to release him, must be upon a consideration ‘creating a valid and enforcible obligation against the creditor with respect to the enforcement of his claim against the principal debtor. ’ ’ ’
In Barrett v. Davis, 104 Mo. l. c. 558, 16 S, W. 377, it is said: “Where the creditor makes a contract with the debtor for an extension of time, whereby the former’s right to enforce an existing liability is stayed for any definite period, without. the consent of the surety,” the surety is discharged.
In Johnson v. Franklin Bank, 173 Mo. 171, 73 S. W. 191, cited and relied upon by the appellant, it was held that “when time is given to the principal debtor by a valid agreement which ties up the hands of a creditor, though it be for only a single day, the surety is discharged.”
That an agreement by the creditor with the principal debtor to extend the time of payment, to effect the release of the surety, must be for a definite and certain time, I think is the unquestioned law. A mere promise of indulgence, though upon sufficient consideration, if for no certain time, does not tie up the hands of the creditor for a day or for any time whatever, and for this reason does not release the surety. The evidence set forth in the affidavit, in support of the motion for a new trial fails to state that the plaintiff agreed to extend the time of payment for a day or for any period of time whatever, and for this reason was insufficient to make out the defense that the defendant was released of his obligation as surety on the note.
Discovering no reversible error in the record, the judgment is affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.