Masheter v. Lanning

100 P.2d 682, 151 Kan. 604, 1940 Kan. LEXIS 237
CourtSupreme Court of Kansas
DecidedApril 6, 1940
DocketNo. 34,467
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 100 P.2d 682 (Masheter v. Lanning) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Masheter v. Lanning, 100 P.2d 682, 151 Kan. 604, 1940 Kan. LEXIS 237 (kan 1940).

Opinion

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Wedell, J.:

This was an action by a judgment debtor against the administrator of two estates of deceased cojudgment debtors to compel contribution after the joint and several judgment had been satisfied out of the property of the plaintiff. The plaintiff was one of four judgment debtors in a prior mortgage-foreclosure action. Plaintiff prevailed in the instant action for contribution, and the administrators of the decedents’ estates have appealed.

The judgment debtors had purchased the mortgaged real estate and assumed payment of the mortgage debt. A joint and several judgment was rendered in the mortgage-foreclosure action against the plaintiff, the two parties now deceased, and one other person.

The two estates here involved are those of Elizabeth Kreitzer and John Kreitzer, Jr. Harry A. Lanning was appointed administrator for each estate. The mortgagee was the Federal Land Bank of Wichita. It obtained a foreclosure judgment December 7, 1932, in the sum of $7,815.14, together with interest thereon at eight percent. The land was sold for $5,807.67, leaving a deficiency on its judgment in the sum of $2,007.47. The sale was confirmed February 27, 1933. Elizabeth Kreitzer died December 7,1933. The Federal Land Bank of Wichita filed an action September 18, 1937, upon its judgment against this appellee, in the state of Nebraska. It obtained a judgment there and on November 22, 1937, sold land of appellee to satisfy the unpaid balance of its joint and several judgment. John Kreitzer, Jr., died November 27, 1937. On January 27, 1938, petitions were filed in the probate court of Nemaha county, Kansas, for the appointment of administrators in the estates of both Elizabeth Kreitzer and John Kreitzer, Jr. Administrators were appointed for the respective estates February 17, 1938. On the date of their appointment, administrator’s bonds were given and approved. The instant action by appellee against the administrators for contribution was filed January 24,1939.

We shall first consider the validity of the judgment rendered [606]*606against the administrator of the estate of Elizabeth Kreitzer. ' Appellee contends his cause of action did not accrue against his co-judgment debtors until the judgment in favor of the Federal Land Bank was satisfied out of the sale of his land in the state of Nebraska on November 22, 1937. He further contends that thereafter he had a right to establish his claim against the respective estates by obtaining a judgment thereon in the district court and by exhibiting a copy of such judgment to the probate court (G. S. 1935, 22-707), and that nonclaim statutes did not begin to run against his demand until the appointment of the administrator and the filing of the administrator’s bond. In support of his contention that the action was not barred, appellee cites Robertson v. Tarry, 83 Kan. 716, 112 Pac. 603; Robertson v. Tarry (on rehearing), 85 Kan. 450, 116 Pac. 486; Bowlus, Executor, v. Winters, 117 Kan. 726, 233 Pac. 111; and Farmers State Bank v. Callahan, 123 Kan. 638, 256 Pac. 961. He relies especially upon the Robertson case.

Appellants contend appellee’s claim is that of a creditor of the estate of Elizabeth Kreitzer, and since appellee failed to have an administrator appointed within a reasonable time after the period of fifty days and one year elapsed, from the death of Elizabeth Kreitzer, his claim is barred. He directs our attention to the fact that four years and fifty-one days elapsed between the date of Elizabeth Kreitzer’s death and the filing of a petition for the appointment of an administrator. Appellants also urge appellee has no claim against the estate of Elizabeth Kreitzer for the reason that no execution was issued by the Federal Land Bank on its judgment for a period of five years after its rendition, and that its judgment became dormant. (G. S. 1935, 60-3405.)

We deem it unnecessary to discuss the various contentions of the respective parties insofar as the judgment against the estate of Elizabeth Kreitzer is concerned. Under the conceded facts, we find no place for the application of the contentions made by the parties. Those contentions proceed upon the fallacious theory that on November 22,1937, the date appellee’s land was sold in Nebraska, there existed a valid judgment in favor of the Federal Land Bank and against Elizabeth Kreitzer. That judgment became dormant upon the death of Elizabeth Kreitzer, December 7, 1933. It might have been revived by her judgment creditor within two years after her death, but not thereafter. (G. S. 1935, 60-3221; Harvey v. Wasson, 91 Kan. 70, 136 Pac. 919; Butler v. Rumbeck, 143 Kan. 708, 56 P. [607]*6072d 80.) The judgment of the bank against Elizabeth Kreitzer was at no time revived. The judgment against her was not only dormant, but dead after December 7, 1935. Therefore, when the bank filed its action in Nebraska on September 18, 1937, and when it sold the property of appellee in Nebraska on November 22, 1937, Elizabeth Kreitzer was not indebted to the bank. Since she was not indebted to the bank, appellee could not and did not pay her debt. It follows appellee never acquired a cause of action against Elizabeth Kreitzer or her estate for contribution. Since appellee never had a claim against her estate it is, of course, futile to discuss statutes of nonclaim or limitation.

What about the judgment against the estate of John Kreitzer, Jr.? A brief review of dates will be helpful.

December 7, 1932. The joint and several judgment was rendered.

November 22, 1937. Appellee’s land was sold to satisfy the judgment.

November 27, 1937. John Kreitzer, Jr., died.

February 17, 1938. The administrator for the estate of John Kreitzer, Jr., was appointed and his bond was filed and approved.

January 24, 1939. Appellee filed this independent action in the district court for contribution.

This action by appellee for contribution' is based upon an implied promise of the cojudgment debtor to contribute toward the payment of the common debt when appellee paid that debt. (Mentzer v. Burlingame, 78 Kan. 219, 220, 95 Pac. 836; Guarantee Title and Trust Co. v. Viola State Bank, 124 Kan. 776, 779, 262 Pac. 1037.) That cause of action accrued to appellee when the common obligation was paid out of appellee’s property, and the statute of limitation against his cause of action did not begin to run until the debt was paid on November 22, 1937. (13 C. J. 833, Contribution, § 27, b. Limitations; 18 C. J. S. 23, Contribution, § 13, b. Limitations; 13 Am. Jur., Contribution, § 89; Mentzer v. Burlingame, supra; Guarantee Title and Trust Co. v. Viola State Bank, supra.)

G. S. 1935, 60-3437, provides for contribution between judgment debtors. It provides that a person who pays the judgment is entitled to the benefit of the judgment to enforce contribution or payment if, within ten days after his payment, he files with the clerk of the court where the judgment was rendered notice of his payment and claim to contribution, and that upon the filing of such notice the clerk shall make entry thereof in the margin of the docket. Such [608]*608notice was not filed in the instant case.

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Bluebook (online)
100 P.2d 682, 151 Kan. 604, 1940 Kan. LEXIS 237, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/masheter-v-lanning-kan-1940.