Hambrick v. Jones

Mississippi Supreme Court
Hambrick v. Jones, 64 Miss. 240 (Miss. 1886)
Campbell

Hambrick v. Jones

Opinion of the Court

Campbell, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

The note was not barred when the new promise was made, and the deed of trust was continued in force by the new promise so as to be paramount to the claim of a homestead. Smith v. Scherck, 60 Miss. 491.

The note was due January 1, 1876. The payee died in October, 1876, in Alabama, where his will was proved and letters testamentary granted to the appellee, who is not shown to have qualified herself to sue in this State; therefore, the bar of the statute had not become complete in January, 1883, when the new promise was made, if the Code of 1871 was applicable. Clayton v. Merrett, 52 Miss. 353.

*251The Code of 1871 was applicable by virtue of § 2692 of the Code of 1880, as a bar had not accrued under it. This section continued in force existing laws as to rights of action accrued before that time until a bar should accrue under the Code of 1880, so that rights of action accrued under the Code of 1871 were still to be governed by its provisions as to limitation, unless a bar should accrue under the Code of 1880. In this case a bar had not accrued under it. The statute prescribing six years as the time to bar a note, the same in both codes, did not bar the note, because by the Code of 1871, continued in force as to this by the Code of 1880, the person entitled to an action on the note had died before the expiration of the time limited therefor, and the right of action was saved “ after the expiration of said time- and within one year after the date of letters testamentary.” Code of 1871, § 2162.

Section 2683 of the Code of 1880 did not apply, because it is applicable only where the death of the person occurs within the last year of the time limited, and, if it was retroactive so as to govern in case of the death of a person before it took effect, it did not apply in this case, because the death of the party did not occur within the last year of the time for the completion of the bar.

Six years after the maturity of the note expired January 1, 1882, fourteen months after the Code of 1880 became operative, and, if § 2683 of the Code of 1880 be regarded as expressive of the legislative will, that the saving made by § 2162 of the Code of 1871 shall no longer prevail and that six years should bar all claim on a note, except where the death of the person occurred in the sixth year of the time allowed for an action, the commencement of the six years would be November 1, 1880, when the code took effect, because time did not run under it until then. Brown v. Wilcox, 14 S. & M. 127 ; Kilcrease v. Shelby, 23 Miss. 161; Waul v. Kirkman, 25 Miss. 609; Buckingham v. Riggs, 27 Miss. 751; Benson v. Stewart, 30 Miss. 49.

The decree enforcing the deed of trust as to the land is therefore correct. But it is erroneous in so far as it vacated the conveyance of personalty made by Hambrick to his wife. The bill avers that this conveyance was fraudulent. The answers deny it, and there is *252no evidence on this issue. It is shown that a transaction by Ham-brick on July 12, 1883, as to the land was fraudulent, but that does not prove that the sale of personalty to the wife was infected. The two transactions were independent, and there is nothing to show that the answer of the wife, responsive to the bill, is not true, and it must be regarded as true, and if true the sale to her was valid.

But it is said the decree must be reversed, because a formal decree pro oonfesso was not entered as to Jaimagin, the trustee, before final decree, and because the Chancellor computed the amount due by the note, without a reference to a master to compute the sum due and a formal report by him, and cases are cited supporting this view. Bevill v. McIntosh, 41 Miss. 516; Freeman v. Ledbetter, 43 Miss. 165 ; Walker v. Joyner, 52 Miss. 789.

We are constrained to admit that the citations fully support the contention, but as this is a mere rule of practice, the change of which to meet the demands of common sense can do no harm, we overrule those decisions, and announce that a failure to take a decree pro oonfesso, when the record shows it was proper, and the ascertainment of the sum due on a promissory note without reference to a master, will not cause a reversal of a decree otherwise correct, even where the appellant is the person against whom the pro oonfesso should have been taken. A fortiori, is it not ground for reversal where the person is another than the appellant. Knowles v. Summey et al., 52 Miss. 377; Code of 1880, § 1440.

Decree reversed and vacated as to the conveyance to Mrs. Ham-brick, and affirmed as to all else, and costs of appeal to be divided.

Reference

Full Case Name
J. S. L. Hambrick v. M. C. Jones
Cited By
6 cases
Status
Published
Syllabus
1. Homestead Exemption. Limitation of actions. New prdmise. Deed of trust. Where an unmarried man executes a deed of trust on his land to secure a debt due by him and afterward marries and occupies such land as a homestead, and before the bar of the statute of limitation attaches makes a new promise in writing to pay the debt, a new period is thereby given for both the debt and security to run, and such security is paramount to his homestead claim. Smith v. Scherdc, 60 Miss. 491, cited. 2. Limitation of Actions. Code of 1871. Section 2692, Code of 1880, applied. Case in judgment. H. gave his note to J., payable January 1, 1876, and secured it by a deed of trust on certain property, real and personal, situated in the County of N., in this State. J. died in October, 1876, in the State of Alabama. On January 25, 1883, H. renewed the note and security to M., executor of J.’s last will and testament, M. having qualified as such in Alabama. On the 4th of February, 1884, M., as executor, filed abill’in this State to foreclose thedeed of trust given to J. H. pleaded the six years’ statute'of limitations. Meld, that the provisions of the Code of 1871 apply to this case by virtue of l 2692, Code of 1880, which provides that the periods of limitation of the Code of 1880 “ shall not apply to any actions commenced, nor to any cases where the right of action or of entry shall have accrued before the date when it [the code] shall take effect, but the same shall be subject to the laws now in force; but this law may be pleaded where a bar has accrued under the provisions thereof.” 3. Same. Newpromise to foreign executor. Section 2162, Code of 1871, applied. Section 2683, Code of 1880, considered. And, in the case above stated, it not being shown that the executor has ever taken out letters testamentary in this State, the old note was not barred by limitation when the renewal note was made, by virtue of $ 2162, Code of 1871, which provides that “if any person entitled to bring any of the actions hereinbefore mentioned, or liable to any such action, shall die before the expiration of the time herein limited therefor, and if the cause of action does by law survive, such action may be commenced by or against the executor or administrator of the deceased-person after the expiration of said time and within one year after the date of letters testamentary or of administration.” Section 2683, Code of 1880, does not apply, because J.’s death did not occur within the last year of the period of limitation. 4. Chancery Practice. Fraudulent conveyance. Averment and denial of. Effect of If a bill in chancery avers that a conveyance is fraudulent, the answer denies it, and no evidence is introduced on this issue, it is error for the court to vacate such conveyance. 5. Same. Pro confesso. failure to take. Master in chancery, failure to refer to. Supreme court practice. This court will not reverse a final decree in favor of a complainant in a case because of his failure to take a decree pro confesso against the defendant therein, as he should have done, nor for having failed to cause a reference of the case to a master to ascertain the amount due on the promissory note upon which the decree is based, if such decree be otherwise correct. Bevill v. McIntosh, 41 Miss. 516; Freeman v. Ledbetter, 43 Miss. 165; Walker v. Joyner, 52 Miss. 789, overruled.