Atkinson v. Akin

163 N.W. 1024, 197 Mich. 289, 1917 Mich. LEXIS 584
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 26, 1917
DocketDocket No. 15
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 163 N.W. 1024 (Atkinson v. Akin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Atkinson v. Akin, 163 N.W. 1024, 197 Mich. 289, 1917 Mich. LEXIS 584 (Mich. 1917).

Opinion

Steere, J.

Plaintiffs filed this judgment creditor’s bill in aid of execution, on March 22, 1916, to set aside a deed given by defendant John C. Akin and his wife, Nettie, to their son, Claude L. Akin, and his wife, Rena, dated July 6, 1914, recorded June 8, 1915, covering block 125 and the south 10 feet of block 124 in the village of Shelby, in Oceana county, and a farm of 120 acres located in Elbridge township, in said county.

Plaintiffs had recovered against said John C. Akin three judgments amounting to over $2,000, and, being unable to otherwise collect the same, levied alias execu[292]*292tions on this property, two November 9, 1915, and one on January 18, 1916.

Defendants Claude Akin and wife disclaim any interest in the village property which was conveyed by them to the mother, Nettie Akin, stating that the father, John, conveyed it to them for the purpose of conveying it to the mother, which they did.

The records of deeds of Oceana county show that the judgment debtor, John Akin, had held title to the Shelby village property since 1901, and it was shown without dispute that he had been in actual possession of it from 1901 until September 15,1915, during which time the title stood in his name. The record also shows that John C. Akin received a deed in November, 1904, conveying to him, without qualifications, title to the Elbridge township farm, which stood of record in his name until he conveyed it to his son and wife in July, 1914. They, however, had been in possession of this property claiming ownership during all the time he held title to it.

The substance of plaintiffs’ lengthy bill of complaint is that the indebtedness of John Akin, represented by the judgments under which they claim execution liens upon this real property, was incurred while he held title to it, and credit was extended to him on the strength of his ownership; that he subsequently conveyed it to his son, Claude, and wife without consideration and to defraud his creditors; that he shortly thereafter disposed of or sequestered what personal property he owned and went west, to Montana, where he took up a homestead; that the members of his family who thus acquired title to his property confederated with him to that end, and are not innocent parties; that executions previously issued against him upon those judgments were returned unsatisfied, and appropriate aid of the court is asked to enforce these levies.

[293]*293Defendant John Akin suffered himself to be defaulted and'was not present or represented by counsel at the hearing. The other defendants appeared and made answer, claiming in their answer and at the hearing to have paid for and been the equitable and actual owners of the property during all the time John Akin held the legal title; that it was purchased and paid for by them in the first instance, although he took title thereto in his own name; deny that he has or ever had any money invested, interest or ownership in the property; deny all knowledge of or responsibility for any indebtedness of his; and contend that the deeds from him to them were given to and received by them in good faith as the rightful owners, to place the legal title where it belonged.

The trial court granted in full the relief asked by plaintiffs, setting aside as to their levies the deed of July 6, 1914, from John Akin to his son, Claude, and wife, and their deed of January 3,191(5, to the mother, Nettie A. Akin, of the village property.

As to the Shelby village property we see no escape from the conclusions reached by the trial court. Defendant Nettie Akin’s claim is that she paid for this property, which was conveyed to her husband with her knowledge and consent. His tastes and activities ran to horses and their uses for livery, breeding, and trafficking purposes, in which he was more optimistic than successful. After the purchase of this property, upon which there was a barn, or sales stable, he held title to, and had possession of it, ostensibly as owner, using it in his business until he deeded it to his son and wife, who claim no interest in it, and went west. His wife, who testified that “he has tried all the ways he could to make money with horses and failed,” was engaged while he possessed this property in the dressmaking business, with apparently better success. Although, with comparatively short intermissions, she [294]*294stood by him.faithfully and condoned his shortcomings, litigation over property she successfully claimed to own which his creditors sought to realize from, and her charges against him in a short-lived divorce case which she began and withdrew, together with contradictory statements and qualified admissions, make plain that she knew of his financial delinquencies, and that he was obtaining credit on the strength of his ownership of this property. No other reason is shown why title to it should have been taken and kept in his name if it was bought by and belonged to her. Her deed to the property, of which they are not shown to have known, was not recorded until after plaintiff’s execution levies were made and perfected. The execution plaintiffs have all rights of bona fide purchasers under section 9224, 3 Comp. Laws (3 Comp. Laws 1915, § 12898), and whatever rights she has in the premises by virtue of her deed are subordinated to the prior recorded lien their levy established. Lachett v. McInerney, 185 Mich. 413 (152 N. W. 86).

The facts as to the Elbridge township land present a different situation. Claude Akin took possession of it May, 1904, before it was deeded to his father in November, 1904, having with the assistance of his mother contracted to buy it from the prior owner at an agreed price of $850. He was then a young man, unmarried, had accumulated $150 in money, and owned a team. Just prior to the purchase of this land he was planning to buy 40 acres near the village of Shelby, when his uncle, who lived near this tract, called attention to it and told him it could be bought cheap. He looked it over, discussed the matter with his people at home, and decided to buy it if he could. His mother encouraged him and offered to assist. The land was purchased and the $850 paid the seller, Claude furnishing the $150 which he had, and his mother the balance. A portion of the tract was swampy, and a portion of it [295]*295good agricultural land. It was wild and unimproved, stripped of its valuable timber, had upon it some old, dilapidated buildings of little value, formerly used in lumbering operations; the principal ones consisting of an uninhabitable shanty and a camp barn built of logs. Being unable to occupy the buildings, owing to their condition, he at first camped upon the land and commenced a clearing preparatory to putting in some crops that year, which he did. He thereafter continued to reside upon this place up to the time of the trial, in exclusive possession under claim of ownership, working upon and improving it. At the time of the trial he had over 60 acres under cultivation, a comfortable house, good barn, fences, and other improvements, and had developed it into a valuable, improved farm said to be worth in the neighborhood of $3,000. When he married he took his wife to the home which he had prepared, and the testimony is undisputed that from the time he first went upon this land, over 13 years before the trial, he has lived there continuously, with the exception of part of one winter before he was married, making and calling it his home, steadily working upon and improving it as his own property, in open, notorious, and exclusive possession with his wife under claim of ownership.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
163 N.W. 1024, 197 Mich. 289, 1917 Mich. LEXIS 584, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/atkinson-v-akin-mich-1917.