D. & G., Inc. v. Bankers Life & Casualty Co.

164 So. 2d 572, 1964 Fla. App. LEXIS 4309
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedMay 19, 1964
DocketNo. 63-561
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 164 So. 2d 572 (D. & G., Inc. v. Bankers Life & Casualty Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
D. & G., Inc. v. Bankers Life & Casualty Co., 164 So. 2d 572, 1964 Fla. App. LEXIS 4309 (Fla. Ct. App. 1964).

Opinion

TILLMAN PEARSON, Judge.

D. & G., Inc. and Desser and Garfield,. Inc., appeal a final decree adjudicating an indebtedness of approximately $5,700,000.00' to the appellee, Bankers Life and Casualty Company and foreclosing a mortgage which secured the indebtedness by encumbering some 1500 acres of unimproved land in Dade County, Florida. This land composed a part of Carol City. In addition, the [573]*573appellant D. & G., Inc., assigns as error that portion of the final decree which granted relief to the defendants-appellees, Virginia Properties, Inc. and Heftier Construction Company upon a cross-claim filed against the defendant-appellant D. & G., Inc. This cross-claim sought damages resulting from a breach by D. & G., Inc., of its covenant in a vendor-vendee agreement between D. & G., Inc. and the cross-claimants to keep the mortgage with Bankers Life in good standing.

The mortgage sought to be foreclosed contained a provision whereby, upon written request by D. & G., certain portions of the encumbered property were to be released upon the payment of specified sums. This release clause provided for releases in exchange for payments of both principal and interest.

The appellant D. & G. obtained releases for a period of time until it defaulted on the mortgage. Sometime in October of 1958 the mortgage was reinstated by the payment of approximately $637,000.00. At that time the appellant D. & G. contended it was entitled to releases upon the basis of this payment but appellee Bankers Life refused to accept the payment upon such a basis. Thereafter the appellant D. & G. did not demand in writing any releases based upon said payments.

On July 22, 1959, Bankers Life and D. & G. entered into a written agreement. The concluding paragraph of which is as follows:

“13) Having thus settled all of the other matters between us, we acknowledge that at the moment of our signing and your signing this letter with us you have delivered to us all of the releases we have previously called upon you in writing to deliver to us.” [“We” referring to D & G and “you” referring to Bankers.]

In the period of time from the making of the agreement last referred to, until the institution of the suit to foreclose the mortgage, the defendant-appellant D. & G. paid for and secured releases in a substantial amount under the agreement of July 22, 1959, which provided that releases should be given only for payments of principal. The basic attack of the appellants on the final decree of foreclosure is that the chancellor erred in finding that the defendant-appellant D. & G. was in default because it could not come into default when the plaintiff mortgage holder was already in default by its failure to deliver releases for the $637,000 payment made in October of 1958. We hold that this position is untenable. The evidence supports the chancellor’s decree for several reasons.

First, it appears without controversy that releases were to be delivered only upon written request. The defendant-appellant has failed to prove written requests -were submitted as required. This situation is sought to he explained by the appellant upon the theory that because releases had upon occasion been delivered without written request; therefore, this provision of the mortgage was waived. The record does not support this allegation. The proof of such waiver and estoppel must be clear and convincing. See: Jarrard v. Associates Discount Corp., Fla.1957, 99 So.2d 272; Boynton Beach State Bank v. Wythe, Fla.App.1961, 126 So.2d 283.

Secondly, the appellant cannot prevail under its contention that the plaintiff-mortgagee was in default for failure to deliver releases for the $637,000 payment because the agreement itself acknowledges the receipt of all releases properly requested in writing. Appellant suggests that the agreement is ambiguous because it says “all releases we have previously called upon you in writing to deliver t<? us”, thus suggesting that this does not settle the question of orally requested releases. However, even if it is conceded that the instrument is ambiguous, it would be necessary to construe it against the appellant because the appellant drew the instrument. Capital City Bank v. Hilson, 59 Fla. 215, 51 So. 853; Lindquist v. Burklew, Fla.App. 1960, [574]*574123 So.2d 261. In addition, the parties have themselves interpreted this agreement in such a way as to deny appellant’s interpretation now urged. This is indicated by the fact that subsequent releases were procured only on written request and for payments only on principal. Shouse v. Doane, 39 Fla. 95, 21 So. 807. Mileage Realty Co. v. Miami Parking Garage, Inc., Fla.App.1962, 146 So.2d 403.

Having determined that the defendant-appellant D. & G. has failed to prove that the finding of the chancellor is either against the weight of the evidence or based upon an erroneous application of the law, the decree of foreclosure must be affirmed.

We turn next to appellant D. & G.’s contention that the final decree is erroneous in the relief granted to the cross-claimants, Virginia Properties, Inc. and Heftier Construction Company. After acquiring the subject property and executing the underlying mortgage thereon to the plaintiff Bankers Life, D. & G. sold a considerable amount of the property to the defendants Virginia Properties, Inc. and Heftier Construction Company. By the agreement of sale and purchase, the defendant-appellant D. & G. agreed, as one of the covenants therein, that it would maintain in good standing the underlying mortgage with Bankers Life. Upon the foreclosure of the underlying mortgage, Virginia Properties and Heftier Construction sought, by way of cross-claim, to cancel their purchase agreement and obtain a refund of monies paid thereon. There appeared in the underlying mortgage from D. & G. to Bankers Life a section as follows:

"SECTION 1 — MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS:
# * * * * *
“2. The provisions contained in this mortgage are binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Mortgagor and the Mortgagee and their successors and assigns; and the successors and assigns of the Mortgagor will be deemed to include and extend to persons and parties who, from time to time acquire portions of the mortgaged property from the Mortgagor, or from persons or parties claiming by, through or under the Mortgagor. The Mortgagee acknowledges and understands that the Mortgagor will, from time to time, sell portions of the property encumbered by this mortgage to other persons and parties and therefore the Mortgagee agrees with Mortgagor, and persons claiming by, through or under the Mortgagor, that such purchasers shall as a matter of right be permitted to obtain releases from the lien of this mortgage as respects the lands that may have been acquired from the Mortgagor, its successors and assigns, upon the payment of the release amounts referred to in Section ‘E’ of this mortgage; and that this right to obtain said releases will vest in said purchasers regardless of whether or not this mortgage is then in default, provided, however, that the releases sought shall follow the scheme of progression referred to in Section ‘E’, ‘2’, hereof.”

The chancellor entered a separate decree on the cross-claim of Virginia Properties and Heftier Construction Company wherein he found as follows:

“2.

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Related

D & G Inc. v. Bankers Life & Casualty Co.
169 So. 2d 389 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1964)

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Bluebook (online)
164 So. 2d 572, 1964 Fla. App. LEXIS 4309, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/d-g-inc-v-bankers-life-casualty-co-fladistctapp-1964.