Mayor of Gainesville v. Brenau College

103 S.E. 164, 150 Ga. 156, 1920 Ga. LEXIS 93
Supreme Court of Georgia·Decided May 11, 1920·No. No. 1815·Published·Cited by 18 cases

Opinion

George, J.

(After stating the foregoing facts.) Two questions only are raised by this record, and we deal with them in the order made.

1. It is contended that the effect of the deed from Brenau Association to Brenau College, referred to in the statement of facts, is not to vest the title to the property in Brenau College; that is to say, it is contended that the conditions enumerated in the deed are to be construed as conditions precedent and not as conditions subsequent. Particularly it is insisted that the third condition, the assumption of the indebtedness on the property, is in the nature of a consideration, and hijace is a condition precedent. If a condition subsequent, it is conceded that the mere possibility of reverter which remains in Brenau Association is not an estate in land and is not subject to taxation. See Moss v. Chappell, 126 Ga. 196 (54 S. E. 968, 11 L. R. A. (N. S.) 398); Wadley Lumber Co. v. Lott, 130 Ga. 135, 138 (60 S. E. 836); 1 Warvelle on Vendors (2d ed.), 521. Under the-code “An estate may be granted upon a condition, either express or implied, upon performance or breach of which the estate shall either commence, be enlarged, or be defeated.” § 3716. The code classifies the conditions as either precedent or subsequent. “The former require performance before the estate vests; the latter may cause a forfeiture of a vested estate. The law inclines to construe conditions to be subsequent rather than precedent.” Civil Code, § 3717.' It is not always easy to determine whether the condition created by the words of a conveyance is precedent or subsequent. Technical words are not required to create a condition subsequent. Jones v. Williams, 132 Ga. 783, 785 (64 S. E. 1081). The authorities generally agree that the construction must de[160] pend upon the intention of the parties as gathered from the whole instrument; and under our Civil Code (§ 4266) technical rules of construction are to be disregarded when obedience to such rules would defeat the intention of the parties. Wadley Lumber Co. v. Lott, supra. In 2 Washburn on Real Property, § 941, the general rule approved by many courts is quoted as follows: “ If the act or condition required do not necessarily precede the vesting of the estate, but may accompany or follow it, and if the act may as well be done after as before the vesting of the estate, or if from the nature of the act to be performed, and the time required for its performance, it is evidently the intention of the parties that the estate shall vest, and the grantee perform the act after taking possession, then the condition is subsequent.” An instance usually given of a condition precedent is «a grant to A upon his marriage. An instance of a condition subsequent is a devise to B during widowhood, and upon remarriage the estate to vest in testator’s children. So also a grant in which the grantor reserves to himself a rent with the right to enter upon default in payment of rent is a condition subsequent. A conveyance of an estate in fee simple, upon condition that the grantee shall pay to the grantor during the time of the natural life of the grantor an annuity of $350, is a condition subsequent. Denham v. Walker, 93 Ga. 497, 498 (21 S. E. 102). A conveyance of land upon consideration of the payment of five dollars cash and “that the said [grantee] for the remainder of his [grantor’s] declining days shall take care of . . and provide him suitable clothing and' comfortable provisions and bedding, suitable to his circumstances and connections in life, and look after his estate and manage it for the best interest of the estate when he [grantor] was unable to look after it himself, and do all things necessary and proper to be done, and with the same care and attention as though he [grantee] were looking after his own affairs,” is a conveyance upon condition subsequent. Lindsey v. Lindsey, 62 Ga. 546. See also Jones v. Williams, supra; Winn v. Tabernacle Infirmary, 135 Ga. 380 (69 S. E. 557, 32 L. R. A. (N. S.) 512); Davis v. Davis, 135 Ga. 116 (69 S. E. 172); Wilkes v. Groover, 138 Ga. 407, 408 (75 S. E. 353). Construing the instrument as a whole, it was manifestly the intention that the title to the property should vest in Brenau College. The [161] granting clause set forth in the statement of facts leaves little doubt of the correctness of this conclusion. The conditions imposed recognize a conveyance of the property to the grantee in the deed. This conclusion is strengthened rather than weakened by the restriction on the power of the grantee to encumber the property without the written consent of the grantor, contained in the concluding clause of the deed. See, in this connection, Harrison v. Harrison, 105 Ga. 517 (31 S. E. 455, 70 Am. St. R. 60).

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Mayor of Gainesville v. Brenau College, 103 S.E. 164, 150 Ga. 156, 1920 Ga. LEXIS 93 (Ga. 1920).

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