Lemoine v. Dupuis

2 La. App. 726
Louisiana Court of Appeal·Decided July 1, 1925·No. No. 2187·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

CARVER, J.

Plaintiff brings this suit under Act 101 of 1898 to quiet a tax title which he alleges was made by the Tax Collector of Avoyelles parish covering property described in the deed as follows :

“A certain tract or parcel of land situated and being in the Second Ward of the Parish of Avoyelles, Louisiana, containing 33 acres, more or less; being W% of 72 from Mellhenny tract.”

He alleges that the property was adjudicated to him on August 27, 1921, for taxes of 1920 assessed to E. O. Dupuis and that the Tax Collector by 'error made the deed to W. F. Couvillon but that by act passed subsequently the Tax Collector and Couvillon admitted the error and corrected it by inserting plaintiff’s name in the deed instead of Couvillon’s.

He does not give the date either of the tax deed or the correction deed, but says the tax deed was recorded in alienation book A24 at page 140 and that “more than twelve months have elapsed since the date of registry of said deed”, and that the corrective act is recorded in alienation book -------- at page _________ The petition leaves these blank.

He alleges that he annexes certified copies of the tax deed and corrective act and make's them part of the petition; but they were really not annexed. He does not allege when the corrective act was recorded.

Suit was filed November 8, 1922, against E.’ O. Dupuis alone, and on the same day Dupuis’ attorney accepted service and waived citation.

No other steps were taken in the suit by either side until September 6, 1923, when defendant filed an exception of no cause or right of action and also a plea of prematurity based on the averment; that the period of twelve months allowed: by law for redemption of the property did; not begin to run until after the corrective deed, the date of which defendant gives as October 20, 1922, and that the right to proceed under Act 101 of 1898 did not accrue until October 20, 1923.

On November 17, 1923, defendant filed another exception, alleging that the property in question did not belong to him alone but to him and Armand Dupuis in indivisión and that under Act 101 of 1898_ all co-owners were necessary parties and that Armand Dupuis had not been made a party or cited.

On September 12, 1923, E. A. Mcllhenny’s Sons, a. corporation, filed an intervention alleging that it had a mortgage and vendor’s privilege on the property involved and, therefore had an interest in attacking the tax sale. It then alleged various grounds of nullity, substantially the same as those set up in its separate suit against Lemoine this day decided. It also alleged the tender made in that suit. It further alleged, paragraph XIV, as follows:

“that a suit has been brought by it and on its behalf and is now pending to have the said tax sale declared absolutely null and void, and of no effect, and that the bringing of said suit is an absolute bar to [728] any further judgment being rendered in this suit, quieting or confirming any title in the said Lemoine.”

On October 17, 1923, plaintiff filed exceptions to the intervention as follows:

1. No right or cause of action, in that intervenor can only join plaintiff or defendant or oppose both, but did none of these.

2. In the alternative, no right or cause of action, because more than six months had elapsed since the institution of the suit to confirm and more than one year from recordation of the tax deed.

3. Also. in the alternative, that intertervenor was estopped from attacking the tax sale by the tender alleged in its intervention.

On November 17, 1923, no trial having been had of these exceptions, intervenor voluntarily dismissed its intervention, but on the same day filed another one, substantially the same, but containing a formal allegation, which the other one lacked, that it joined the defendant in opposing the plaintiff’s demand.

On January 17, 1924, plaintiff filed exceptions to the new intervention identical with those filed to the old one.

The minutes of court show as follows:

“January 16, 1924. Plea of no cause of action and prematurity and exception and motion filed by Arthur Lemoine to the intervention taken up and argued. Plea of prescription also taken up and argued.
“March 8, 1924. Exception of no cause of action and plea of prematurity filed by E. O. Dupuis on September 16, 1923, overruled. Plea of misjoinder filed by E. O. Dupuis on November 17, 1923, overruled. Intervention filed November 19, 1923, by E. O. Dupuis (meaning, of course, Mcllhenny & Sons) ordered stricken out and dismissed. Exception filed by Arthur Lemoine January 17, 1924, sustained and Arthur Lemoine ordered and authorized to take judgment quieting and confirming titles to property described in petition.”

The minutes show nothing between March 8, 1924, and March 14, 1924, on which day they show as follows:

Arthur Lemoine vs. No. 5203 E. O. Dupuis.

Counsel for E. O. Dupuis, defendant in the above numbered and entitled case and for E. Mcllhenny’s Sons, intervenors in the above numbered and entitled cause, object to the language used in the preamble of the judgment in said case, because said judgment attempts to show that no plea of any nature whatsoever was filed by either the defendant or the intervenors, which is erroneous and misleading, and not in keeping with the records in the matter. „

Objection overruled.

Judgment signed ordering and decreeing that plaintiff’s title to the property described therein be and the same are hereby confirmed and quieted,^ and the said plaintiff, Arthur Lemoine, recognized as the sole and only owner of said property, enjoining and prohibiting the defendant, E. O. Dupuis, as well as his heirs, administrators and assigns, from setting up any right, title or interest to the said property or any part or portion thereof. See decree.

The judgment signed was as follows:

“Arthur Lemoine vs. E. O. Dupuis, No. 5203.
“Fourteenth Judicial District Court, Parish of Avoyelles, State of Louisiana.
“The Honorable S. Allen Bordelon, presiding.
“In the above numbered and entitled case, the defendant having failed to appear and answer or make any defenses or attacks upon plaintiff’s title to the property hereinafter described within the period of six months allowed him from date of notice within which to do so under the law, and the law and the evidence being in favor of the plaintiff, Arthur Le[729] moine and against the defendant, E. O. Dupuis, it is by reason thereof:
“Ordered, adjudged and decreed, that plaintiff’s title to the property described as follows:
“ ‘A certain tract of land situated and being in the Second Ward of the Parish of Avoyelles, Louisiana, containing thirty-three (33) acres, more or less, being west half (W%) of seventy-two (72) acres from Mcllhenny Tract.’

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Lemoine v. Dupuis, 2 La. App. 726 (La. Ct. App. 1925).

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