Coseboom v. Marshall Trust

356 P.2d 117, 67 N.M. 405
CourtNew Mexico Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 18, 1960
Docket6674
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 356 P.2d 117 (Coseboom v. Marshall Trust) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Coseboom v. Marshall Trust, 356 P.2d 117, 67 N.M. 405 (N.M. 1960).

Opinion

MOISE, Justice.

This action was instituted by the plaintiff-appellee to recover $1,000, represented by a check in that amount given by defendant-appellant as a down payment on the purchase of a house from appellee, payment of the said check having been stopped.

A motion to dismiss the complaint was filed by appellant, on the ground that the complaint failed to state a cause of action, and on the further ground that there being no agreement in writing or note or memorandum signed by appellant, the action could not be maintained because of the statute of frauds. The motion to dismiss having been sustained an appeal to this court was perfected, and upon consideration thereof we reversed and remanded the cause for further proceedings, holding the action was not barred by the statute of frauds under the facts pleaded and admitted by the motion to the effect that after oral negotiation and reaching agreement a check for $1,000 was given by appellant and she then went into possession of the premises and then stopped payment. Coseboom v. Marshall’s Trust et al., 64 N.M. 170, 326 P.2d 368.

After remand appellant filed her answer setting up four defenses as follows: (1) that the complaint failed to state a claim upon which the relief sought could be granted, (2) that the action being based upon an oral agreement for the sale of real estate it was barred by the statute of frauds, (3) that the giving of the check in issue was induced by appellee’s fraudulent representations upon which appellant relied, and (4) that the delivery of the check was induced by false and fraudulent representations of appellee relied on by appellant, and upon discovery of the same appellee was advised and a return of the check requested and refused, resulting in an entire failure of consideration for the check.

A trial was had before the court on the issues as made up by the complaint and answer, after which a decision was rendered for appellee and against appellant.

The facts found by the court and material to decision are generally the following. Appellee was the owner of a house in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, which she had listed for sale with one Roger May-field, a real estate broker. One or two days before August 1, 1955, appellant overheard a conversation between Mr. Mayfield and a lady concerning possible sale of appellee’s house, and thereupon approached Mr. May-field and. expressed an interest in seeing the house with a view to buying it. Mr. May-field showed appellant through the house that same day, and she had an opportunity and did inspect it thoroughly. Mr. May-field advised that the price of the house was $10,500 cash, and that appellant would have until 6:00 p. m. on August 1, 1955, in which to decide if she wanted to purchase the property, and that if she did decide to purchase it, she should deposit $1,000 with Mr. Mayfield’s wife before that time, with the balance to be paid when deeds were prepared and delivered after Mr. Mayfield’s return from Albuquerque where he was going on a short trip.

On August 1, 1955, before 6:00 p. m., appellant delivered a check for $1,000 made payable to R. E. Mayfield. Appellee was present at the time, and was asked, “Now that I have paid the $1,000.00, when can I get possession ?” to which appellee replied, “I will move my things out in the morning and you can move in.” Appellee did move her things out the following morning, and appellant that same day put a new lock on' the front door of the house, moved certain items into the house, had some repairs made thereon, had the electricity turned on, started cleaning the house and had a load of wood put in the wood shed.

The check for $1,000 drawn on a bank in El Paso, Texas, was deposited some two or three days after its receipt on August 1, 1955, and on or about August 11, 1955, the check was returned by the bank with a notation that payment had been stopped. Payment had been ordered stopped by appellant. Findings of fact 9, 10, and 11, as made by the court, are quoted for convenience :

“9. The defendant, Margaret Meyer, moved out of the building without any notice to the plaintiff or her agent and did not communicate with either the plaintiff or her agent thereafter until this suit was filed, but about a week after the check was given, the defendant’s son met plaintiff’s agent and requested' return of the check, which was refused. No false or fraudulent representations of any kind or character were made by the plaintiff or by her said agent, Mayfield, or by anyone else to induce the said defendant to deliver the said check to the plaintiff.
“10. It was intended by the parties that the $1,000.00 check so given would apply on the purchase price of the property and the consideration for the check was the agreement of the plaintiff to convey title to the defendant to the property involved and for the immediate possession of the premises pending the drafting of the deed and papers affecting the transfer. The plaintiff would not have moved her own things out of the house, nor would she have surrendered possession of the property to the defendant, Meyer, had the $1,000.00 check not been given by the defendant.
“11. That the said $1,000.00 check was delivered and accepted as earnest money and down payment on the purchase price by plaintiff under a preliminary verbal agreement which was to be later more fully agreed upon and reduced to writing by the parties.”

Appellant sets forth 18 points relied on for reversal. However, except for three matters all of her argument is addressed to claimed errors by the court in making certain findings and conclusions and denying others. It is true that appellant’s testimony differed materially from that of appellee and other witnesses on several important aspects of -the case. It is not necessary to detail what these variances were. It is sufficent to point out there was substantial evidence to support the findings and conclusions made by the court and accordingly they will not be disturbed on appeal. Andriola v. Milligan, 52 N.M. 65, 191 P.2d 716; Davis v. Merrick, 66 N.M. 226, 345 P.2d 1042. That there may have been contrary evidence which would have supported a different finding or conclusion does not alter the situation. Addison v. Tessier, 65 N.M. 222, 335 P.2d 554. Appellant also complains about the court’s failure to make certain findings requested by her and not covered by findings made. The appellant was in no way prejudiced by the court’s action, the matters covered by the requests not being material to a decision in the case. The same is true of objections to certain evidentiary facts found by the court. Even though some- evidentiary facts may .have been found, the' appellant was not prejudiced thereby. ■ ;•_

Two arguments advanced by appellant merit further discussion. First of these is her argument on her points 1 and 10 which she discusses together. We will do likewise.

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Bluebook (online)
356 P.2d 117, 67 N.M. 405, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/coseboom-v-marshall-trust-nm-1960.