Guignard v. Glover
Guignard v. Glover
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the. court was delivered by
To shew that the- title derived tinder Hall’s- judgment could not avail, it was attempted on the part of the defendant to shew that the-judgment had been- satisfied; and the objection now. raised is, that the evidence of the fact of payment was rejected by the court. The evidence thus alluded to, was an article of agreement between William Hall, as agent and attorney for A. Hall, Jacob and Isaac Barrett, and- Needham Davis, entered .into on the 4th April, 1820. By this agreement it appeared tli-at Jacob and Isaac Barrett had purchased of Need-ham Davis, a house and lot, subject to the lien of Hall’s judgment against Davis: they had agreed to give for the same eight thousand dollars, six of which they had paid, and William Hall, by the agreement thus entered into, covenanted, as agent for A. Hall, that the property thus sold should be exempt from the operation of the judgment of Ai Hall, on the Barrett’s paying the remaining two thousand dollars of the purchase money
The only notice given by the defendant on the day of sale, was the exhibition -of his title under Davis; but Davis could only sell subject to the lien of Hall’s judgment, • and of the existence ■of this judgment, open and unsatisfied, eyery man might and ought to have informed himself, by reference to the records ia the clerk’s office. There was not the slighest foundation however for the supposition that the judgment had been satisfied in
As this document therefore furnished no evidence whatever of satisfaction having been made lor the balance due on-the judgment of A. Hall, although it had been admissible-with that design, still under the circumstances of the case it could not have availed the party. The evidence was properly rejected by the court.
The second ground taken for a new trial is, because the sale of said lot was void, the execution-under which it was sold being without authority. The execution of A. Hall was taken out and lodged the day on which the judgment was entered up, to wit, on the 30th March, 1818; the execution had been several times renewed; a levy was made-on the 9 th May, 1822, andón the 3d June following,, the lot was sold. Now by an article in the agreement before alluded to, in reference to the balance due on the judgment of Hall, vs. Davis, it is stipulated on the part and behalf of the Barretts, that they shall become collateral security to Hall for the same, in consequence of his release of the lien created by his judgment, on the lot sold by Davis to the Barretts, and Davis, a party to this agreement,, stipulates to pay on every sixty days, -three hundred and fifty dollars, and on his failure to do so, then either Hall or the Bar-retts are invested with the right of proceeding immediately against the said Davis, on said judgment, for the balance dua thereon. Independently of this clause in the agreement,, on the trial it was admitted that Davis had given his assent to the enforcement of the execution under which the levy and sale was made. This double consent of Davis, first by his covenant-in the article of agreement and next as respected the execution itself, under which the property was sold, superceded, in' the opinion of the presiding judge, the necessity of a renewal of the execution by sci. fa. although a year and a day had elapsed before- the time of issuing the execution.
But who could take advantage of it, admitting that it were irregular.. The case of Barkley, vs. Screven, 1 Nott & M' Cord, 408, clearly shews that third persons can make no objections of this kind, however irregular proceedings may be; and further, that in the sale of real property under execution, supported by a judgment, the purchaser at such sale is not required to look into the regularity of the proceedings; the seal of the-court (it is said) is evidence enough for him. I think it very clear that the supposed irregularity of the execution under which the lot was sold, cannot avail the defendant. The only object of a sci. fa. is to afford the defendant an opportunity of shewing that the judgment has been satisfied, and if the defendant admits the fact to be otherwise and consents that an execution may be enforced, why delay the plaintiff by an unmeaning formality.
From every view which I have been able to take of this ■case, 1st. the policy which seems to have prevailed of protecting purchasers at sheriff’s sales, who buy with a confidence that what is done in virtue of the law, will avail where due jjrecaution has been observed on the part of the purchaser: 2d. that there was no such evidence of 'his judgment having been satisfied as the purchaser was bound to regard, if indeed any satisfaction had been made which did not appear in evidence: 3d. that the delay in enforcing the execution under which the lot was sold was occasioned by the act of the defendant himself . and the irregularity (if any) cured by his after assent to its enforcement; withal.that the proceeding appears to have been fair
Reference
- Full Case Name
- John G. Guignard v. John Glover
- Status
- Published