Jones v. Porter
Jones v. Porter
Opinion of the Court
This was a suit by the plaintiff in error, who was plaintiff below, alleging that the various agreements made between himself and defendant were in effect a mortgage of the lands, for the purpose of securing the debt owing to defendant, and a prayer that he might redeem, &c.
A decree was made, that the appellant redeem on paying to appellee the debt ascertained to he due during the term of the court at which the same was rendered; and that, upon the payment of the money ascertained by the decree to be due the defendant, the lands be discharged from the incumbrance held by defendant on same, and from any claim or incumbrance by appellee, and the title to the same be vested in the plaintiff". And it was further provided, that if pay-
It is not believed that the plaintiff has been deprived of any legal right by this decree, or that he has just cause of complaint. His application to redeem should have been accompanied with a tender of what was due from him on the mortgage, (if the writings for his benefit may be so construed.)
A mortgagor, bringing a bill to redeem, must allege and prove payment, or tender the amount due. (Terrell v. Merrell, 17 Mass., 117.)
On a bill to redeem, a decree for the plaintiff" ought not, in general terms, to say that on paying the money, with in-_ terest, the mortgagee shall convey to the mortgagor the premises, but that such conveyance shall be made upon payment within a time stated, and, if not then made, the mortgagor shall be forever foreclosed of all equity of redemption, and the mortgaged premises be sold. (Turner v. Turner, 3 Mumf., 66.)
The only relief a court of equity can grant a mortgagor is, to allow him to redeem on a bill for that purpose. (Croft v. Ballard, 1 Smedes & Marsh. Ch., 366.)
When a mortgagor offers to redeem, he must tender the consideration money. (Ogle v. Ship, 1 A. K. Marsh., 287.)
Hpon a bill to redeem or set aside a mortgage, a redemption cannot be decreed unless the bill contains an offer to pay the amount found due on the mortgage for principal and interest. (Beekman v. Frost, 18 Johns., 544.) It certainly is an essential part of a bill to redeem a mortgage that it offer in express terms to pay the amount with costs. The bill usually states a prior tender of the money, and a refusal to accept it. (Beekman v. Frost, 18 Johns., 544.)
When a mortgagor comes into a court to obtain a sale
The defendant in error does not ask that the judgment be reversed, but submits that it may be affirmed. The objection urged by the plaintiff, that sufficient time was not given in which to redeem, it is believed was not well taken. In fact, it was upon his petition that the matter was brought before the courts and we have cited authorities that an application to redeem must be accompanied by an offer to pay the money due. The decree of the court required that the money should be paid during the term at which the decree was rendered. The court was not compelled on the petition to give time to redeem, and the refusal of time is not an error for which the appellant is authorized to reverse the judgment. There certainly is no ground of complaint now of the want of time in which to redeem; the defendant has been delayed since judgment more than seven years.
In an additional argument by plaintiff, at the, present term of the court, it is insisted that the two notes of $10,000 each, due July, 1861, and January, 1862, are founded on an illegal agreement to pay usurious interest. This objection is not well founded in fact. If the decree of the United States district court is to be taken as the consideration of the notes, the notes must be sustained, allowing that the decree, bearing the highest rate of interest legal to be contracted for and received, will exceed the amount of the notes.
It is further clearly shown, that the appellee purchased the lands at a sale made in pursuance of and under a decree of the United States district court. The court having jurisdiction to render the decree and order of sale under which the lands were sold, it cannot be held void or as an insufficient foundation for a decree.
If the sale to the appellee was legal, and vested the title
There is no error in the judgment of which the plaintiff can complain, and the defendant asks that it be affirmed, which is done.
Judgment aeeirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Levi Jones v. Royal A. Porter
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- Where a party claiming to be a mortagee filed his bill praying to be allowed to redeem an estate by paying the money which he had agreed to pay for it, and the court decreed that upon payment of the balance of principal and interest due, during that term of the court, the title to the land should pass to him free from all incumbrance, such -plaintiff has no right to complain of the decree. A mortgagor, bringing a bill to redeem, must allege and prove payment, or tender the amount due. On a bill to redeem, a decree for the plaintiff ought not, in general terms, to say that on paying the purchase-money, with interest, the mortgagee shall convey the premises to the mortgagor; but that such conveyance shall be made upon payment within a time stated, and, if not so made, the mortgagor shall be forever foreclosed of his equity of redemption, and the mortgaged premises sold. The only relief which the chancellor can grant, is the right to redeem upon a tender of the consideration money, with costs, and no suggestion of poverty will avail the mortgagor. (Paschal’s Dig., Arts. 4674, 4675, Notes 1060, 1061.) Where the plaintiff gave his notes and a mortgage for $12,860, and three years and a half afterwards there was a decree of foreclosure and sale, under which the mortgagee purchased the mortgaged property, and afterwards agreed to sell the property to the mortgagor upon his paying $20,000, which agreement was afterwards modified by an extension of time upon the payment of ten per cent, per annum interest upon the $20,000, such a transaction was not usurious upon its face. It shows an agreement to sell, and if it be alleged that it was a usurious contract, it must be proved. (Paschal’s Dig., Art. 3942, Note 934.)