Griner v. Ashdon

29 N.W.2d 129, 318 Mich. 707, 1947 Mich. LEXIS 448
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 13, 1947
DocketDocket No. 20, Calendar No. 43,725.
StatusPublished

This text of 29 N.W.2d 129 (Griner v. Ashdon) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Griner v. Ashdon, 29 N.W.2d 129, 318 Mich. 707, 1947 Mich. LEXIS 448 (Mich. 1947).

Opinion

*708 Carr, C. J.

This is an.appeal from a decree requiring the principal defendants, Merton M. Ash-don and Maud H. Ashdon, his wife, to specifically perform their agreement to put the north 18 feet of the northwest fractional quarter of section 18, Newton township, Calhoun county, Michigan, “in condition for use as a passable highway, ’ ’ from the property now owned by plaintiffs Earl D. Griner and Esther M. Griner, his wife, to the public highWciy. ( \

For several years the Ashdons had owned a tract of land lying on the shores of Cotton lake in Calhoun county. On October 2, 1941, plaintiffs purchased from these defendants on land- contract a portion of this land for the purpose of erecting a home thereon. This contract did not contain a grant of an easement of a right of way to this parcel over the remaining lands of the grantor.

Plaintiffs claim that when they were negotiating with defendants they were told that a road would be built from the highway to their property. When they received their contract and discovered that no provision had been made therein for a right of way they advised the sellers’ attorney, who prepared a rider to the contract, which was executed by all the parties and contained the following language:

“It is understood and agreed that the attached contract carries with it an easement from the first parties to second parties of a right of way in and to the property described in the attached land contract, to be used in common with others. Said right of way to be 18 feet in width and extending from the west boundary line of said section 18 and lying adjacent to the north boundary line of said section 18.
“This attached contract is understood to be a contract dated October 2,1941, running from Merton M. Ashdon and Maud H. Ashdon, husband and wife, to Earl D. Griner and Esther M. Griner, husband *709 and wife, and conveying land situated in section 18, town 3 south, range 7 west, which said land lies 879 feet east of the northwest corner of said section 18.”

Plaintiffs then built a permanent home on the property, which they began to occupy in the spring of 1942, and as access thereto used a meandering right of way, defendants having thus far failed to make the 18-foot right of way, mentioned in the contract, passable. Discussions concerning access to the property continued until June of 1944, when defendants began a suit against plaintiffs, because of their failure to pay the remainder of the purchase price of the land. This action was discontinued because of a stipulation between the parties, dated October 20, 1944, in which it was provided that plaintiffs were to pay the sum of $341.86, and defendants were to execute and deliver a warranty deed and “also to provide an easement for the use of a right of way over the property of defendants located in the northwest corner of said section, beginning at approximately 422 feet east of the northwest corner of said section, said right of way running in a meandering line around a pond located in the northwest quarter of said section to a point on the public highway along the west line of said section 200 feet more or less south of the -northwest corner of said section, to be used as a highway until the rigbjj of way across the north 18 feet of the northwest one quarter of said section has been put in condition by defendants to be used so that it will be passable as a highway.”

The stipulation further provided that defendants “have at the date hereof let a contract for the improvement of the right of way over the north 18 feet of said section from the property owned by plaintiffs to the highway along the west line of said section, that a contract for said right of way pro *710 vides that it shall he completed and pnt in passable condition as soon as possible.”

The deed, which is dated October 25, 1944, contains the following language:

“This grant is subject to an easement for highway and road purposes over the north 18 feet of the above described property, and there is also hereby conveyed an easement for highway and road purposes over the north 18 feet of the northwest fractional quarter of said section 18, extending from the property hereby conveyed to the west line of said section.
“There is also hereby conveyed the right to use for highway and road purposes a right of way over the property of the grantors located in the northwest corner of said section, beginning at approximately 422 feet east of the northwest corner of said section, said right of way running in a meandering .line around a pond located in the northwest one quarter of said section to a point on the public highway along the west line of said section 200 feet more or less south of the northwest corner of said section, to be used as a highway and road until the right of way across the north 18 feet of the northwest quarter of said section has been put in condition by the grantors and made passable for highway and road purposes.”

About a year later defendants conveyed some of the property, encumbered with the meandering easement, to Lyle E. Ashdon and Laura Mae Ashclon, because of which they were made parties defendant to the bill of specific performance. About this time a fill across the pond at the west end of the right of way was completed, which defendants claim put the 18-foot highway into passable condition, and they fenced off the meandering way which plaintiffs had been using across defendants’ property. Thereupon *711 plaintiffs filed their bill for specific performance and a temporary injunction was issued restraining defendants fronpinterfering with plaintiffs’ use of the meandering way until the 18-foot right of way was completed and put in passable condition.

In their answer to plaintiffs’ bill, defendants contended that the 18-foot roadway had been completed on or about November 20, 1945, and was in passable condition, and that they were not required to furnish any other right of way. They denied any breach of the covenants in their deed, sought dismissal of plaintiffs’ bill, and, by cross bill, asked that plaintiffs be enjoined from further trespassing upon defendants ’ lands, and that they be required to pay for their use of the meandering way and the damages to defendants’ fence.

The trial court said:

“Defendants’ attorney contends there is no contract or agreement to be specifically performed. How anyone can read the stipulation entered into by the parties in the former suit and the deed given in compliance therewith and make such a contention is hard for the court to understand. It is specifically agreed between the parties in said instrument that defendants will put the 18-foot right of way, along their north line in condition so that it will be passable as a highway. Defendants’ attorney contends there is no time specified as to when it shall be done. Then the law would require it to be done in a reasonable time. However, the stipulation says that a contract has been let and it will be completed and put in condition as soon as possible and that plaintiffs should have an easement around the pond until it is completed.

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Bluebook (online)
29 N.W.2d 129, 318 Mich. 707, 1947 Mich. LEXIS 448, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/griner-v-ashdon-mich-1947.