Natchez Building & Loan Ass'n v. Shields

Mississippi Supreme Court
Natchez Building & Loan Ass'n v. Shields, 71 Miss. 630 (Miss. 1893)
Woods

Natchez Building & Loan Ass'n v. Shields

Opinion of the Court

Woods, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

As matter of fact, the appellee paid less than ten per cent, per annum interest on the amount of money actually advanced or loaned to him. Ilis' contract, most unfavorably construed for appellant, required the payment of lawful •interest on the amount of his bid; - the record shows that he finally paid less than lawful interest on the sum really received by him. It is difficult to conjecture where any claim of usury can be tenably planted.

But, independently of this, the appellee, on repaying his loan and withdrawing from the association, voluntarily made *634tbe settlement plainly shown in the record, and this he did with full knowledge of all the facts. In this voluntary settlement he made no mistake of fact; he has received subsequent enlightenment of law, as he now supposes. In this voluntary settlement, made with his eyes wide open, he received seventy-two one-hundredths of the premium bid by him, which was returned as unearned, and he received his share of all the profits made by the association during his membership and while enjoying the money loaned him, and these profits embraced his ratable part of all interest paid by all borrowing members, himself and others. In that settlement he took as his own his part of all interest now supposed to have been usurious, and yet holds it.

A-peremptory instruction for defendant should have been given.

Re-versed and remanded.

Reference

Full Case Name
Natchez Building & Loan Association v. James G. Shields
Cited By
9 cases
Status
Published
Syllabus
1. Building and Loan Associations. Interest on premium. Usury. Settlement. Although a borrowing member of a building and loan association obligates himself to pay the full amount bid off by him, including the premium on the loan, yet, if his contract only requires the payment of a lawful interest on the amount of his bid, and afterwards, in settlement with the association, he pays less than ten per cent, per annum on the actual amount received, he cannot complain of usury, or that interest was charged on the premium. 2. Same. Interest on premium. Voluntary settlement. In such case, where the borrowing member, on withdrawing from the association, with full knowledge of all the facts, makes a voluntary settlement, in which he is allowed as unearned a part of the premium bid by him, together with his share of the profits, including in such profits interest afterwards alleged by him to be usurious, he cannot recover, as usurious or illegal, interest charged him on the premium.