Buist v. Merchants' & Planters' Bank
Buist v. Merchants' & Planters' Bank
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
In this action, C. S. Buist, the plaintiff, alleged the insolvency of the Merchants’ and Planters’ Bank, of Blackville, S. C., demanded the appointment of a receiver, that creditors be required to prove their demands, and that the Court administer the assets. The Court appointed John O’Gorman, receiver, and ordered him to sell certain real estate, the property of the bank, in order to distribute the proceeds among creditors. PI. L. O’Bannon, master for Barnwell County, intervened and moved at chambers to stay the sale until a motion to revoke the order for sale by the receiver could be heard in open Court, on the ground that such sale could only be made by the master. The motion to stay the sale was refused without prejudice to the master’s right to fees and commissions; this question being expressly reserved by consent of all parties. The master’s claim is based on the following provision of sec. 306 of the Code of Civil Procedure: “In those counties where the office of master exists, the master shall make all sales ordered by the Court in granting equitable relief, conformably to the practice of the Circuit Court, or to the practice of the courts of equity of this State before said courts were abolished.” The Circuit Judge held that “this case does not fall under the provisions of sec. 306 of the Code (Townsend), inasmuch as the property sold was already in the hands of the Court, and the sale was not ordered by the Court in granting equitable relief, but was merely for the purpose of realizing for the Court upon said property.”
The master appeals, and his counsel argues that the position taken by the Circuit Judge cannot be sustained because the main purpose of this action was to obtain the equitable relief of having the assets of the insolvent corporation re
Sections 306 and 265 must be construed together, and so construed, the meaning of the law is, that while as a general rule, sales ordered by the Court in granting equitable relief must be made by the master, in a case of this kind, the Circuit Court is not obliged to follow the general rule, and may order the assets disposed of through a receiver by sale or otherwise.
The judgment of this Court is, that the judgment of the Circuit Court be affirmed.
Submitted on printed Briefs. — R.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- EX PARTE O'BANNON, IN RE BUIST v. MERCHANTS' AND PLANTERS' BANK
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Master — Receiver—Code, 306. — When property is in the hands of a receiver appointed under sec. 265 of Code of Procedure, an order authorizing such receiver to sell the property so in possession of the Court is not in contravention of sec. 306 of Code, authorizing sales by the master.