Keil v. Thompson, Unpublished Decision (12-17-2004)
Keil v. Thompson, Unpublished Decision (12-17-2004)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} Appellee Naomi Thompson, fka Cothern, and the late Howard Cothern, Sr. purchased 5.02 acres of land in Bennington Township, Morrow County, during the late 1950s. They later placed a mobile home on the land. Subsequently, Appellant Kimberly I. Keil constructed another residence on the rear portion of the property. Following the death of Howard Cothern, Sr. in 1993, Appellee Naomi acquired title to the property as the surviving spouse. On October 8, 1998, appellee conveyed ownership of the property to Appellant Kimberly (her daughter) and Howard Cothern, Jr. (her son). Appellee thereafter remarried, and she and her new husband, Appellee Findley Thompson, moved off the property. Appellant and her husband, William Keil, maintained their residence in the aforementioned second home.
{¶ 3} On August 27, 2001, Howard Cothern, Jr. conveyed his interest in the property back to his mother, appellee, via a quit claim deed. Said deed was recorded on September 1, 2001. However, on September 12, 2001, appellant filed with the county recorder a notarized "Memorandum of Agreement" dated October 10, 1998, signed by appellant and Howard Cothern, Jr. The document reads in pertinent part as follows:
{¶ 4} "RE: Concerning the property of 5630 Township Rd. 213. Situated in the County of Morrow, in the State of Ohio, in the Township of Bennington:
{¶ 5} "Being Lot # 2 in the John Brodess Sub-Division # 1 as shown on the Plat recorded in the Record of Plats, Volume 5, Page 125 in he (sic) Recorder's office of Morrow County, Ohio.
{¶ 6} "Containing in Lot # 2-5.02 acres
{¶ 7} "Interest in Real Estate: Kimberly Irene Keil owns 3.52 acres in back of said property. Howard Dale Cothern Jr. owns 1.50 acres in the front of said property.
{¶ 8} "By signing this document both parties agree in the said Interest in Real Estate."
{¶ 9} On January 11, 2002, appellant filed an action to quiet title against Appellees Naomi and Findley Thompson. The matter came on for trial on January 8, 2003. On April 10, 2003, the trial court issued a judgment entry, which found the "Memorandum of Agreement" between appellant and Howard Cothern, Jr. was not a covenant running with the land which would bind appellees. The court thus found that appellant and appellee both owned an undivided one-half interest, and therefore ordered a Writ of Partition be issued.
{¶ 10} Appellant timely appealed, and herein raises the following sole Assignment of Error:
{¶ 11} "I. The trial court's decision is contrary to the manifest weight of the evidence presented at the trial herein. specifically, the trial court erred in ruling that the memorandum of agreement executed by plaintiff-appellant and Howard D. Cothern, Jr. is not binding upon defendant-appellees.
{¶ 13} The central issue before us is whether the memorandum at issue constituted a covenant running with the land. When determining whether a covenant runs with the land, the following three factors must be met: 1) intent for the restrictive covenant to run with the land; 2) the restrictive covenant touches and concerns the land; and 3) privity exists. Lone Star Steakhouse Saloon of Ohio, Inc. v. Quaranta, Mahoning App. No. 01 CA 60, 2002-Ohio-1540, ¶ 18, citing LuMac Dev. Corp. v. Buck Point Ltd.Partnership (1988),
{¶ 14} Proof of intent for a covenant to run with the land can be determined from the language of the deed read as a whole.Lone Star Steakhouse at ¶ 19. In the case sub judice, appellant and Howard Cothern, Jr.'s memorandum of October 10, 1998 contains no language indicating such intent. Although not completely determinative of this issue, we note that no mention of assigns, heirs, successors or other similar language is utilized. SeeLone Star Steakhouse at ¶ 19, citing Siferd v. Stambor
(1966),
{¶ 15} In addition, the use of the generic terminology "3.52 acres in back * * * 1.50 acres in the front of said property" scarcely provides a meaningful description of the attempted apportionment. R.C.
{¶ 16} We are not fact finders; we neither weigh the evidence nor judge the credibility of witnesses. Our role is to determine whether there is relevant, competent and credible evidence upon which the fact finder could base its judgment. Cross Truck v.Jeffries (Feb. 10, 1982), Stark App. No. CA-5758, unreported. Accordingly, judgments supported by some competent, credible evidence going to all the essential elements of the case will not be reversed as being against the manifest weight of the evidence.C.E. Morris Co. v. Foley Construction (1978),
{¶ 17} For the reasons stated in the foregoing opinion, the judgment of the Court of Common Pleas, Morrow County, Ohio, is affirmed.
Wise, J., Gwin, P.J., and Farmer, J., concur.
Costs to appellant.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.