Van Clief v. Melville
Van Clief v. Melville
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
We held, when the case was formerly before us, that the mortgage sought to he foreclosed in this suit was void as to non-assenting creditors, and that such equities as might have arisen by reason of the assent of other creditors would arise in the court of chancery upon the distribution of the fund in 'the hands of the receiver. The learned vice-chancellor conceived that the effect of our decision was to give non-assenting creditors a preference, and he has therefore modified the decree by directing that they he paid in full and that the balance only he paid to the complainant.
We pass over the fact that this decree of distribution is made in a suit to foreclose a mortgage which has been pronounced void as to the very persons who are to benefit by the decree of distribution. Strictly speaking, the distribution of the fund in the hands of the receiver representing the mortgaged property should be by proceedings in the administration suit in which the receiver was appointed, hut the objection is perhaps only formal as all creditors seem to have been made parties to the foreclosure. We pass therefore to the merits. By adjudging the mortgage to he void as to non.-assenting creditors we deprived the assenting creditors of any benefit or priority that the mortgage might give them; but we did not deprive them of their rights as creditors to share pro rata with non-assenting creditors in the
The decree must be reversed and the record remitted for further proceedings in conformity with this opinion.
For affirmance—None.
For reversal—Ti-ie Chief-Justice, Garrison, Swayze, Trenoi-iard, Parker, Bergen, Yoorhees, Minturn, ICalisch, Bo-GERT, YREDENBURGH, YrOOM, CONGDON, WlIITE, TrEAOY-15.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.