West v. Weyer
West v. Weyer
Opinion of the Court
The principal question in the case, involves a construction of section 5774, of the Revised Statutes, which provides that: “ One tenant in common, or coparcener, may recover from another his share of the rents and profits received by such tenant in common or coparcener from the estate, according to the justice and equity of the case;” etc. The fact that no such remedy was available at common law, led to the enactment of the statute of Anne, (4 Anne, ch. 16, sec. 27), which provides that “ actions of account shall and may be brought and maintained * * * by one joint tenant, and tenant in common, * * * against the other, as bailiff for receiving more than comes to his just share or proportion,” etc.
It is contended by the plaintiff in error, that neither this statute, nor our own, authorizes a recovery by the out-tenant against the tenant in possession, for the value of the mere use and occupation of the joint estate. There are cases which seem to sustain this construction of the statute of Anne, supia, where the tenant in possession is to be regarded as a bailiff of the out-tenants. A bailiff in husbandry was, at the common law, one appointed by a private person to collect his rents and manage his estates. (Bac. Abr.) The leading English case which holds that mere use and occupation by a tenant in common, did not create a liability against him to his co-tenants, is Henderson v. Easen, 17 Ad. & El. N. S. 701, 718. The court says: “ It is to be observed that the statute does not mention lands or tenements, or any particular subject. Every case in which a tenant in common receives more than his share is within the statute; and account will lie when he does receive, but not otherwise. It is to be observed, also, that the receipt of issues and profits is not mentioned, but simply the receipt of more than comes to his just share; and, further, he is to account when he receives, not takes, more than comes to his jusi share.” Further construing the language of the
The question does not rest, however, upon a construction of the statute of Anne nor upon its assumed similarity with our own. In framing the latter the general assembly departed from the phraseolgy of the English statute. The language, which in the latter limited the liability of the tenant in possession to that of bailiff, is omitted. The words “ rents and profits” are added. Then we are not at liberty to conclude or say that the words, “according to the justice and equity of the case,” were added without a purpose. This court has said in Conard
We conclude that the voluntary and profitable use, occupation and enjoyment by a tenant in common of the common estate creates a liability against him to account to the out-tenant as for his share of the rents and profits received by the former, according (o the justice and equity of the case.
II. It is maintained, however, that in the peculiar circumstances of the case at bar the j udgment against the plaintiff' in error is wholly without equity. The lands occupied by him adjoined his own, and there was no partition fence between them; he had ample pasture of his own, and for the cattle pastured upon the common estate, and did not need the pasturing with which he was charged. Nevertheless, he did use the lands, and the value of that use was $150 per year. What effect the trial court gave to the conscious possession of these lands, as shown by the fact that “ during different years of the time he was in possession he fed his cattle on the woodland of the premises described in the petition,” we are not permitted to know. If he voluntarily used and enjoyed the profitable possession of the lands, it would not seem to be a defense against an action to account, that he did not need them —• that he had sufficient pasturage of his own for his. cattle.
The trial court was called upon to deal with all the facts according, to principles of equity, and while this case seems at first view to sound in hardship, we cannot say that it is sufficiently clear to us that the court so far ignored the justice and equities of the case as to justify us in reversing its judgment.
III. Was there error in charging the interest?
Judgment is affirmed.
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