Haas v. Haas

669 S.W.2d 592, 1984 Mo. App. LEXIS 3769
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 6, 1984
DocketNo. 13164
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 669 S.W.2d 592 (Haas v. Haas) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Haas v. Haas, 669 S.W.2d 592, 1984 Mo. App. LEXIS 3769 (Mo. Ct. App. 1984).

Opinion

MAUS, Presiding Judge.

A warranty deed named as grantees the following: “Elmer Haas & Georgia Haas, husband and wife; Monte Haas, single and Patricia Lister, single.” After the description, it stated, “It is the intention of this deed to vest in the grantees Elmer Haas & Georgia Haas, h/w an undivided ½ interest in said real estate and in Monte Haas, an undivided xk interest in said real estate and in Patricia Lister an undivided ½ interest in [594]*594said real estate.” Monte Haas and Patricia Lister, the plaintiffs-respondents, were thereafter married. The marriage of Elmer Haas and Georgia Haas was dissolved. Their interest in the described property was not dealt with in the dissolution proceeding. Elmer is deceased. Georgia Haas conveyed her interest to the plaintiffs. Upon their petition, the circuit court, upon the basis of a resulting trust, declared the plaintiffs to be the owners of the undivided ¼ interest standing in the name of Elmer Haas. One of his successors appeals.

By their petition, the plaintiffs essentially alleged the following. They purchased the property in question. It was conveyed by the deed referred to above. Elmer Haas and Georgia Haas did not furnish any of the purchase price, but borrowed $15,-700 as trustees for the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs made all payments upon the loan. That Elmer Haas and Georgia Haas “intended to become by virtue of the payments made by plaintiffs, trustees for plaintiffs.” The trial court found the allegations of the petition to be true. It determined Elmer Haas and his successors held the legal title to an undivided ¼ interest under a resulting trust for the plaintiffs. The appellant contends the evidence is insufficient to establish such a resulting trust.

There is evidence to establish the following ultimate facts. Monte Haas, age 21, and Patricia Lister, age 20, planned to be married. As prospective purchasers, they and their parents looked at a house that was for sale. There was an oral agreement of purchase for $12,000. Georgia Haas was a long time employee of a local bank. Upon her inquiry, the loan officer of that bank told her the bank would not loan money for the purchase price to Monte Haas and Patricia Lister. Their financial ability was regarded as insignificant. But, the bank would loan the necessary money to Elmer Haas and Georgia Haas.

As a result, the bank loaned Elmer Haas and Georgia Haas $13,000. The loan was evidenced by a note signed by them. The loan was unsecured. The note was due on demand. Although, in connection with that note, the bank prepared a payment schedule calling for monthly payments of $130.

The house was purchased. It was understood the house was to be a home for the plaintiffs. Upon the oral agreement, plaintiff Monte Haas handed the sellers $100 in cash. It is not clear that this $100 came from the proceeds of the loan. Upon closing, the balance of the purchase price was paid by a check signed by Georgia Haas drawn upon the proceeds of the loan.

The deed was prepared by Helen Vaughn. She was the aunt of plaintiff Monte Haas. Mrs. Vaughn had several years experience as an employee in an abstract and law office. The testimony concerning the style of the warranty deed included the following. The loan officer recommended the names of Elmer Haas and Georgia Haas be placed upon the deed for security purposes. Helen Vaughn also thought they should be named as grantees. She added, the reason was for security purposes. All four parties instructed her how to make the deed. The exact language was in accordance with her office practice. It was her understanding, “it was the intention of the parties to vest in Elmer Haas and Georgia Haas an undivided half interest in the real estate and Monte Haas an undivided one-fourth and Patricia Lister Haas an undivided one-fourth.”

The plaintiffs moved in and have continuously lived in the house. The portion of the $13,000 not paid on the purchase price was used for improvements. The plaintiffs made additional improvements. The plaintiffs have paid the taxes on and the insurance premiums for the property. They have paid all payments called for by the payment schedule. The balance of the note at the time of trial was $12,550.36.

As stated, after the purchase, the marriage of Elmer Haas and Georgia Haas was dissolved. Elmer Haas then married appellant Lola Haas. Elmer Haas died. By his-will, Lola Haas, her son David L. Rosen-[595]*595burg and Monte Haas are the successors to the residue of his estate.

Section 456.010.1 provides: “All declarations or creations of trust of any lands, tenements or hereditaments shall be manifested and proved by some writing signed by the party who is, or shall be, by law, enabled to declare such trusts, or by his last will, in writing, or else they shall be void.” However, the long standing doctrine of implied trusts, Ferguson v. Robinson, 258 Mo. 113, 167 S.W. 447 (banc 1914), is preserved by § 456.010.2, which provides, “When any conveyance shall be made of any lands, tenements or heredita-ments, by which a trust may arise or result by the implication or construction of law, such trust shall be excepted from the requirements of subsection 1.”

In general, an implied trust will arise from circumstances which either create a “resulting trust” or call for the imposition of a “constructive trust.” Ferguson v. Robinson, supra. It is not necessary for this opinion to investigate all of the variations of circumstances from which an implied trust will arise. The decision of the trial court is based upon the existence of a resulting trust.

“A resulting trust arises by operation of law from the facts of a case. It is one implied by law from the acts and conduct of the parties and the facts and circumstances which at the time exist and attend the transaction out of which it arises.” Meyer v. Meyer, 285 S.W.2d 694, 698 (Mo.1956). The implication of a resulting trust must arise against the presumption the holder of the legal title is the owner. Adams v. Adams, 348 Mo. 1041, 156 S.W.2d 610 (1941). There are numerous limitations upon the circumstances which will create a resulting trust. A basic limitation has received the following expression. “We have recently stated that a resulting trust must arise, if at all, at the instant the deed is taken. Unless the transaction is such that the moment the title passes the trust results from the transaction itself, then no trust results. It cannot be created by subsequent occurrences.” Dougherty v. Duckworth, 388 S.W.2d 870, 874 (Mo.1965). It is often said that a resulting trust cannot rest upon an express oral agreement. Bender v. Bender, 281 Mo. 473, 220 S.W. 929 (1920). Although, not all evidence of an oral agreement is inadmissible or immaterial. “However, existence of an express oral agreement on the part of a grantee to hold land for the payor of the consideration does not destroy the resulting trust or cause the transaction to be judged as an attempt to create an express trust.” Hergenreter v. Sommers, 535 S.W.2d 513, 518 (Mo.App.1976).

The statement to the effect that a resulting trust ‘never arises by virtue of an agreement’ which appears in cases such as Woodard v. Cohron, 345 Mo. 967,

Related

Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints v. Thomas
758 S.W.2d 726 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1988)
Prange v. Prange
755 S.W.2d 581 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1988)
Ham v. Ham
691 S.W.2d 944 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1985)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
669 S.W.2d 592, 1984 Mo. App. LEXIS 3769, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/haas-v-haas-moctapp-1984.