Sears v. Fechuck, Unpublished Decision (6-6-2000)
Sears v. Fechuck, Unpublished Decision (6-6-2000)
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
Appellants, Dan and Sherry Fechuck, entered into a lease agreement with appellee, Frederick Sears, for the rental of property and a mobile home thereon. Said agreement was for the term of one year commencing on July 1, 1991 and ending on July 1, 1992. The agreement included an option whereby appellants could purchase the property upon giving thirty days written notice and paying $1,000. On November 25, 1998, appellee filed a forcible entry and detainer action in the County Court against appellants seeking a writ of restitution and damages. Appellee claimed appellants had not paid rent since August of 1998. Appellants filed an answer claiming they had exercised the option and they had spent personal funds on the property towards payment. A hearing before a magistrate was held on December 17, 1998. By decision filed June 16, 1999, the magistrate found appellants had not exercised the option pursuant to the agreement. The magistrate found appellants have unlawfully and forcibly detained appellee possession of the property and ordered appellants to vacate the property within ten days. Appellants filed objections to this decision on June 30, 1999. A hearing was held on July 9, 1999. By judgment entry filed July 19, 1999, the trial court approved the magistrate's decision. Appellants filed an appeal and this matter is now before this court for consideration. Assignments of error are as follows:I. THE COUNTY COURT IN A FORCIBLE ENTRY AND DETAINER ACTION IN TAKING SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION COMMITTED REVERSIBLE ERROR WHERE EQUITABLE TITLE IS AN ISSUE.
II. THE FINDING OF THE COUNTY COURT THAT APPELLANTS DID NOT PAY $1,000.00 AND EXERCISE THE OPTION TO PURCHASE IS REVERSIBLE ERROR AS A MATTER OF LAW.
III. THE APPELLEE IS ESTOPPED FROM REQUIRING A 30-DAY WRITTEN NOTICE TO BE PRIOR TO THE EXERCISE OF THE OPTION TO PURCHASE AND THE FAILURE TO FIND THE SAME IS REVERSIBLE ERROR.
IV. THE TRIAL COURT COMMITTED ERROR IN FAILING TO HOLD THE CERTAIN TERMS OF THE LEASE TO BE UNENFORCEABLE SUCH AS PAYING TAXES, INSURANCE AND REPAIRS.
The provisions of Ohio Revised Code Sections
1923.01 (A) and1923.02 (A)(7), specifically grant County Court Judges jurisdiction in forcible entry and detainer actions arising out of land installment contracts.
Further, R.C.
`Land installment contract' means an executory agreement which by its terms is not required to be fully performed by one or more of the parties to the agreement within one year of the date of the agreement and under which the vendor agrees to convey title in real property located in this state to the vendee and the vendee agrees to pay the purchase price in installment payments, while the vendor retains title to the property as security for the vendee's obligation. Option contracts for the purchase of real property are not land installment contracts.
Based upon the foregoing, we find the trial court had subject matter jurisdiction. Assignment of Error I is denied.
The judgment of the County Court of Tuscarawas County, Ohio is hereby affirmed.
HOFFMAN, P.J. and EDWARD, J. CONCUR.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.