Kuzma v. Kaczur Et Ux.

214 N.E.2d 195, 138 Ind. App. 506, 1966 Ind. App. LEXIS 540
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 21, 1966
Docket20,011
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 214 N.E.2d 195 (Kuzma v. Kaczur Et Ux.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kuzma v. Kaczur Et Ux., 214 N.E.2d 195, 138 Ind. App. 506, 1966 Ind. App. LEXIS 540 (Ind. Ct. App. 1966).

Opinions

Bierly, J.

This action was commenced by the appellees, hereinafter called plaintiffs, for damages resulting from a conveyance of real estate wherein the plaintiffs allege that they were fraudulently deprived of their interest in the real estate so conveyed.

Issues were joined by pleading paragraphs one (1) and three (3) of plaintiffs’ amended complaint and the answer in denial filed by appellants — hereinafter called defendants— in compliance with Rule 1-3 of the Supreme Court.

The issues presented for trial were:

1. What was the interest, if any, of plaintiffs, Gregory Kaczur and Anne Kaczur, in and to the real estate in dispute?

2. If plaintiffs were found to have an interest in the real estate, were they fraudulently deprived of their interest by a conspiracy of defendants?

The cause was tried to the court, a jury having been waived.

As to the first issue above stated the court found:

(1) That plaintiffs and defendant, George Kuzma, were substantially “fifty-fifty” (50-50) owners of the real estate in question; that said real estate was sold to Ford Brown [508]*508and Elvira Brown, as bona fide purchasers for value; that as to the second issue, George Kuzma had fraudulently induced plaintiffs to convey their interest in and to said real estate; and as a result defendant, George Kuzma, had fraudulently appropriated as his own plaintiffs’ share of said real estate. In all, the court rendered sixteen (16) paragraphs of findings.

Judgment consistent based upon its findings was entered by the court in words and figures, to-wit:

“It is therefore ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED by the Court that the plaintiffs have and recover of and from the defendant, George Kuzma, the sum of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) together with six per cent (6%) interest thereon from September 27, 1955, to date, together with the costs of this action taxed at $-.”

Said judgment was entered on the 18th day of May, 1962, and subsequently thereto, on June 16, 1962, defendant, George Kuzma, filed a motion for a new trial, the grounds whereof were:

“1. The decision of the court is not sustained by sufficient evidence;
“2. The decision of the court is contrary to law;
“3. The court erred in making a finding of facts in said cause without the same having been requested by the parties as provided by statute and law.”

The motion was overruled by the court on February 27, 1963.

On the date of June 16, 1962, defendants filed a motion to strike parts of the findings and judgment of the court, the reasons therefor thus enumerated:

“a. The findings in effect constitute special findings of fact when no motion for such findings were made by any of the parties herein, either parties plaintiff or parties defendant and the same constitute surplusage and are prejudicial to said defendant; (George Kuzma)
“b. That the said judgment other than the part thereof awarding money judgment to plaintiffs is surplusage and is prejudicial to said defendant.” (George Kuzma)

[509]*509This motion was overruled.

Defendants’ Assignment of Errors, omitting formal parts, is as follows:

“1. The Court erred in overruling Appellant George Kuzma’s motion for a new trial.
“2. The Court erred in its several findings and judgment for appellees.
“3. The Court erred in overruling the motion of Appellant George Kuzma to strike parts of findings and judgment for appellees.”

Appellants waive all specifications of error except that the decision of the court is not sustained by sufficient evidence and is contrary to law.

Plaintiffs allege in paragraph one of their amended complaint that on August 27, 1951, they bought from one Bardos, a widower, a parcel of land for the sum of $9,700.00 in Gary, Lake County, Indiana [Plaintiffs’ Exhibit A] ; that on August 28, 1951, the defendants prepared a warranty deed showing a conveyance of the same real estate by Warranty Deed from plaintiffs to one Betty Coonrod, an unmarried adult, for a consideration of $100.00 [Exhibit B]; that on the same date Betty Coonrod, by a Deed in Trust, for a consideration of less than $100.00, conveyed said real estate to Gregory Kaczur; as Trustee, and Anne Kaczur, as Successor in Trust [Exhibit C].

Thence, on August 24, 1953, the defendant, George Kuzma, had a purported warranty deed prepared by defendant, Andrew N. Witko, and thence induced plaintiff, Gregory Kaczur, to sign the same after assuring him that said purported deed was a document to be signed by Kaczur for the purpose of attaining additional insurance upon said real estate, when in truth and in fact it is alleged that it was a deed conveying said real estate to the defendant, Betty Coonrod, for a consideration of less than $100.00 [Exhibit D].

It was further alleged that on August 27, 1953, said Betty Coonrod, at the request of defendant, George Kuzma, exe[510]*510cuted a warranty deed conveying said real estate in trust to Lake County Trust Company, as Trustee (Exhibit E) under a trust agreement dated the 27th day of August, 1953; that defendant, George Kuzma, obtained a buyer for the sale of said property and directed the Lake County Trust Company, as Trustee, to convey said real estate to the purchasers, Ford Brown and Elvira Brown, for the sum of $20,000.00, which sum was paid to defendant, George Kuzma, who, on September 9, 1955, notified plaintiffs that property was sold and they must vacate the property.

Plaintiffs further alleged that at the time of the signing of said deed [Exhibit B] they knew not that they had actually signed a deed; that the Notary who acknowledged the execution of the deed did not explain fully the contents of said deed to plaintiffs, who had no knowledge that said deed was signed until September 9, 1955.

Plaintiffs further allege that they had no knowledge of the English language, either spoken or written, and hence depended on one Andrew N. Witko, a Notary Public; that said Witko acted as plaintiffs’ attorney, spoke their language, but failed to disclose to plaintiffs that they had signed a warranty deed thereby indicating a conveyance of said real estate to one Betty Coonrod, a defendant; that the said Witko acted as legal advisor to George Kuzma, a defendant.

It was further alleged by plaintiffs that no consideration was paid to them for the signing of said deed; that there was no purpose or reason for plaintiffs conveying the real estate to the said Betty Coonrod whence said conveyance was consummated by defendants Witko and Kuzma with an intent and purpose fraudulent in nature, to the detriment of the plaintiffs, in the conveyance of the real estate in question.

The defendants, Lake County Trust Company, Ford Brown and Elvira Brown, husband and wife, were made party defendants because of their knowledge of the fraud perpetrated by George Kuzma, and Andrew Witko and Betty Coonrod to answer to any interests, if any, possessed by them.

[511]

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Related

CITY OF GARY, ETC. v. Ruberto
354 N.E.2d 786 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1976)
Grissom v. Moran
290 N.E.2d 119 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1972)
Kuzma v. Kaczur Et Ux.
214 N.E.2d 195 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1966)

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Bluebook (online)
214 N.E.2d 195, 138 Ind. App. 506, 1966 Ind. App. LEXIS 540, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kuzma-v-kaczur-et-ux-indctapp-1966.