Miller v. Thompson

3 Port. 196
CourtSupreme Court of Alabama
DecidedJanuary 15, 1836
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 3 Port. 196 (Miller v. Thompson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Miller v. Thompson, 3 Port. 196 (Ala. 1836).

Opinion

Saffold, C. J.

I will first examine the subject, in reference to the cases, in which the Millers are the claimants, and the other so far, only, as the same principles are equally applicable to it — leaving out of view, for the present, the effect of the mariage, on the latter.

The inquiry is presented, whether it is competent for a father, who is a debtor at the time, to make a, voluntary conveyance of a portion of his property to a child, or children, so as to vest in them a valid title against the claim of his pre-existing creditors; though he retain at the time sufficient other property to pay his debts; or whether such conveyances are, in legal contemplation, fraudulent and void, as against such creditors?

So much of our statute of frauds, as is considered applicable to these questions, is in the following language —that every gift, grant, or conveyance of lands,” &c. or of “goods or chattels,” &c. “by writing or other[200]*200wise/’ “had, made and contrived, of malice, fraud, covin, collusion, or guile, to the end or purpose to de lay, hinder or defraud creditors of their just and lawful actions, suits, debts,” &c. “shall be from henceforth deemed and taken only as against tjie person oí persons, his, her or their heirs,” &c. “ w\iose debts, suits,” &c., by such means, “shall, or might be, in any wise disturbed, hindered, delayed or defrauded, to be clearly and utterly void,” &c. The import and effect of this statute is understood to be the same as that of the English statute of 13th Elizabeth, as far as they apply to this-principle, and both are considered as declaratory of the common law.

That a voluntary conveyance, i. e. one not founded on a consideration deemed valuable in law, of all a debtor’s property, or of so much as must unavoidably “delay, hinder, or defraud ” his existing creditors, is fraudulent and void as against them, all must admit. The only doubt appears to be, whether such conveyance of the debtors property, and what proportion, will be free from this objection.

We may readily imagine the great difficulty and embarrassment, that must necessarily result from the adoption of the latter principle. One consequence must be, that all trials of the right of property thus conveyed, may involve inquiries, respecting the amount and validity of all claims and demands against the donor; of the amount and value of the property he possesses and claims, and the sufficiency of his title to the same. If, however, it be found,, that such is the settled law, we, as a Court, without power to alter it, have only to acquiesce in the principle, and expound it accordingly.

It is insisted, on the part of the claimants, that [201]*201the principle has been so settled, on good authority. In support of the position, are cited, various decisions; among others, some made by this Court, under its former organization. The first case relied upon, is that of Toulmin vs. Buchanan's Ex'ors.

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Bluebook (online)
3 Port. 196, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/miller-v-thompson-ala-1836.