Du Bois v. Martin
Du Bois v. Martin
Opinion of the Court
Tt is disclosed by the record in this case that one O. J. Martin was the owner of certain land in Lancaster county, Nebraska; and of this land the B. % of the N. W. ^4 of section 28, township 12, range 6, involved in this controversy was a part. Ann Martin, appellee, was the wife of O. J. Martin. On April 35, 1874, one Beeley Y. Mason recovered a judgment against O. J. Martin for the sum of 1450.88, and on November 2, 1874, Martin and his wifi1 executed a mortgage upon the premises to appellant, Bamuel ,C. Colt, for $1,272. Borne time later O. J. Martin seems to have executed a second mortgage upon the premises to oik1 Henry Du Bois; and on August 19, 1876, Da Bois brought a suit of foreclosure, and made Mason, the judgment creditor, and Samuel O. Colt, appellant, parties defendant. Colt filed an answer and cross-petition, making Ann Martin, appellee, a party defendant, and legal service of summons seems to have been made upon her. Seeley Y. Mason answered, setting up his judgment, which antedated all the mortgages, and alleged that he had levied upon the land in controversy in the case at bar under an execution issued upon his judgment, and had sold the land, bidding it in himself, prior to the commencement of the foreclosure proceedings. This cause Avas referred to a referee to return findings of fact and conclusions of law, Avhich Avas done; and, subsequently, in 1877, a decree of foreclosure Avas entered on the report of the referee, fixing the amount of the liens, and determining the priorities of the Amrious parties. Ann Martin, appellee, seems to have made default in the foreclosure proceedings, but the decree Avas silent as to her doAver interest, and the land in controversy was omitted from the decree and order of sale. After satisfying the prior liens from the proceeds of
It is contended on behalf of appellant that, inasmuch as the pleadings in the first foreclosure case presented the question of the dower right of appellee in the real estate, in controversy herein, and no action was taken by the court in that case upon this (question, therefore, the effect was to leave the question of dower right an undetermined and pending question, and that, as such, it could be brought to the attention of the trial court at any time, and, it being a ponding case, the statute of limitations would not run. We are not disposed to question the correctness of the decisions, cited by appellant, in case's where the facts were such as to warrant the application of the principle con
A decree AAras entered in the case, a sale was had, and the proceeds were distributed, a portion of which was paid to appellant. The case was closed up, and we do not see upon what principle it could ever again be considered as a pending cause. The fact that appellant filed a supplemental cross-petition, and caused new service to be made upon appellee, would seem to indicate that appellant himself regarded his action as the commencement of a ne\v proceeding. We are of opinion that appellant, having failed in the first proceeding to insist upon his lien upon all the land covered by his mortgage, is in the same position he Avould occupy had he made proof but for half the amount actually due him at the time. It would hardly be contended that he could now come in, at the end of nearly 25 years, and have a decree for the remainder. The only right of action appellant has must arise out of his mortgage, and all rights thereunder having become fully barred by the statute, there can be no recovery. The judgment of the trial court in dismissing the cross-petition of appellant seems to be right, and it is recommended that it be affirmed.
. By the Court: For the reasons stated in the foregoing opinion, the judgment of the district court is
Affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.