Harvey v. Brown

330 P.2d 982, 80 Idaho 379, 1958 Ida. LEXIS 224
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 22, 1958
Docket8672
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 330 P.2d 982 (Harvey v. Brown) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Harvey v. Brown, 330 P.2d 982, 80 Idaho 379, 1958 Ida. LEXIS 224 (Idaho 1958).

Opinion

TAYLOR, Justice.

Prior to January 29, 1955, plaintiffs (appellants) husband and wife, had owned and operated a “dude ranch” fronting on Hen *382 rys Lake in Fremont County. One, M. F. Rigby, had foreclosed a first mortgage on the real property and January 29, 1955, was the last day of the redemption period.

Plaintiffs allege that on that day plaintiff Harold R. Harvey and defendant (respondent) Lynn D. Weller entered into an oral agreement by the terms of which Weller agreed to redeem the property from the Rigby foreclosure. Weller was the holder of a junior incumbrance on the real property securing an obligation of $5,000. The sum required for redemption was $17,000. On his part, Harvey agreed to find a buyer for the dude ranch, consisting of the real property, and certain personal property of the Harveys located thereon. The agreed sale price was $35,000. Of this, Weller was to receive $30,000, one, Harry Morgan, was to receive $4,000, and approximately $1,000 was to be applied to the liquidation of federal and state taxes against the properties. It was to be agreed with the purchaser that three parcels of the land, described as tracts B, C, and H, would be conveyed to Harvey in consideration of his services in finding a buyer and in consideration of the personal property contributed by plaintiffs to the “package deal.” This consideration was to become due to Harvey when the deal was consummated and the purchase price paid in full.

Plaintiffs further allege that thereafter they procured Browns to purchase the lands a'nd chattels, and that it was orally agreed between the Browns, Wellers and plaintiffs that plaintiffs were to receive the three parcels of the real property, in consideration of their personal property and their services in securing Browns as purchasers; that Browns consummated a deal with Wellers for the properties, both real and personal, and, in violation of the oral agreements made with plaintiffs, Browns and Wellers concealed the details of their agreement from plaintiffs and, conspiring to defraud plaintiffs, denied to plaintiffs any interest in the transaction, or in the properties involved. The prayer of plaintiffs’ complaint is for a “declaratory judgment stabilizing, fixing, settling, and clarifying their rights and liabilities in connection with said transaction of said properties and that the rights and liabilities of the plaintiffs and all others connected with said matter be declared, fixed, settled and stabilized and for costs of suit and general relief.”

Defendants, Wellers and Browns, appearing separately, filed general and special demurrers to the original, first, and second amended complaints, which the trial court sustained. After sustaining the general demurrers to the second amended complaint, the trial court denied leave to amend further and dismissed the action.

From these orders plaintiffs brought this .appeal.

■ In support of their demurrers, the defendants contend that on January 29, 1955, *383 when plaintiffs allege the first oral agreement was entered into, the title to the real property was in M. F. Rigby, as holder of the sheriff’s certificate of sale, and that at that time plaintiffs had no title, but only a right of redemption. For this proposition they cite: I.C. § 11-310; Steinour v. Oakley State Bank, 45 Idaho 472, 262 P. 1052; Keel v. Vinyard, 48 Idaho 49, 279 P. 420; Caldwell v. Thiessen, 60 Idaho 515, 92 P.2d 1047; Eagle Rock Corp. v. Idamont Hotel Co., 60 Idaho 639, 95 P.2d 838; Petty v. Petty, 70 Idaho 473, 223 P.2d 158. In Petty v. Petty this court quoted from Northwestern & Pacific Hypotheekbank v. Nord, 56 Idaho 86, 50 P.2d 4, as follows:

“ ‘The only right or property interest remaining in the mortgagor was the right to divest the purchaser of his title at any time within one year after sale by compliance with the redemption statute. (Citations.)
“ ‘A redemption when made is not from the mortgage lien but from the execution sale, and a deed subsequently given by the sheriff passes no additional title, but rather evidences that the purchaser’s title has not been di- * vested by redemption.’ (Citations.)” 70 Idaho 473, at pages 478-479, 223 P. 2d 158, at page 161.

Defendants further contend that when Wellers redeemed, title to the real property came to them from Rigby as community property free from any incumbrance or obligation arising out of the alleged oral agreement claimed by plaintiffs; that when Browns acquired the title from Wellers, it likewise came to them as community property free from any contractual obligation to plaintiffs; and that the alleged agreements, being oral agreements for the conveyance of real property, are void under the statute of frauds. I.C. §§ 9-503, 9-505. Defendants further contend that the property, being community property, first of Wellers and then of Browns, the alleged agreement for the transfer of a portion thereof to plaintiffs, not being joined in, executed or acknowledged by either Mrs. Weller or Mrs. Brown, is void and unenforceable. I.C. § 32-912.

Countering defendants’ contentions with respect to the statute of frauds, plaintiffs urge that full performance of conditions of the contract on their part is sufficient to remove the agreement from the operation of the statute, relying upon Wormward v. Taylor, 70 Idaho 450, 221 P.2d 686. Responding to this, defendants point out that there are no allegations in the complaint of delivery of possession, pursuant to the oral agreement, nor of valuable improvements made by the promisee in reliance thereon, as in the Wormward case.

Countering defendants’ contention with respect to the nonjoinder of the wives in the agreement to convey community property, plaintiffs contend that the property *384 came to the respective communities of Wellers and Browns incumbered by the agreement, and that the joinder of the wives was not necessary. Although not cited, plaintiffs rely upon the rule announced in Morgan v. Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., 68 Idaho 506, 201 P.2d 976. As above indicated, defendants contend that at the time the oral agreements are alleged to have been entered into, plaintiffs had no title to the real property upon which they could impose any lien, reservation or exception.

A decision on the foregoing is not necessary to a determination of this appeal, and since such issues may be affected by further pleadings or evidence, we refrain from further comment.

Defendant Weller makes the further contention that the agreement alleged between himself and Harvey was one requiring Harvey to act as a real estate broker, as defined in I.C. § 54-2022, and, since the complaint does not allege that Flarvey had a license to act as a real estate broker, as required by I.C.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
330 P.2d 982, 80 Idaho 379, 1958 Ida. LEXIS 224, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/harvey-v-brown-idaho-1958.