Fouts v. Brookline Building & Loan Ass'n

60 Pa. D. & C.2d 298, 1972 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 75
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Alleghany County
DecidedOctober 19, 1972
Docketno. 1157
StatusPublished

This text of 60 Pa. D. & C.2d 298 (Fouts v. Brookline Building & Loan Ass'n) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Alleghany County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fouts v. Brookline Building & Loan Ass'n, 60 Pa. D. & C.2d 298, 1972 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 75 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1972).

Opinion

DOYLE, J.,

On July 14, 1950, Charles F. Nuckles et ux. (Nuckles) purchased improved land in Allegheny County, Pa., (the land) and delivered his bond, to repay borrowed funds, with accompanying mortgage on the purchased land as security, to The Knights Life Insurance Company of America (Knights). After various mesne conveyances the land was conveyed, subject to the Knights mortgage, to William H. Floto et ux. (Floto) on March 3, 1955.

Upon Floto’s default, Knights confessed judgment on the bond against Nuckles on November 4, 1957, at January term, 1958, D.S.B. no. 1195, and caused a writ of fieri facias to issue at January term, 1958, no. 262. Floto, although then in possession of the land, was not named as terre tenant in the praecipe for the writ of fieri facias nor in the writ itself, there being no legal requirement to so name him. However, “Directions to Sheriff ” accompanying the writ of fieri facias which Knights lodged with the sheriff, contained the caption: “Knights v. Nuckles et ux. with notice to Floto, et ux. terre tenants.” The body of the “Directions to Sheriff ” did not direct the sheriff to personally serve the terre tenants.

The “Sheriff’s Return” contains proofs of newspaper advertisements published at the direction of the sheriff in connection with the proposed sale of the land. These advertisements contain the same caption as the previously outlined caption in Knights’ “Directions to Sheriff.” As is customary, no copies of the bulky printed handbills accompanied the return. The “Sheriff’s Return” of the writ certifies that “. . . after due public and timely notice by me given, according to law I did ... on 2 December 1957 . . . expose the premises with[300]*300in described to sale by public vendue or outcry, and then and there sold the same to Knights, for the sum of $256.95 . . . (taxes and costs) it being the highest and best bidder . . .”

After other mesne conveyances the land was conveyed to defendant Brookline Building & Loan Association of Pittsburgh (now South Pittsburgh Savings & Loan Association) (Brookline) which conveyed the land to plaintiff on November 2, 1965. Improvements on the land were destroyed by fire and on August 6, 1968, plaintiff submitted its written application to defendant State Capital Savings and Loan Association (State Capital) for a loan of $16,800 to reconstruct the destroyed improvements

In his written loan application plaintiff applied “for membership in . . . State Capital” and agreed “to abide by its Articles of Association, By-Laws, Rules and Regulations” and applied for the loan “in accordance with the By-Laws of the Association.” The application also provided: “Notwithstanding an agreement of the Association to make this loan, it is understood that the same may be rejected by the Association ... if, in the opinion of the Association, the examination of title discloses any condition unsatisfactory to the Association.”

In its letter dated September 12, 1968, delivered to plaintiff, State Capital stated, inter alia: “We have this day granted your application for a mortgage loan of $16,800 . . . The application is granted, subject to Furnishing of Abstract of Title approved by the Association s Counsel.”

Plaintiff avers, section 8 of complaint against Brook-line, that “in reliance upon the acceptance of said mortgage application and the issuing of its mortgage commitment to plaintiff,” plaintiff entered a construction agreement with Woodlawn Builders to reconstruct [301]*301the damaged improvements for $23,000 and paid the sum of $500 for architect’s drawings.

Counsel for State Capital examined the title to the land and reported that a cloud existed by reason of an alleged defect in the Knights foreclosure proceedings; viz: failure to notify the terre tenant, and that judgments in the approximate sum of $4,500 in favor of two creditors of plaintiff were unsatisfied, all indicating that the loan would be a bad risk and might require institution of an action to quiet title to remove the cloud.

On October 15, 1968, State Capital notified plaintiff of examining counsel’s findings and legal opinion and stated that no funds would be lent until the cloud was cleared. On October 28, 1968, plaintiff notified Brookline of State Capital’s position, claiming that the warranties in Brookline’s 1965 deed of conveyance to plaintiff require Brookline to remove the cloud.

State Capital By-Law, article VII, sec. 2, provides:

“The Board of Directors shall have the right to cancel the approval of any application for a mortgage loan . . . made by or on behalf of the Association, granting any such loan if final settlement therefor is not made by the borrower within sixty days after such approval.”

Accordingly, on March 13, 1969 State Capital delivered to plaintiff a letter containing the following:

“We have this day been advised that the above mentioned property has a defective title and that litigation is probable. In view of this fact and the time which will be involved to clear the matter, we have no alternative but to cancel the above commitment in accordance with Article VII, Section 2 of the Association’s By-Laws, a copy of which is enclosed.

“We regret this action, however, if and when a [302]*302clear title is obtained and we can be of service to you, please contact our representative, Mr. Herbert C. Baum, Jr.”

On August 4, 1971, plaintiff filed his complaint against both defendants. He asserts (section 15 [sic] of complaint against State Capital) that State Capital breached its loan commitment and is hable to him for $4,600 in increased construction costs plus increased interest costs in the sum of $7,000 plus $1,500 for additional living expenses or a total of-$13,100. He asserts (section 5 of complaint) that defendant Brookline breached the general warranty contained in its deed of conveyance and demands the same amounts for the same items from Brookline and, in addition, demands $1,500, the alleged cost of removing the cloud, or a total sum of $14,600. No allegation of bad faith or negligence against either defendant is contained in the complaint.

Brookline demurs to the complaint as amended, claiming that the foreclosure proceedings conducted by Knights v. Nuckles complied with the Act of July 22, 1919, P. L. 1089, 45 PS §81, and then extant Common Pleas Court Rule No. 32a. Brookline also asserts that plaintiff and his predecessors in title have enjoyed quiet and peaceable possession of the land for more than six years and, therefore, cannot successfully collaterally attack the deed of conveyance dated December 18, 1957 based on the sheriffs sale conducted as above, for want or proof of proper legal notice, citing the Act of March 26, 1785, 2 Sm. L. 299, sec. 7, as amended by the Act of July 8, 1885, P. L. 270, sec. 1, 12 PS §76.

State Capital moves for summary judgment under Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 1035, attaching loan application, the affidavit of its title-examining counsel, its bylaws and its letter of commitment dated September 12,1968.

[303]*303PLAINTIFF v. BROOKLINE

Plaintiff asserts (section 6 of complaint) that at the time Brookline conveyed to him, the land was “subject to the lawful encumbrance, claim, right or interest belonging to . . .” Floto because of the failure of Knights to inform Floto, the terre tenant during 1957, of its 1957 execution and sale “in accordance with mortgage foreclosure statutes and procedures.”

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Art Novelty Manufacturing Co. v. Kenworthey
88 A.2d 716 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1952)
First Federal Savings & Loan Ass'n v. Porter
183 A.2d 318 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1962)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
60 Pa. D. & C.2d 298, 1972 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 75, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fouts-v-brookline-building-loan-assn-pactcomplallegh-1972.