Glass v. Upton

226 S.W.2d 244, 1950 Tex. App. LEXIS 1844
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJanuary 4, 1950
DocketNo. 9835
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 226 S.W.2d 244 (Glass v. Upton) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Glass v. Upton, 226 S.W.2d 244, 1950 Tex. App. LEXIS 1844 (Tex. Ct. App. 1950).

Opinion

GRAY, Justice.

Appellees, Hattie Upton and husband Early Upton, brought this suit against appellant, alleging that Hattie Upton is the owner of 30 acres of land in Fayette County, Texas, which she purchased in good faith, for a valuable consideration and without notice of any claim or interest of appellant, the holder of a prior unrecorded deed; that such prior unrecorded deed is null, and void as to-appellee Hattie Upton, under the provisions of Art. 6627, Vernon’s Ann.Civ.St. They prayed that such deed be declared null and void as to the rights of Hattie Upton and that the cloud cast upon her title be removed.

The facts show that appellee Hattie Upton is the daughter of Henry Glass, now deceased, and appellant is his son. During the lifetime of Henry Glass, and on July 13, 1936, he, joined by his wife, Joycie, the stepmother of appellant and appellee Hattie Upton, conveyed to appellant 60 acres of land in Fayette County, Texas, reserving to himself the use and enjoyment of the property during his lifetime. The recited consideration is love and affection and grantee’s attention and care of grantor-, and his assistance in looking after grantor’s personal wants and welfare in his aged and feeble physical condition. This deed’ was not filed for record until November 6, 1942. On October 22, 1942, Henry Glass and wife conveyed to appellee Hattie Upton 30 acres of land which is a part of the 60-acre tract conveyed to appellant, reserving to the grantors the possession, use, rents and profits of said land until the death of the survivor. The recited consideration is $10 and other good- and valuable consideration paid. This deed was filed for record October 22, 1942.

Henry Glass died July 16, 1948, but - at the date of the trial his wife was living.

Upon a jury’s verdict, the trial court rendered judgment awarding appellees the relief prayed for.

Appellant timely objected to the submission of issue No. 1. This issue and its accompanying instruction is:

“Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that Hattie Upton had notice of the deed dated • July 13, 1936, from Henry Glass and wife, Joyce Glass, to Andy Glass of the 60 acres of land prior to October 22, 1942? Answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’

“By ‘notice’ is meatit actual knowledge of the deed, or knowledge of such facts, if any, if pursued by a reasonable, prudent person would have lead to the discovery of the existence of such deed.”

Appellant at the time requested the court to submit Requested Issue No. 1 and its accompanying instruction, as follows:

“Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that Hattie Upton purchased the lands described in a deed dated October 22, 1942, from Henry Glass without notice of the deed from Henry Glass and wife, Joycie Glass, to Andy Glass dated July 13, 1936? Answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’

“By the term ‘without notice’ is meant the lack of actual knowledge of the deed or the lack of knowledge of any fact or facts which would arouse the suspicion of an ordinary prudent person and 'which would cause him to make an investigation with- reasonable diligence to determine the existence or nonexistence of such deed.”

Appellant’s, objection in the trial court and here complains that the issue as submitted relieved appellees of the burden of proving that appellee Hattie Upton took without notice of the prior unrecorded deed.

The provisions of Art. 6627, V.A.C.S., as applicable here, are: “All * * * conveyances * * * of * •* * land * * * shall be void as to all ⅜ * * subsequent purchasers for a valuable con-[246]*246■siderátion without notice, unless * * * filed with the clerk, to be recorded as required by law;, but the same * * * as to all subsequent purchasers, with notice thereof or without valuable consideration, shall be valid and binding.”

It is the settled law of this state that a person claiming the benefits of this article has the burden of proving .he purchased for value and without notice. Ryle v. Davison, 102 Tex. 227, 115 S.W. 28; McDonald v. Galt, Tex.Civ.App., 173 S.W.2d 962, Er. Ref. WM.; 43 Tex.Jur., p. 687, Sec. 406.,

Appellees do not dispute the correctness of this rule, but say the issue as submitted was correct.

We do not agree with appellees. In order for them to prevail they must show by a preponderance of the evidence that Hattie Upton took “without” notice of the prior unrecorded deed, and not that she “had” notice of it. That is, they must show that Hattie Up'ton was 'without actual knowledge of the deed, or of such facts as would fairly and reasonably put a person of reasonable care and prudence upon inquiry as to the title of the property she was purchasing, in which event she would be bound to take notice of such facts as a-reasonable inquiry would reveal. The issue as submitted is in effect the reverse of the one requested. Appellees plead that Hattie Upton took without notice and the burden rested on them to prove it. Farmers Mut. Royalty Co. v. Isaacks, Tex.Civ.App., 138 S.W.2d 228.

The issue as submitted authorizes a “Yes” answer only from a preponderance of the evidence. If the evidence does not so preponderate then a negative answer is authorized. The jury did answer the issue “No,” and based on this answer, in part at least, judgment was rendered for appel-lees. The jury’s answer is in effect a finding that a preponderance of the evidence fails to show that Hattie Upton had notice of the prior unrecorded deed. Appellees had the burden to show by a preponderance of the evidence that Hattie Upton took without notice and, as submitted, Special Issue No. 1 did not properly place the burden of proof. Aetna Casualty & Surety Co. v. Toblowsky, Tex.Civ.App., 120 S.W.2d 460, Er. Dis.; Traders & General Ins. Co. v. Jenkins, 135 Tex. 232, 141 S.W.2d 312; Southern Pine Lbr. Co. v. King, 138 Tex. 473, 161 S.W.2d 483; Uvalde Co. v. Tribble, 292 S.W. 932, 300 S.W. 23, Er. Dis.; 43 Tex.Jur., p. 687, Sec. 406.

Upon .another trial the requested issue or one of like import, together with an appropriate instruction as to what constitutes-“without” notice, should be given.

By his second point appellant complains of the refusal of the trial court to submit his Requested Issue No. 2, inquiring if Hattie Upton purchased the land from Henry Glass in good'faith.'

We have examined the pleadings and evidence but, in view of another trial, will not discuss either further than to observe that appellees plead the purchase was in good faith. If upon another trial there should be evidence to support such issue, then it should be given. In Houston Oil Co. v. Hayden, 104 Tex. 175, 135 S.W. 1149, 1152, the court said: “* * * In many cases the transaction is such that the questions of consideration and notice are practically the only ones; the element of good faith being regarded as present or absent according to the findings on those points.

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226 S.W.2d 244, 1950 Tex. App. LEXIS 1844, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/glass-v-upton-texapp-1950.