Lane v. Tidball
Lane v. Tidball
Opinion of the Court
This is a bill brought by the appellants, against the appellees, and their trustees, constituted by deed of trust, under which they claim, of 9th March 1819. Its object is, to restrain the latter from selling the land conveyed in trust, until, by the aid of a court of equity, the title to the said land should be clearly settled, so that a fair sale of it may take pSr.ce for an adequate price. That this could not probably be the case at present, is manifest, not only from what appears of record in the cause, but also from the admissions of the appellees themselves. They have urged in their answer as a reason, for a speedy sale of the premises, that if that sale should be delayed, their lien upon the land might in event be lost. Other purchasers (reasoning as they do,) would therefore give but a very inadequate price for the land, pending the suits which affect the title; and the interest of all parties might be materially injured, by proceeding to sell under the present circumstances.
It is urged as a reason why the court should not interfere, that the grantor, Bull, was fully apprised of these suits, and doubts about the title, when he made the deed; that he authorised a sale by the trustee in so short a time, that he could not have contemplated a previous settlement of the title, by a court of equity; and, that he had power to direct a sale by his trustee, of his interest in the land, notwithstanding the existence of the doubts aforesaid. If the words of the deed were so clear and explicit to this last point, as to admit of no doubt that such was his intention; if no persons but Bull himself were claimants before the court; and if on the other hand, the appellees were under no necessity to ask the assistance of a court of equity in relation to their right, we will not say (for we mean not to decide the question,)
The analogy between this case, and the ordinary one of a subsequent mortgagee or iucurnbraucer, coming into a court of equity to secure his debt, is apt and clear: and it will lose none of its force, when the application is made to a summary tribunal created by the mere act of the parties.
In the ordinary case, the party coming into equity, must convene all the necessary parties, for the purpose of ascertaining the amount of the previous incumbrances, and is entitled to make the most of the fund for his and their benefit, by removing all the impediments to a fair sale of the premises. Compared to these objects, a liltle delay is deemed of no account in a court of equity. Under the influence of these principles, the court is of opinion, that the decree of the court of Chancery dissolving tins injunction is erroneous. It is therefore to be reversed with costs, the injunction reinstated, and the cause remanded to be finally proceeded in, pursuant to the prineiples of this decree.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.