Russell v. John T. Dodson & Co.
Russell v. John T. Dodson & Co.
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
This a contest among the creditors of John T. Dobson as to their priorities of satisfaction out of a tract of land of 157 acres in Greene county. Russell had sold and conveyed the land to Dobson for about $4,400, taking his notes for about $1,500, balance of purchase money. He claims priority through his implied vendor’s lien.
Four creditors of John T. Dobson filed attachment bills to reach his equitable interest in the land, and claim priority over all except Russell through their liens created by their attachments.
The several causes, in which the several claims are contracted, were consolidated and heard together.
1. As to the contest between Russell relying on his vendor’s lien, and Byars relying on the deed of trust, the other beneficiaries under the trust deed failing to rely on it. Russell conveyed the legal title to Dobson, and reserved no lien for the balance of the purchase money. He alleges that he intended to reserve his lien, and that it was so understood between him and Dobson. This is denied by Dobson, but not in a ■ manner to impress us as to the truth of the denial. The testimony of Russell, fortified by the circumstances detailed by him, and by the production of the notes, showing on their face that they were land notes, in connection with the legal presumption in his favor, satifies us that he intended to retain, and did retain, his vendor’s lien. But Dobson conveyed the land to Alexander as’ trustee before Russell filed his bill to enforce his lien. If the beneficiaries accepted the trust for their benefit before Russell’s bill was filed, they are entitled to priority: Green v. Demoss, 10 Hum., 376; Ellis v. Temple, 4
2. It appears that during the pending of the suit of Russell v. Dobson et al., John T. Dobson failed to pay the taxes on the' land in controversy for the year 1876, and the same was reported and sold, when Isaac Ellis purchased at $20.10. He afterwards assigned his bid to Samuel Dobson, a brother of John T., and in turn Samuel assigned to J. C. Dobson, the father, and Thomas Alexander, the father-in-law of John T. Af-terwards J. C. Dobson and Thomas Alexander became the owners by assignment of all the claims secured in the trust deed, amounting to about $1,400, except that of Byars. Judgments were confessed by John T. to J. C. Dobson and Thomas Alexander, and as judgment creditors they advanced the amount of their judgments upon the bid at the tax sale, and thereby claimed title to the land as redeeming creditors. Byars hearing of this proceeding, and fearing that his lien under the trust deed was endangered, through his agent, King,
We can see no evidence in this transaction that these parties were seeking to defraud Byars, whatever may have been their object as against Bussell. If the redemption under the tax sale was invalid, then
3. It is insisted for J. C. Dobson and Thomas Alexander, that they acquired a good title by their redemption under the tax sale. By sec. 2124 of the Code, real estate sold for debt shall be redeemable at any • time within two years after such sale; where it is sold under execution; where it is sold under any decree, judgment, or order of a Court of Chancery; where it is sold under a deed of trust or mortgage; and where it is sold for taxes, in which case, it is
By sec. 2127, if the purchaser is a bona fide creditor by judgment, etc., and within twenty days after the sale he makes an advance on his bid, etc., and by sec. 2130, real estate sold for debt and made redeemable, shall continue redeemable to the debtor and his creditors for two years after the sale, etc.
, Construing these several provisions together, we are of opinion that it was the intention aud meaning of the Legislature, that real estate sold for debt, when sold under execution, or judgment, or decree of a Chancery Court, or under a deed of trust or mortgage, it should be redeemable within two years, in the manner prescribed in the several sections referred to; but that lands sold for taxes are only redeemable within twelve months, in the manner prescribed in sec. 63'8. As lands sold for taxes are not sold under execution, nor under judgment or decree of the Chancery Court, '■ or under trust deed or mortgage, the provisions made for their redemption have no application
It appears that after Byars made the arrangement with J. C. Dobson and Thomas Alexander, to look to the redemption under the tax sales for satisfaction of his claim, and before he filed his cross-bill in which he sought to fall back upon _ the deed of trust, the attachment bills of Wills, Doak, and others were filed •to subject John T. Dobson’s equitable interest in the land to their several claims. At that time the only lien resting on the land was the vendor’s lien of Rusr sell, inasmuch as Byars had abandoned his lien under the trust deed.
The result is that Russell is entitled to have his claim first satisfied; after him Wills, Doak, and the other attaching creditors, and after them Byars is entitled to satisfaction, but upon the terms of the arrangement between Byars, and J. C. Dobson, and Thomas Alexander, he ’is entitled to no decree against them. If any surplus remains after satisfying Byars’ claim, J. C. Dobson and Thomas Alexander will be
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.