Fleming v. McGuffey

8 Ohio N.P. (n.s.) 430, 19 Ohio Dec. 521, 1909 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 19

This text of 8 Ohio N.P. (n.s.) 430 (Fleming v. McGuffey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Common Pleas of Ohio, Franklin County, Civil Division primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fleming v. McGuffey, 8 Ohio N.P. (n.s.) 430, 19 Ohio Dec. 521, 1909 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 19 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1909).

Opinion

Kinkead, J.

The question is presented upon demurrer of the Tribune Fresh Air Fund Society to the amended answer of Mary E. Haviland to the second amended answer and cross-petition of the Tribune Fresh Air Fund Society; and upon the demurrer of Mary E. Haviland to the reply of plaintiff.

The action of plaintiff and cross-petitioners is a creditor’s bill against bondsmen of an executor.

A previous action was brought by these judgment creditors against the bondsmen of Ripley C. Hoffman, executor, to which Mary E. Haviland, as administratrix, was defendant. This was determined upon demurrer to the petition in the Supreme Court April 22, 1902. It then proceeded to judgment, the plaintiff and the demurring cross-petitioner in this action obtaining judgments as hereinafter appearing. This action was thereupon instituted December 29, 1904.

Mary E. Haviland' commenced an action May 31, 1902, to restore a destroyed deed made to her by her husband in 1882, the [432]*432deed being destroyed in 1890 or 1891. A decree was rendered, in ber favor in that case. These judgment creditors were not parties to her action. The defendants were the heirs and administrator of Michael ITaviland, deceased.

The question upon demurrer is whether Mrs. ITaviland’s action is res judicata and a valid defense so far as the judgment goes to the Michael ITaviland estate.

The general doctrine is that to make out the defense of res judicata, the subject-matter of the judgment set up must be the same, and it must be between the same parties or their privies, and the precise question must have been determined. Mauldin v. City, 69 Am. St., 855.

The plea can never be urged against one who is not a party to the litigation, nor against one not represented by another who stands in a relation of privity.

The ■ claim is made here - that the matter pleaded operates against the judgment creditors, because they were represented by the administrator of the Michael ITaviland estate.

It is true that the administrator of the estate appeared in the case brought by Mary TIaviland, and that he alleged that there was a probable liability on the bond as against the estate.

Such a pleading by the. administrator amounted to nothing so far as the judgment creditors are concerned. It would have been unusual for the administrator to have even allowed such unliquidated claims as were presented by these judgment creditors as valid claims against the estate. It was no part of his legal duty to represent these unliquidated c’aimants. The pleading presented by the administrator was not in the least binding upon them, because their action was pending against Mary E. TIaviland, administratrix of Michael TIaviland, deceased, and other bondsmen on the Hoffman bond, at the time, and long prior to the date when Mary E. TIaviland brought her action to restore the deed.

The action of these claimants being a pending one, it was notice to the world, and especially to Mary E. ITaviland, individually, as devisee, of the claims being thereby asserted, the doctrine of lis -pendens operating with full force against all the [433]*433lands which stood in the name of Michael Haviland, including that devised to her.

It is now the duty of a court of equity to take notice of all the equities existing between these parties. It is a case of pure “equities,” and not of res judicata; the decree pleaded does not constitute a plea of res judicata against the judgment creditors because they are not parties to the action and were not represented therein.

On the contrary, Mary E. Haviland, to whom the legal title of the land in question has been decreed, stands charged with all of the equities arising from the circumstances in this case in favor of the judgment creditors.

The decree in her favor, under all the circumstances, does not entitle her to as much consideration as if the deed itself had actually been produced and recorded, though tardily, and the judgments against her husband’s property had merely intervened before she had placed her deed on record.

The question presented by the pleadings, instead of being one of res judicata, is merely one of “equities”; the decree in Mary E. Haviland’s favor is to be considered much in the same light as if she had placed her deed on record, excepting that under all the circumstances the equities are very much against her, because of her own conduct which estops her as against these judgment creditors. She stood by the Haviland adm-inis-trationship until the Supreme Court decision fixed the bond liability, and then she took up her individual warfare.

The question is novel, and difficult to bring within any existing statutes or adjudication, but it is not at all difficult to discover the equities existing in favor of the judgment creditors, as against Mrs. Haviland.

It is even doubtful whether the statute, Section 4134, Revised Statutes, governing the registration of conveyances, applies in this easet because Mrs. Haviland’s title has not been put upon record by virtue of that statute. In the absence of her compliance with the terms of that statute she resorted to the extraordinary powers of a court of equity, to make up for her failure to do that which the statute required of her, to make her title good, at least against bona fide purchasers. So that [434]*434now, as between herself and these judgment creditors, -there appears to be no technical barriers in the way, and a court of equity is now at liberty to follow the -dictates of conscience.

The conclusion is that the demurrer to the plea of res judi-cata set forth in the amended answer of Máry E. Iiaviland is well taken, and is therefore sustained.

The question then arising in respect to her answer to the second -amended answer and cross-petition of -the Tribune Fresh Air Fund Society, is whether she can -amend so as to present a valid defense.

Judgment may be rendered upon the pleadings, according to this opinion, unless- good cause may be shown to the contrary.

. Searching the record upon the demurrer, and considering the demurrer to the reply of plaintiff in the same connection, which is also overruled, it is apparent that the plaintiff .and the cross-petitioners are entitled to the relief asked for by them according to the decision reached by -this court. r

Ignoring the plea of res judicata, the question is then only of priorities between the judgment creditors and Mary E. Havi-land..

The priorities may be considered from two standpoints, namely: One from the viewpoint of -the conduct of Mary E. Haviland; the other as the dates of the judgments of the creditors, and of Mary E. Iiaviland, and the operation and effect of Section 4134, Revised Statutes, upon each of the judgments.

As to the first, the conduct of Mary E. Iiaviland, there is much to be considered, and it covers a great period of years.

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Bluebook (online)
8 Ohio N.P. (n.s.) 430, 19 Ohio Dec. 521, 1909 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 19, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fleming-v-mcguffey-ohctcomplfrankl-1909.