Callon Royalty Fund-1980 v. Walker

461 So. 2d 621, 83 Oil & Gas Rep. 526, 1984 La. App. LEXIS 10388
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 28, 1984
DocketNo. CA 83 1425
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 461 So. 2d 621 (Callon Royalty Fund-1980 v. Walker) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Callon Royalty Fund-1980 v. Walker, 461 So. 2d 621, 83 Oil & Gas Rep. 526, 1984 La. App. LEXIS 10388 (La. Ct. App. 1984).

Opinion

COLE, Judge.

The purchasers of royalty interests filed a petition seeking as damages a diminution in the purchase price paid based upon the discovery the interest actually conveyed was smaller than that intended to be conveyed, due to a prior reservation of royalty rights. The sellers answered asserting as a defense the waiver of warranty, even as to return of the purchase price, set forth in the act of transfer, a royalty deed. Cross motions for summary judgment were filed. The trial court granted the sellers’ motion and denied the purchasers’ motion. The purchasers now appeal this ruling.

The issue presented is whether or not the contractual waiver of warranty effected a concomitant waiver of the codal obligation of delivery owed by the sellers. Additionally, we consider the applicability of La. Civ. Code art. 2481 to the transaction between the parties as regards fulfillment of the seller’s obligation to deliver.

By royalty deed dated September 12, 1980, John E. Walker and Annie Hudson Walker, defendants, conveyed to Callón Royalty Fund-1980 and Pacific Royalty Fund-1980, petitioners, certain royalty interests. The royalty deed stated in pertinent part:

“Tract 1: Two certain lots located in the State of La., Parish of Livingston, in that subdivision known as Sharee Place and being designated according to the official plat of said subdivision made by Dawson Engineers recorded in Book 192, Entry 103835 of the Conveyance Records of Livingston Parish, as Lots 30 & 31, said subdivision lots measuring 100' x 407'.
“Tract 2: Lot 24 located in Sharee Place Subdivision containing 0.92 acres, more or less, in Section 38, T-6-S, R-3-E, Livingston Parish, Louisiana, as per plat of said subdivision made by Dawson Engineers, recorded in Book 192, Entry 103835 of the official records of Livingston Parish, State of Louisiana.
“Tract 3: Lots 171 and 172 of Magnolia Estates containing 0.32 acres located in Section 41, T-6-S, R-3-E, Livingston Parish, Louisiana.
“It is intention of Grantor to convey 4.51 net royalty acres.
“Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, Grantors warranty, even as to return of purchase price, into and unto royalty rights transferred hereunder, is limited to defense for any act committed by Grantor which would impair warranty rights transferred hereunder. Grantor does subrogate Grantee to any and all rights and action of warranty which Grantor does possess.
“For the purposes hereof, a Royalty Acre equals one-eight (sic) (Vs) of the gross production allocated or allocable to an acre of land.
“The royalty interests and rights herein sold, transferred and conveyed are:
(a) All of grantors interest of the whole of any oil, gas or other minerals, except sulphur, on and under and to be produced from said lands; ...”

At the time of conveyance it was known Tract 1 and 2 were subject to a mineral lease to Amoco Production Company. The mineral lease provided for a one-fifth landowner’s royalty. However, subsequent to the conveyance it was determined Tract 1 and 2 were subject to prior reservation of a one-twentieth royalty of all the oil, gas and other minerals in favor of Andrew L. Erwin. This reservation is contained in a July 19, 1972 act of partial partition. Due to this reservation the petitioners will re[623]*623ceive 3.77 royalty acres not the 4.51 royalty acres indicated in the royalty deed.1

The petitioners contend this conveyance is a sale of an immovable by price per measure.2 They argue, therefore, pursuant to La.Civ.Code art. 2492, they are entitled to a proportionate diminution of the purchase price because less royalty acres were delivered than are indicated in the royalty deed.

The trial court considered the legal effect of the following clause contained in the royalty deed to be dispositive:

“Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, Grantors warranty, even as to return of purchase price, into and unto royalty rights transferred hereunder, is limited to defense for any act committed by Grantor which would impair warranty rights transferred hereunder. Grantor does subrogate Grantee to any and all rights and action of warranty which Grantor does possess.”

The trial court held the clause constituted a waiver of the right of petitioners to be entitled to a return of any part of the purchase price based upon a variance in the amount of royalty acres received.

On appeal the petitioners contend the waiver of warranty can not constitute a concomitant waiver of the obligation of delivery which is owed by defendants. As authority for this proposition petitioners cite La.Civ.Code art. 2475 which indicates the obligation of delivery is a separate obligation from warranting the thing sold. This court, while noting such a contention may be true, is satisfied the defendants’ obligation of delivery has been met. Further, we agree with the trial court no part of the purchase price need be returned.

I.

La.R.S. 31:16 states a mineral royalty is one of the basic mineral rights that may be created. La.R.S. 31:18 defines a mineral right as an incorporeal immovable. A priori, a mineral royalty such as the one sub judice is an incorporeal immovable.

La.Civ.Code art. 2481 provides:
“The tradition of incorporeal rights is to be made either by the delivery of the titles and of the act of transfer, or by the use made by the purchaser, with the consent of the seller.”

The term “incorporeal rights” is broad enough to include both movable and immovable incorporeals.3 The Louisiana Supreme Court in Deas v. Lane, 202 La. 933, 13 So.2d 270 (La.1943), indicates the proper codal article to apply to a mineral right in determining whether delivery is accomplished is art. 2481. Although the definition of mineral rights was clarified by the enactment of Title 31 in 1974, Deas remains a strong indicia article 2481 ought to apply in the present situation. In Deas the distinction between the seller’s obligations of delivery and of warranty were examined.

The royalty deed contains a description of the three tracts of land indicating “all the grantors (sic) [royalty] interest” in these tracts is conveyed to the petitioners. Further, the royalty deed provides for the method of delivery of royalty payments to the petitioners. These provisions serve to [624]*624accomplish delivery of the titles and of the act of transfer pertaining to the royalty interests. Therefore, the royalty deed satisfies the tradition required by art. 2481.

II.

The deficiency in royalty acreage arose from a defect in the defendants’ chain of title, the prior reservation of royalty by Mr. Erwin.

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461 So. 2d 621, 83 Oil & Gas Rep. 526, 1984 La. App. LEXIS 10388, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/callon-royalty-fund-1980-v-walker-lactapp-1984.