In re Schmidt

54 F. Supp. 262, 1944 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2572
CourtDistrict Court, D. Nebraska
DecidedMarch 3, 1944
DocketNo. 3324
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 54 F. Supp. 262 (In re Schmidt) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Nebraska primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Schmidt, 54 F. Supp. 262, 1944 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2572 (D. Neb. 1944).

Opinion

DELEHANT, District Judge.

After the completion of all jurisdiction-ally prerequisite steps, an order was made in this case on February 10, 1941 by one of the judges of the court granting to the debtor her statutory stay of proceedings “for a period of three years from this date”, i.e., from February 10, 1941. On February 10, 1944 the debtor, being in admitted good standing under her rental orders, as a tender of redemption of her real estate, which is the north half of the northwest quarter (N%NW]4) and the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter (NWJ4NEJ4) of section twenty-four (24), township eleven (11) north, range three (3) east of the sixth principal meridian in Seward County, Nebraska, deposited in the registry of the court the sum of $8,400, the value of the land fixed in the initial and only appraisal thereof made on January 18, 1941. When the deposit was made there was also in the registry the sum of $1,444.-84 arising out of previously deposited and undistributed rentals. Therefore, on February 10, 1944, the court on its own motion entered an order allowing all interested parties until February 21, 1944 within which to show cause in writing why an order should not be made (a) directing distribution of the rentals in accordance with Title 11 U.S.C.A. § 203 sub.s(2), (b), confirming and approving the tendered redemption, (c) directing distribution of the money deposited by way of tendered redemption, and (d) granting such general relief as, in the circumstances, should be appropriate; and setting hearing before the court on February 23, 1944. After due notice, and within the time allowed, the secured creditor served and filed a written request for reappraisal and a written objection, pending reappraisal, to the allowance and confirmation of the tendered redemption. On the day of hearing the debtor filed objections to reappraisal on the ground that the secured creditor’s request for it was untimely.

With respect to the distribution of rentals, no issue was tendered by any pleadings. Therefore, an order will be made directing that the rental money be disbursed forthwith, first in payment of all presently unpaid real estate taxes, inclusive of those for 1943, and secondly, the residue to the secured creditor in application upon her claim. Counsel for the secured creditor will promptly prepare and submit to the court an order for such distribution in which the exact figures for distribution shall be specified, and they will attach to it as supporting data a written tax statement indicating the correct amount of the taxes to be paid and signed by, or in behalf of, the county treasurer of Seward County, Nebraska.

The court notes in a brief filed by counsel for the debtor a suggestion that distribution of the rentals be deferred, if reappraisal is ordered, until after it has been completed, and that so reserved the rentals be returned to the debtor if she shall redeem at the reappraised value. Such retention, the claim for which is implicit in some language of the pleading with which the debtor made her deposit of $8,-400, is not in harmony with the thought of the applicable legislation which contemplates the seasonable distribution of rental payments. Moreover, if the debtor’s thought underlying her suggestion in the brief be well taken in its ultimate objective it may be raised on actual redemption. And dealing with its essential lack of merit, see Wilson v. Dewey, 8 Cir., 133 F.2d 962; Farmers Bank of Lohman, Mo., v. Thompson, 8 Cir., 139 F.2d 408; Reichert v. Federal Land Bank of St. Paul, 8 Cir., 139 F.2d 627, 630; In re Rider, D.C. Iowa, 40 F.Supp. 882. The contention seems to have been authoritatively determined in this circuit.

Upon the question of the approval and confirmation of the tendered redemption in the face of the secured creditor’s request for reappraisal, two questions arise on which brief comment will be made; first, was the redemption tendered during the existence of the three-year stay period; and, secondly, is the secured creditor entitled to the allowance of her request for reappraisal in the circumstances of its filing.

Upon the first of these questions, the court holds that the stay persisted and was in effect through February 10, 1944. And this conclusion rests upon the rule that in computing a stated period of time from [264]*264a designated date, the designated date shall he excluded, and the last day of the prescribed period included. Thus, it was asserted in 1864 by Mr. Justice Field, that: “The general current of modern authorities on the interpretation of contracts, and also of statutes, where time is to be computed from a particular day or a particular event, as when an act is to be performed within a specified period from or after a day named, is to exclude the day thus designated, and to include the last day of the specified period.” (Emphasis in the text.) Sheets v. Selden’s Lessee, 69 U.S. 177, 190, 2 Wall. 177, 190, 17 L.Ed. 822. See also Best v. Polk, 85 U.S. 112, 119, 18 Wall. 112, 119, 21 L.Ed. 805; Siegelschiffer v. Penn Mutual Life Insurance Co., 2 Cir., 248 F. 226, 228, mandamus denied Ex parte Sigelschiffer, 246 U.S. 654, 38 S.Ct. 578, 62 L.Ed. 926; New York Life Ins. Co. v. Bullock, 5 Cir., 26 F.2d 666. A like conclusion has been reached in this circuit, “As the decree sought to be reviewed here was entered May 27, 1892, the last day within the six months after its entry was November 27, 1892.” Johnson v. Meyers, 8 Cir., 54 F. 417. The rule suggested prevails generally in federal practice, Moore’s Federal Practice Volume I, page 402; and accords with the general rule upon the subject, 62 C.J. 989 Title, Time, paragraph 36(2); 26 R.C. L. 740 Title, Time, paragraph 14.

To the extent only that the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure have by the Supreme Court been made operative in bankruptcy proceedings (see Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, rule 81(a), 28 U.S.C.A. following section 723c; General Order No. 37, 11 U.S.C.A. following section 53; Benitez v. Anciani, 1 Cir., 127 F.2d 121), it may be noted that the rule of construction suggested is in harmony with the thought of Rule 6(a), F.R.C.P.

And while, since the construction of a statute of the United States is the matter involved, the domestic law of Nebraska is not controlling, observation may be made that Nebraska, both by statute and by decision, follows the course approved here. C.S.Neb.1929, Section 20-2222; Wilson & Co. v. Otoe County, 140 Neb. 518, 300 N.W. 415.

Considering that the tender of redemption was validly made within the duration of the stay, it is unnecessary to inquire or determine what would have been its posture if it had been submitted on or after the day following the expiration of the stay.

Proceeding to a brief consideration of the secured creditor’s right to reappraisal, the court may observe, without needless repetition, that in Re Whitwer, D.C.Neb., 44 F.Supp.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
54 F. Supp. 262, 1944 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2572, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-schmidt-ned-1944.