Munter v. Lankford
Munter v. Lankford
Opinion of the Court
In 1935, appellees executed a two-year note for $5,000 to the order of the Estate of Herman W. Van Senden, of which appellant is now sole trustee. In this note, appellees waived the statute of limitations, and assigned a term life insurance policy as security.
We turn first to the note. Appellant relies on the waiver of the statute of limitations in the note to overcome the three-year statutory bar. D.C.Code 1951, § 12-201. We need not decide whether such a waiver is valid in an instrument creating an obligation, for in Noel v. Baskin, 1942, 76 U.S.App.D.C. 332, 131 F.2d 231, this court ruled that unless a waiver of the statute of limitations is specifically stated to be perpetual, it should be held to operate only for a reasonable time. In that case, the waiver was by agreement after the notes in question had become due, and one additional period equal to that set by the statute of limitations was held to constitute a reasonable time. In the instant case the note came due in 1937, and the statute would normally have run in 1940; with the addition of one extra three-year period plaintiff’s right of action expired in 1943.
As to the insurance premiums, it is not clear on the present record whether there was ever any direct obligation on one or both of the appellees to reimburse the Estate for this expense. In any case, it is our view that if there was any such obligation, appellees’ failure ever to make any payment came aft
Affirmed.
. The note recited that the makers “hereby jointly and severally waive presentment, demand, protest and notice, and the statute of limitations.”
. The complaint was filed on February 17, 1953.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Godfrey L. MUNTER, Sole Liquidation Trustee In Re: Trusteeship for Settlement of Estate of Herman W. Van Senden, Equity Cause No. 62,638 v. William C. LANKFORD and Mattie L. Lankford
- Cited By
- 6 cases
- Status
- Published