Curtis v. Bunnell & Eno Investment Co.

55 P. 659, 6 Idaho 298, 1898 Ida. LEXIS 68
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 7, 1898
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 55 P. 659 (Curtis v. Bunnell & Eno Investment Co.) 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
Curtis v. Bunnell & Eno Investment Co., 55 P. 659, 6 Idaho 298, 1898 Ida. LEXIS 68 (Idaho 1898).

Opinion

HUSTON, J.

— This action is brought by the plaintiffs to set aside and have declared void a judgment of foreclosure of mortgage made and entered by the district court for Ada county on April 6, 1895. The complaint set forth the execution of the notes and mortgage by the defendants Susan D. Curtis and Edward J. Curtis, her husband; that the property set forth and de[301]*301scribed in the mortgage was at the date thereof the sole and separate property of the said Susan L. Curtis; and avers that said mortgage was absolutely void, and of no force and effect, as against the said Susan L. Curtis, and as against her property therein named. The complaint further avers: That on the twenty-second day of December, 1894, the mortgagees in said mortgage (defendants herein) commenced suit to foreclose said mortgage by filing complaint against said Susan L. Curtis and Edward J. Curtis, her husband. That said Edward J. Curtis and Susan L. Curtis, his wife, appeared in said action, and filed a demurrer to said complaint, on the third day of January, 1895. That on the twenty-eighth day of January, 1895, said Susan L. Curtis filed her separate answer to the complaint in said action, wherein she alleges that the signing of said notes and mortgage was an involuntary act on her part, and done without any consideration, and that said act was done by her under duress; denies acknowledgment of said mortgage; and avers that said notes, though joint in form, were the individual notes and obligations of the said Edward J. Curtis, and prays that they may be canceled. That thereafter, on the twenty-fifth day of February, 1895, the plaintiffs in said action (defendants herein) filed an amended complaint in said action, alleging therein as matter of amendment that the acknowledgment of said mortgage by said Susan L. Curtis, a married woman, was legally and properly made at the time it bears date, but that the certificate of acknowledgment attached to said mortgage was defective in that, by mistake or inadvertence of the officer making the same, said certificate fails to show that upon an examination without the hearing of her said husband the said Susan L. Curtis was made acquainted with the contents of the instrument; and prays that said certificate of acknowledgment as shown upon said mortgage be corrected and reformed in accordance with the facts in this case. On the twenty-fifth day of February the following stipulation was filed in said action:

“It is hereby stipulated and agreed by and between S. L. Tip-ton, attorney for plaintiffs, and Alfred A. Fraser, attorney for defendants, E. J. Curtis and Susan L. Curtis, that the amended and supplemental complaint may be filed the same as if it were [302]*302the original complaint in the action; and the said Alfred A. Fraser, attorney for defendants, therefore waives all notice and other proceedings as to the filing of notice and affidavits in supplemental complaint.
“Signed the twenty-fifth day of February, 1895.
“ALFRED A. FRASER,
“Attorney for Defendants.”

That on the twenty-fifth day of March, 1895, it was stipulated and agreed by the attorney for the plaintiffs in said action (defendants herein) that the answer of said Susan L. Curtis to the complaint in said action should stand and be considered by the court as the answer to the amended complaint therein, and that all the allegations of the said amended complaint in regard to the reformation of the certificate of acknowledgment of said mortgage therein described should be deemed specially denied by said answer. On the sixth day of April, 1895, the following stipulation was filed in said cause:

“It is hereby stipulated by and between the parties to this action and their attorneys that the court may enter judgment reforming the certificate of acknowledgment in accordance with the prayer of plaintiffs’ amended complaint herein, and that judgment may be entered for the plaintiffs against the defendants,. Edward J. Curtis and Susan L. Curtis, for the sum to be found due thereon, decreeing the foreclosure of the mortgage as in plaintiffs’ complaint, and that a stay of execution be granted to the defendants for one year from the date of said judgment, said judgment to bear interest at the rate of eight per cent (8 per cent) per annum.
(Signed) “S. L. TIPTON,
“Attorney for Plaintiffs.
“ALFRED A. FRASER,
“Attorney for Susan L. Curtis.”

On the sixth day of April, 1895, decree of reformation and foreclosure was entered by the court in said action, and is in the words and figures following: “This cause having been this day brought on to be heard on the plaintiffs’ amended complaint filed herein, and upon the answer of Susan L. Curtis thereto, and the cross-complaint of Remus Goodrich and Thomas Kitto, and [303]*303the court having heard the evidence on the part of the plaintiffs, and upon answer of Susan L. Curtis, and the court having heard the proof, and duly considered the same, in said ease, and it appearing therefrom to the satisfaction of the court that the acknowledgment to said mortgage as set forth in plaintiffs’ amended complaint was duly and properly taken in conformity with law, but was defectively certified, it is hereby ordered, adjudged, and decreed,- that the certificate of acknowledgment as set forth in the plaintiffs’ amended complaint be amended and reformed in conformity with the prayer of said amended complaint; and it is further ordered and decreed, in accordance with the stipulations of the parties filed herein, and the court having heard proofs necessary to render judgment herein, and it appears to the court from the proofs made herein that there is now due the plaintiffs from the said defendants — and thereupon the court proceeds to render judgment against said defendants for the sum of $5,251.50, to foreclose the said mortgage, to decree a sale of said premises to satisfy the same, and for a deficiency judgment for residue that might remain unpaid.” The complaint sets up several causes of action, but, as they are all embodied in the specification of errors, it is not essential to repeat them here. Demurrers were interposed to the complaint of plaintiffs by all of the defendants, which demurrers were sustained by the court, and judgment of dismissal of action entered, from which judgment this appeal is taken.

The appellants set up three assignments of error: 1. That the judgment is void for uncertainty, for that the judgment is that the certificate of acknowledgment, as set forth in the plaintiffs’ amended complaint, be amended and reformed in conformity with the prayer of said amended complaint. There is no amendment of the' certificate of acknowledgment whatever. This contention is predicated upon the assumption that the certificate of acknowledgment was defective. Said certificate is as follows:

"State of Idaho, ) County of Ada.) ss.
“On this third day of November, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two (1892), personally appeared before me [304]*304Jonas W. Brown, a notary public in and for said county, Susan L. Curtis and Edward J.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
55 P. 659, 6 Idaho 298, 1898 Ida. LEXIS 68, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/curtis-v-bunnell-eno-investment-co-idaho-1898.