Meigs v. Bunting
Meigs v. Bunting
Opinion of the Court
OPINION,
A bond and mortgage are distinct and separate securities, though for the same debt. As against the rights of third parties, payment in fact of either extinguishes the debt, and therefore satisfies the other: Mitchell v. Coombs, 96 Pa. 430; Loverin v. Humboldt Co., 113 Pa. 6. And, even between the parties, the two securities are so far parts of the same transaction that the satisfaction of one is presumed to be payment of the debt and therefore to include the satisfaction of the other, and the burden of proof is on the creditor to show the contrary. But this result depends on the intention of the parties. The presumption therefore is rebuttable, and satisfaction of one security will not in fact be satisfaction of the other, unless the parties so intend, or the debt be actually paid: Fleming v. Parry, 24 Pa. 47; Seiple v. Seiple, 133 Pa. 470.
These being the rights and the presumption between the parties, we come now to the question in the present case, what is the presumption as applicable to a third party having an interest in the subject-matter, for instance as purchaser at a sheriff’s sale ? Is he bound to look into the actual facts of payment, or the intention of the parties, further than they have been made accessible to him on the record ? The clear result of our cases seems to be that he is not.
In Magaw v. Garrett, 25 Pa. 319, there was a judgment of the same date as a mortgage, and the record indicated that it was a subsisting lien at the time of sheriff’s sale. It was held
These cases establish the general rule that a purchaser at sheriff’s sale is entitled to rely upon the record evidence of the encumbrances on the property. There is no sufficient reason
In the present case, the record disclosed an apparent controversy between the plaintiff and defendant in the judgment, at the time of the sale. There had been a rule to open the judgment which had been discharged by tbe court, and subsequently reinstated by agreement of the parties, and it was still pending
Judgment reversed, and judgment on the case stated for the terre-tenant Clark.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- A. V. MEIGS v. S. C. BUNTING
- Cited By
- 16 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- [To be reported.] 1. When a mortgage and a judgment are given as cumulative securities for the same debt, a satisfaction entered upon one is presumed, as between the parties, to be on account of a payment of the debt, and therefore, to include a satisfaction of the other; but this is a rebuttable presumption. 2. If the debt be not actually paid, the result, as between the parties, of the entry of satisfaction upon one of the securities, will depend upon their intention; as they have an unquestionable right to extinguish one security, and yet keep the other alive and maintain it as an existing encumbrance. 3. A purchaser at sheriff’s sale is not bound to look into the actual facts of payment or the intention of the parties, further than they have been made accessible to him upon the record: Magaw v. Garrett, 25 Fa. 319; Coyne v. Souther, 61 Pa. 455; Reading v. Hopson, 90 Pa. 494; Saunders v. Gould, 134 Pa. 445. 4. Wherefore, when a mortgage has been satisfied of record, but a judgment for the same debt still stands apparently in force, such purchaser may rely upon the record as conclusive evidence that the parties have exercised their right to keep the judgment alive, and therefore, that the sale will discharge a mortgage subsequent thereto. 5. If, in such ease, a rule to open the judgment is pending at the time of the sheriff’s sale, the purchaser will be unaffected thereby; being entitled to rely upon the legal effect of the judgment, so long as it stands on the record unmodified by the court, he assumes no risk as to the result of the controversy.