Miller v. Phenix Insurance
Miller v. Phenix Insurance
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court,
This is a suit brought by appellant, Miller, and one Mrs. Bessie C. Tucker on a policy of fire insurance issued by the appellee on December 22, 1907, insuring- the property against loss or damage by fire for one year from that date. The property covered by the policy was destroyed by fire on January 2, 1908. This policy, taken out on December 22, 1907, was a renewal of a policy that was previously issued by the appellee on the same property, for the same amount, and payable to the same parties. Mrs. Bessie C. Tucker is shown to be the heir at law of a certain mortgagee, for the payment of which there was a mortgage clause attached to the policy sued on, payable to Gr. W. Covington, administrator, which
The facts relative to the two deeds in trust are as follows: On the 14th day of July, 1905, S. A. Miller and his wife executed a deed in trust, wherein they conveyed.
In this, we think the court erred. If it be true that the “Singleton House property” was inserted in the trust deed through a mistake, both on the part of the grantor and also on the part of the beneficiary, it was in truth and in fact in the eye of the law no incumbrance upon the property. There is no question but ■ what a court of chancery, upon the proper proceeding, would correct this trust deed so as to reform it agreeably to the intention of the parties. How can it be said that the trust deed covered the property, when it was foreign from the agreement of the parties, both the grantors and the grantee? Suppose Miller had executed a third deed of trust to some third party covering the property in controversy, and suppose that before the issuance of the policy this trust deed had been paid off: and discharged, and that the beneficiary or the trustee had failed to mark the trust deed satisfied on the record; could it be said in such a case that the trust deed was still a valid and subsisting incumbrance upon the property? Would it not be admissible to prove by parol that the trust deed had been satisfied by an actual payment, and consequently it was in truth and in fact no existing incumbrance? Suppose that Jones is the owner of two pieces of property situated in the city of Canton, one described as lot 10 and the other described as lot 20, and suppose that Jones sells to Smith lot 20, that through an' error in the scrivener who drafts the conveyance Jones conveys to Smith lot 10, and suppose that subsequently thereto Jones secures insurance upon the buildings situated upon lot 10, and after the property upon lot 10 is destroyed by fire it is then, for the first time, discovered that a mistake was made in the description of the property which Jones had sold to Smith; could it be said in such a case that Jones was not the owner of lot 10? True, the legal title to lot 10 on the face of the
So we say here, if it be true that the trust deed of Parker, as beneficiary, was made to embrace this property, “the Singleton House property,” through an error or a mistake, would it not in law be no trust deed or incumbrance? To ask the question is to answer it. How, then, can it be said that there was a concealment? We therefore say that it was error for the court to refuse to permit the plaintiff to show what he offered to show by his evidence. The court cannot determine the weight or the value of testimony, nor the credibility of the witnesses. This is a matter which is left alone to the jury to determine. Reversed and remanded.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- S. A. Miller v. Phenix Insurance Co.
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Fire Insurance. Representations as to title. Evidence. Mistake., When in a suit by the owner on a fire policy, the defendant denied liability on the ground that there had been a breach of' representation as to ownership, in that there was an, undisclosed deed of trust on the property in addition to a mortgage which was disclosed, it was error for the court to exclude evidence that, the insured property was inserted in the trust deed through a mistake, both on the part of the grantor and also on the part of the beneficiary as in such case the deed of trust in the eye of' the law was no encumbrance upon the property.