Mattingly v. Sisler

1946 OK 321, 175 P.2d 796, 198 Okla. 107, 1946 Okla. LEXIS 697
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedNovember 19, 1946
DocketNo. 32253
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 1946 OK 321 (Mattingly v. Sisler) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mattingly v. Sisler, 1946 OK 321, 175 P.2d 796, 198 Okla. 107, 1946 Okla. LEXIS 697 (Okla. 1946).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

This is an action brought by T. J. Mattingly and Mrs. T. J. Mattingly against Dr. Wade Sisler to cancel certain deeds and other instruments and to quite title to lots 7 and 8 in block 17, Sunrise Second addition to Sand Springs, Oklahoma.

Plaintiffs alleged that they were induced to execute the deeds and other instruments by false and fraudulent representations made by defendant.

Defendant answered denying that he made the representations as alleged in plaintiff’s petition and pleaded that he was managing and operating a hospital; that plaintiff Mr. Mattingly was brought to the hospital for treatment and that the deeds and other instruments were executed by plaintiffs to secure the payment of the .hospital bills, and by way of cross-petition alleged that plaintiffs executed several notes aggregating $1,689.40 for such bills and prayed judgment for such amount together with interest and attorney fees; that the judgment be declared a lien on the premises and that the premises be ordered sold to satisfy such judgment and lien.

Plaintiffs in their reply admitted that they signed the instruments mentioned and pleaded in defendant’s answer and cross-petition, but alleged that in each instance they were induced to sign such instruments by reason of the false and fraudulent representations as alleged and pleaded in their petition. They further alleged that defendant charged an exorbitant price for his services; that he fraudulently exaggerated Mr. Mattingly’s injuries in order to justify such exorbitant charge and alleged that $300 would have been a reasonable hospital charge for the services rendered. Plaintiffs prayed that defendant take nothing by way of his cross-petition and that they have judgment as in their original petition prayed for, and requested the court to submit to the jury the issues of fact as to. the question of fraud.

The court in response to this request impaneled a jury and submitted to it several interrogatories on the issue of fraud. Interrogatory No. 1 is as follows:

“Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant and cross-petitioner Sisler procured by fraud as defined in these instructions the execution of the deed dated March 7, 1939? Answer No.'”

A like interrogatory was submitted as to the execution of each of the other instruments here involved, and in each instance the jury answered “no” and also returned a general verdict finding the issues in favor of defendant.

Plaintiffs then presented their motion to the court for judgment in their favor notwithstanding the verdict which motion was by the court denied and judgment was entered denying plaintiffs any relief and judgment rendered in favor of defendant for the amount claimed in his cross-petition, decreed the same to be a lien against the premises and ordered a sale thereof to satisfy such judgment and lien.

Plaintiffs have appealed and assign as error the ruling of the court denying their motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict. The question to be determined under this assignment is as to whether the judgment is clearly against the weight of the evidence.

This is a case of equitable cognizance. In such case where the trial is to a jury the verdict is advisory only and it is the duty of the court to make its own determination of the issues of fact and law, and in such case a reviewing [109]*109court on appeal will weigh the evidence but will not reverse the judgment on the facts unless it is clearly against the weight thereof. Maynard v. Hustead, 185 Okla. 20, 90 P. 2d 30; White v. Morrow. 187 Okla. 72, 100 P. 2d 872.

In order to determine the question raised by this assignment it becomes necessary to analyze and weigh the evidence. The evidence shows that plaintiff, Mr. Mattingly, sustained injuries as alleged in plaintiffs’ petition; that he was brought to the Mercy Hospital and Surgical Institute for treatment; that such institution is an incorporated concern and is operated and managed by defendant, Dr. Sisler; that he was brought to the hospital in an unconscious condition and remained in such condition for a period of five days; that his injuries consisted of fractured bones of the left leg, crushed heel and ankle, several broken ribs, compression fracture of the spine and injuries to his head; that he was in a very critical condition and remained in the hospital for a period of five months.

Mrs. Mattingly testified that in about a week after her husband entered the hospital, defendant spoke to her relative to Mr.. Mattingly’s ability to pay a hospital bill. He stated that the bill would be between $1,200 and $1,500. She informed him that they had no money with which to pay and owned no property except their homestead. The defendant then suggested that Mr. Mattingly would undoubtedly receive compensation for his injuries from the Sand Springs Home and that arrangements should be made to pay the hospital bills out of the money so received, to which- suggestion she agreed. She was later informed by the defendant that upon investigation he had ascertained that it was ■ extremely doubtful whether Mr. Mattingly would ever be able to recover compensation and requested that she procure her son to secure the hospital bill. This she refused to do, but stated that rather than request her son to secure the bill she would be willing to give up her'home; that several days thereafter defendant prepared certain papers and presented them to her and Mr. Mattingly for signature; that he represented to them that the papers were merely instruments authorizing the payment of hospital bills out of any money Mr. Mattingly might receive from the Sand Springs Home; that relying on such representations they signed the instruments without reading them; that they both had a highschool education but they simply neglected to read the papers; that nothing was done by defendant to conceal the contents of the instruments from them; that they afterwards ascertained that the instruments consisted of a warranty deed conveying title of the premises to the defendant and a contract acknowledging that the deed was executed in full and complete settlement and payment of hospital bills; that several months thereafter additional instruments were presented by defendant to them for signature; that defendant obtained their, signature to the same under the same representations as above mentioned; that after signing such instruments they ascertained that such instruments consisted of a:second deed to the premises and a contract reciting that the deed was executed merely as security for the payment of hospital bills and that upon payment of such hospital bills the premises would be redeeded to them. Mrs. Mattingly further testified that within several weeks after the execution of these latter instruments defendant called upon them for the abstract to the premises; that she voluntarily delivered to him such abstract; that he still retains the same and that no request has ever been made for its return. Mr. Mattingly corroborated the- testimony of Mrs. Mattingly insofar as her testimony related to the representations made by defendant at the time the various instruments were executed. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mattingly •in their testimony admitted that they signed their names to the notes pleaded in defendant’s cross-petition. There were four in number, one for $62.50, dated April 29, 1939; one for $45 dated May [110]*11012, 1939; one for $829.75, dated June 16, 1939; and one for $752.15, also dated June 16, 1939.

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Bluebook (online)
1946 OK 321, 175 P.2d 796, 198 Okla. 107, 1946 Okla. LEXIS 697, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mattingly-v-sisler-okla-1946.