Cochrell v. Mitchell

2003 NMCA 094, 75 P.3d 396, 134 N.M. 180
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 28, 2003
Docket23,163
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 2003 NMCA 094 (Cochrell v. Mitchell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cochrell v. Mitchell, 2003 NMCA 094, 75 P.3d 396, 134 N.M. 180 (N.M. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

OPINION

PICKARD, Judge.

{1} This case involves the validity of a tax sale pursuant to which property that belonged to Defendants was sold to Plaintiffs to pay delinquent taxes. After the sale, Plaintiffs sued to quiet title and Defendants defended on the basis that the sale was invalid because of multiple deficiencies in the notice of sale and because of the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department’s (Department) inadequate consideration of the property owner’s interest in setting the sale price for the property. The trial court granted summary judgment to Plaintiffs on the issues surrounding the notice of sale and, following trial, entered judgment for Plaintiffs because it found that the Department’s procedure in selling the property adequately accounted for the property owner’s interest. Defendants appeal, contending that there must be strict compliance with the statutes permitting sales of property to pay delinquent taxes. We disagree and affirm.

PERTINENT STATUTES

{2} The governing statute is NMSA 1978, § 7-38-70 (1982), which provides:

Issuance of deeds as result of sale of real property for delinquent taxes; effect of deeds; limitation of action to challenge conveyance.
A. Upon receiving payment for real property sold for delinquent taxes, the division shall execute and deliver a deed to the purchaser.
B. If the real property was sold substantially in accordance with the Property Tax Code [Articles 35 to 38 of Chapter 7 NMSA 1978], the deed conveys all of the former property oumer’s interest in the real property as of the date the state’s lien for real property taxes arose in accordance with the Property Tax Code, subject only to perfected interests in the real property existing before the date the property tax lien arose.
C. After two years from the date of sale, neither the former real property owner shown on the property tax schedule as the delinquent taxpayer nor anyone claiming through him may bring an action challenging the conveyance.
D. Subject to the limitation of Subsection C of this section, in all controversies and suits involving title to real property held under a deed from the state issued under this section, any person claiming title adverse to that acquired by the deed from the state must prove, in order to defeat the title, that:
(1) the real property was not subject to taxation for the tax years for which the delinquent taxes for which it was sold were imposed;
(2) the division failed to mail the notice reqidred under Section 7-38-66 NMSA 1978 or to receive any required return receipt;
(3) he, or the person through whom he claims, had title to the real property at the time of the sale and had paid all delinquent taxes, penalties, interest and costs prior to the sale as provided in Subsection E of Section 7-38-66 NMSA 1978; or
(4) he, or the person through whom he claims, had entered into an installment agreement to pay all delinquent taxes, penalties, interest and costs prior to the sale as provided in Section 7-38-68 NMSA 1978 and that all payments due were made timely.

(Emphasis added.) NMSA 1978, § 7-38-67(E) (2001) states:

Before the sale, the department shall determine a minimum sale price for the real property. In determining the minimum price, the department shall consider the value of the property oumer’s interest in the real property, the amount of all delinquent taxes, penalties and interest for which it is being sold and the costs. The minimum price shall not be less than the total of all delinquent taxes, penalties, interest and costs. Real property may not be sold for less than the minimum price unless no offer met the minimum price when it was offered at an earlier public auction. A sale properly made under the authority of and in accordance with the requirements of this section constitutes full payment of all delinquent taxes, penalties and interest that are a lien against the property at the time of sale, and the sale extinguishes the lien.

(Emphasis added.) NMSA 1978, § 7-38-66 (2001) provides the requirements for notice to the owner of the sale, and Section 7-38-67(B) states, “Notice of the sale shall be published in a local newspaper____The notice shall state the time and place of the sale and shall include a description of the real property sufficient to permit its identification and location by potential purchasers.”

FACTS AND PROCEDURE

{3} Defendant John Mitchell is a lawyer. Together with his wife, he bought a vacant lot in the Belieia Estates subdivision adjoining the community of Eldorado south of Santa Fe in 1995. They paid more than $100,000 for the property. The full assessed values of the property for 1995 and 1996 were over $144,000 and $126,000 respectively, and the taxable values were over $48,000 and $42,000 for the same years. Defendants did not pay taxes on the property for the years 1995-98.

{4} In February 1999, Michael Hooper, the team leader in the property division who was responsible for the sale of this property, called Mr. Mitchell to tell him that the taxes were delinquent and the property would be sold unless the past due taxes were paid. Mr. Mitchell told Mr. Hooper that the taxes would be paid by March 10, 1999. When Defendants did not pay the taxes, the Department prepared for the sale.

{5} On July 7, 1999, the Department mailed Defendants a notice of sale. The notice was sent certified mail, and the Department received a return receipt, which Mr. Mitchell admitted he signed. The notice to Defendants stated that the total of tax, penalties, and interest due on Lot 17, Belieia Estates, T15N R10E S 5 3.601 AC, was $3,914.72 and that unless Defendants paid the tax or entered into an installment agreement, the property would be sold at public auction on August 5, 1999. The published notice of sale read, in relevant part, as follows:

NOTICE OF PUBLIC AUCTION SALE OF REAL PROPERTY FOR DELINQUENT PROPERTY TAXES STATE OF NEW MEXICO TAXATION AND REVENUE DEPARTMENT PROPERTY TAX DIVISION
Telephone #: (505) 827-0881, -0882, - 0883, -0878
Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to provisions of Section 7-38-65 NMSA 1978, the Property Tax Division of the Taxation and Revenue Department will offer for sale at public auction, in SANTA FE COUNTY, beginning
TIME: 9:00 AM/PM
DATE: August 05, 1999
LOCATION: SANTA FE COUNTY COURTHOUSE
DRAWER T
SANTA FE NM 87504-0000
Treasurer Telephone # : (505) 986-6253 the sale to continue until all the following described real property has been offered for sale.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2003 NMCA 094, 75 P.3d 396, 134 N.M. 180, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cochrell-v-mitchell-nmctapp-2003.