Calloway v. Nichols
Calloway v. Nichols
Opinion of the Court
The court did not err in overruling appellants’ motion in the court below to enter, nunc pro tunc, the judgment, which seems to be clearly and satisfactorily shown to have been rendered by the Probate Court, confirming the sale of the land in controversy, which had been made by the administrator, in obedience to the order of said court. And, although it is also beyond dispute that, the deed of the administrator to the purchaser cannot be regarded as a complete and perfect legal title unless it was made by the administrator in obedience to an order of court, properly entered upon its records, confirming the sale, and ordering its execution, yet, we think it quite obvious that the facts alleged in the appellants’ answer, and upon which we cannot say the jury would not, but for the charge given by the court, have found for the defendants, were not fully sufficient to establish an equitable title, upon which they would be justly entitled to a judgment against the plaintiff, though he may have the legal title.
The land was duly and regularly sold by the guardian, in obedience to an order of the Probate Court. The report of
The court, in effect, charged the jury that they should find for the plaintiffs, irrespective of all other considerations, unless it was shown by the record that the sale by the guardian had been confirmed by the court, thus holding, as it appears, that nothing less than a strictly legal title would be of any avail as a defense against the plaintiffs. In this, we think, there was manifest error, for which the judgment must be reversed. It is true, a guardian sells Ms ward’s property by virtue of a mere statutory power; and unless he acts in obedience to and in conformity with the power thus conferred, Ms ward will not be bound by his action. But, in this case, the answer alleges, and there was evidence tending to prove, a strict compliance with all the reqmrements of the statute regulating such sales, in so far, at least, as concerns the point upon which the case was made to turn by the charge. The authority of the guardian to make the deed, and the validity of the purchaser’s title, depends upon the action of the court upon the report of the sale, and not upon the evidence by which its action is to be shown.. Evidently, if the destruction of the record evidence, or the omissions and misprision of the clerk, is fatal to titles from an administrator or a guardian, no one would feel safe in purchasing property sold by them. The effect of such a rule as that laid down by the court in its charge, would be most deleterious to the interest of estates, and would very greatly diminish the price such property would bring when offered for sale under an order of court. For the error in the charge of the court, the judgment is reversed.
Keveksed and demanded.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- H. Calloway v. Geo. W. Nichols
- Cited By
- 5 cases
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- Syllabus
- 1. Guardian—Sale.—A sale was made by a guardian, of the land of his ward, in 1867; in 1873, pending a controversy involving its title, the purchaser moved the court to have entered, nunc pro tunc, on the minutes of the court, the judgment, which appeared, from' the entries on the docket of the county judge, and from parol evidence offered, to have been rendered, confirming the sale: Held, That there was no error in overruling the motion. 2. Same—Evidence.—In 1867, land was regularly sold, for a fair price, by a guardian, in obedience to an order of the Probate Court; the report of sale wag duly returned, examined, and in fact confirmed by the court, which ordered the guardian to make a deed to tiie purchaser, which facts were evidenced by entries on the judge’s docket, and by parol testimony, and the purchase-money was paid. In a suit between the heirs and the purchaser, involving title to the land, the jury was instructed to find for the heirs, unless it was shown by the record that the sale by the guardian was confirmed by the court in an order entered of record: Held— 1. Though tiie guardian sold the land by virtue of a mere statutory power, and the ward would not be bound by his action, unless the sale was made in conformity with the statute, whether it was so made or not, depends on the action of the court upon the report of the sale, and not upon the evidence by which that action is to be shown. 2. If the destruction of the record evidence, or the omissions or misprision of tiie clerk is fatal to a title from an administrator or a guardian, no one would be safe in purchasing property sold by them. Such a rule would be injurious to the interests of estates, and would greatly diminish the price such property would bring when sold under an order of court.