Caldwell v. McKenna

33 P.2d 366, 54 Idaho 552, 1934 Ida. LEXIS 44
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedJune 1, 1934
DocketNo. 6088.
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 33 P.2d 366 (Caldwell v. McKenna) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Caldwell v. McKenna, 33 P.2d 366, 54 Idaho 552, 1934 Ida. LEXIS 44 (Idaho 1934).

Opinion

GIVENS, J.-

About October 16, 1920, the National Bank of Idaho agreed to take over and pay the depositors of the Stockgrowers Bank and Trust Company, and to secure such payments received from the latter, certain securities to be applied as collected, and in addition thereto a promissory note from appellant a stockholder in the Stockgrowers Bank and Trust Company.

In connection with the above transaction certain other stockholders including respondents herein (Edward Me- *554 Kenna and H. S. Woodland being the only ones now interested in or affected by this litigation) made an agreement with appellant, the material parts thereof being as follows:

“ . . . . That Whereas, on the 13th day of October, 1920, the first parties hereto, for the purpose of assuring the payment of all deposits of the said Stockgrowers Bank and Trust Company to the depositors, entered into an agreement with the National Bank of Idaho, by the terms of which, the said last mentioned bank agreed to take over and assume and pay when and as necessary, all depositors of said Bank and by the terms of which agreement, the assets of said Stockgrowers Bank and Trust Company were assigned to said The National Bank of Idaho as collateral to said obligation, and to further secure the said The National Bank of Idaho, said above mentioned stockholders gave to said The National Bank of Idaho, their certain promissory notes, bearing date of October 13, 1920, due one year after date thereof, and to bear interest at the rate of ten per cent per annum after maturity, interest to be paid quarterly after maturity, copies of said notes being as follows: .... ”

“And said notes to be paid in the event said assets so assigned to said THE NATIONAL BANK OF IDAHO be not collected within one year sufficient to discharge said obligation so assumed by said The National Bank of Idaho and according to the terms and conditions of that certain contract and agreement entered into on said 13th day of October, 1920, with the said The National Bank of Idaho, which agreement is hereby referred to and made a part hereof. It is, therefore, mutually agreed and understood in consideration of the premises, that the second parties hereto shall reimburse and repay to said first parties for and on account of any monies or things of value that said first parties may be required to pay from said notes in proportion as the amount of the stock in the name of said second parties shall bear to the total issued stock of said Stock-growers Bank and Trust Company, according to a statement thereof, which is hereto attached and marked ‘Exhibit A,’ *555 and made a part of this agreement, it being the purpose of this agreement that all stockholders in said Bank, according to said statement, shall bear their just and true proportion of any amounts that may be required to be paid by said first parties for or on account of the making of said notes; . . . . ”

Thereafter this suit was instituted by appellant to compel proportionate contribution by the other parties to the agreement.

The complaint alleges that on or about December 10, 1924, appellant paid the note given by him which amounted principal and interest, to $14,967.20, alleging renewals of the original note and that the collections made by the National Bank of Idaho on the securities assigned to it by the Stockgrowers Bank and Trust Company were insufficient in excess of $15,000, to cover the depositors paid by the National Bank of Idaho.

Respondents’ demurrer was sustained by the trial court on the theory that the cause of action accrued in favor of appellant October 13', 1921, and this suit not having been instituted until May 2, 1929, was too late because of section 5-216, I. C. A., being five years on a written contract, and that there was no consideration.

The sequence of events necessary for a proper consideration of the matter is as follows: Appellant’s note was made on October 13, 1920; it was due on October 13, 1921, the statutory period of limitations on the obligation of this note was five years ending October 13, 1926; the note was paid December 10, 1924, within such five-year period; suit was brought herein May 2, 1929, within five years after payment was made by appellant on his note, such five-year period ending December 10, 1929.

Respondents urge that the period of limitations as to respondents’ contract was coincident with the period of limitations on appellant’s note. This overlooks the terms of the contract which define respondents’ liability, the essential part being as follows:

*556 “ .... it being the purpose of this agreement that all stockholders in said Bank, according to said statement, (stockholders and respective holdings) shall bear their just and true proportion of any amounts that may he required to be paid by said first parties for or on account of the making of said notes; . ” (Italics ours.)

Appellant might have been required legally to pay the note any time within five years after October 13, 1921, because it is apparent from the portion of the second amended complaint above noted that sufficient was not collected within one year after October 13, 1920, to pay the depositors whose accounts had been assumed by the National Bank of Idaho.

Respondents urge that appellant could not by failure to pay sooner, extend the period of limitations.

The condition precedent to appellant being required to pay the note given by him was that sufficient money would not be collected during the year indicated to reimburse the National Bank of Idaho, but as to respondents there was the added prerequisite that appellant he required to pay. (Italics ours.)

The complaint alleges and the demurrer admits the happening of both conditions precedent. Respondents’ obligation then was to pay appellant their proportionate share of any amount he might be required to pay. The complaint alleges and the demurrer admits that he was not only required to pay, but did pay a specified sum within a time when he was under legal compulsion to so pay.

Respondents rely strongly upon 37 C. J. 953, which evidently influenced the trial court, the text being as follows:

“Where plaintiff’s right of action depends upon some act to be performed by him preliminary to commencing suit, and he is under no restraint or disability in the performance of such act, he cannot suspend indefinitely the running of the statute of limitations by delaying the performance of the preliminary act; ”

*557 It will be noticed, however, that the text says (conceding for the moment that appellant should have paid sooner than he did) that “he cannot suspend indefinitely the running of the statute of limitations.” Appellant did not suspend or attempt to suspend the statute indefinitely.

It is argued that the giving of the renewal notes without respondents’ knowledge or consent permitted appellant to be relieved of the necessity of immediate payment and unduly extended the time and prejudicially affected respondents’ rights.

Paragraph IY of the second amended complaint alleges that:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
33 P.2d 366, 54 Idaho 552, 1934 Ida. LEXIS 44, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/caldwell-v-mckenna-idaho-1934.