Lail v. Hankla

276 S.W.2d 340, 1955 Tex. App. LEXIS 2479
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 25, 1955
DocketNo. 3147
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 276 S.W.2d 340 (Lail v. Hankla) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lail v. Hankla, 276 S.W.2d 340, 1955 Tex. App. LEXIS 2479 (Tex. Ct. App. 1955).

Opinion

GRISSOM, Chief Justice.

Robert L. Lail sued his brothers and sister and the executor of his father’s estate for the title and possession of the north half of Section 151, Block 64, H. & T. C. Ry. Co. land in Taylor County. The title to said land had been in the name of J. E. Lail, Sr., since 1909. Robert L. Lail alleged that he was the owner of said land but was dispossessed by defendants; that on September 2, 1909, he and his father, J. E. Lail, Sr., purchased Section 151; that he “furnished” half the consideration and “furnished one half of all the money paid for the deferred payments”; that said land was purchased with the intention that he should own one-half; that, although he paid half the purchase price, the title was. taken in the name of J. E. Lail “and an undivided one-half interest was held by the saia J. E [342]*342Lail, in trust”, for him and that thereafter the land was verbally partitioned, the north half being awarded to plaintiff. He alleged the father used and occupied said land but accounted to him for the rents and revenues to June 1, 1950.

Defendants answered, among other things, that if a trust ever existed it was extinguished .before the death of the father by payment to Robert, L. Lail of all sums claimed by him, which plaintiff accepted in full satisfaction and extinguishment of all claims against said property.

At the close of the testimony, plaintiff filed a motion for an instructed verdict on the grounds that (1) the undisputed evidence showed his parents admitted his ownership in their 1936 wills; (2) because it was undisputed that he owned the property in 1936 and there was no evidence of a transfer of title out of him and (3) because the undisputed evidence showed that J. E. Lail, Sr., was holding the land in trust for him under an “expressed trust and resulting trust” and there was no evidence of á transfer of his title after the trust was established. Said motion was overruled and the court submitted one issue to the jury. The jury found that when J. E. Lail, Sr. died he was not holding the north half of Section 151 in trust for Robert L. Lail. Judgment was entered on the verdict denying plaintiff any interest in said land, except as a devisee in his mother’s and father’s 1950 wills. Robert L. Lail has appealed.

Appellant’s points are to the effect that the evidence showed conclusively, that is, as a matter of law, that the land was held in trust by the father when he died in 1950, or, in the alternative, that the finding to the contrary was against the preponderance of thé evidence: The gist of appellant’s main contention is that the 1936 wills of the parents showed conclusively'-that J. E. Lail, Sr.*then held said land in trust for-him and, since there was no evidence of a transfer of title out of appellant, as a matter of law, he was entitled to a judgment for title and possession.

It was agreed that Section 151 was sold' on December 2, 1909 and a deed executed to' J. E. Lail, Sr. The evidence shows that the cash payment was $416 and that four notes-for $416 each and a deed of trust were executed by J. E. Lail, Sr. and that in December, 1913, a release of said deed of trust lien, reciting payment of said notes, was-executed by the seller to J. E. Lail.

On June 6, 1936, J. E. Lail and wife executed separate wills. The second paragraphs thereof provided as follows:

“To my oldest son, R. L. Lail, I give, devise, and bequeath the North One-Half of Section No. 151, Block No. 64, of the H & T C Ry. Co. surveys in Taylor County, Texas, in fee simple, because in reality he owns the property and the title of same merely in my name in trust for my use during my life.”

Each testator then devised -and bequeathed to the other all the remainder of his property, with a provision that the estate left at the death of the survivor should go to their five children in equal portions. These wills were not written by a lawyer.

J. E. Lail, Sr. executed an oil and gas lease on 1600 acres of land, including that in controversy, and, on December 17, 1949, he was paid therefor $10,500. On the next day, December 18, 1949, there was a meeting of all the children and the parents in the latter’s home and there was presented to and read by all the children an agreement. Defendant’s witnesses identified the following as the agreement then presented:

“This agreement, entered into this 18th day of December, 1949, by and between J. E. Lail and Sara Frances Lail, his wife, party of the first part, and their children, named as following: R. L. Lail, Jessie S. Han-kla, P. F. Lail, Ernest Lail, John O. Lail, known hereafter in this agreement, as parties of the second part Witnesseth: That whereas under this agreement J. E. Lail and Sara Frances Lail, his wife, as first parties, do not [343]*343owe any debts or obligations, in any way, shape, form or fashion to the said R. L. Lail, Jessie S. Hankla, P. F. Lail, Ernest Lail and John O. Lail, second parties, hereto as second party. The first parties are free from all obligations, to the parties of the second part, Any and all expenditures, by either member of the second party, have been reimbursed,, in cash, or by check, by J. E. Lail and Sara Frances Lail, his wife, party of the first part. In witness whereof the parties- have executed this indenture the day and year hereinafter mentioned.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
276 S.W.2d 340, 1955 Tex. App. LEXIS 2479, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lail-v-hankla-texapp-1955.