Nixon v. Nixon

15 So. 2d 561, 245 Ala. 43, 1943 Ala. LEXIS 57
CourtSupreme Court of Alabama
DecidedOctober 7, 1943
Docket7 Div. 730.
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 15 So. 2d 561 (Nixon v. Nixon) 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
Nixon v. Nixon, 15 So. 2d 561, 245 Ala. 43, 1943 Ala. LEXIS 57 (Ala. 1943).

Opinion

BOULDIN, Justice.

This appeal is from a final decree denying relief to complainant — appellant—bn her bill of review, or bill in the nature of a bill of review, seeking to vacate a decree in a former equity suit between the same parties.

The controlling facts, briefly outlined, are:

On September 8, 1936, complainant sold and conveyed to her brothers and sisters her interest in the estate of her father, W. D. Nixon, deceased, and of her mother, Nancy J. Nixon, deceased, at and for the sum of $10,000, payable $2,000 cash, and $8,000 evidenced by the note of the grantees, payable $50 per month without interest. The cash payment was made, and deferred instalments paid as agreed.

On February 23, 1939, complainant filed her bill to rescind and cancel the deed upon the ground that she had been over-reached by persons standing in confidential relations ; had, by fraud and undue influence, been induced to part with her property at less than its fair value; and in particular had been induced by misrepresentation to accept the note carrying no interest on deferred payments.

The case being at issue on amended bill and answer, came on for trial before Judge Carr. Evidence was taken for some days. Pending the trial, an agreement in writing, signed by parties and their counsel, was presented to the court disclosing an agreed settlement to be entered as a consent decree.

Thereupon, on July 15, 1940, a decree was entered reciting: “This cause coming on to be heard is submitted for final decree upon the bill of complaint in this cause, the answer of the respondents and the agreement between the parties approved by their attorneys, which agreement is this day filed in the cause. And it appearing to the court that the provisions of said agreement this day filed in this cause are fair and just, it is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed by the court *45 that said agreement be and it is hereby in all respects ratified and confirmed.”

The decree, in consonance with the agreement, proceeded:

“It is further ordered, adjudged and decreed that respondents, Hubert William Nixon, Elsie Nixon Bryan, Herman Clarence Nixon and Cadie Myrtyl Nixon Cranston, pay to the complainant, Mamie Ethel Nixon, the sum of two thousand, one hundred seventy-two and 49/100 dollars ($2172.49) payable as follows: One thousand dollars ($1000.00) in cash and the remainder, eleven hundred seventy-two and 49/100 dollars ($1172.49) to be paid in successive monthly installments of fifteen dollars ($15.00) each except the last payment which will be seventeen and 49/100 dollars ($17.49) commencing on the 1st day of August, 1940. Said deferred payments shall not bear any interest, except that any deferred payments overdue for a period of thirty days will draw interest at six per cent (6%) from the expiration of said thirty day period. Failure to pay any one of said installments within sixty days from the date the same is due will, at the option of the complainant, Mamie Ethel Nixon, cause the remainder of said deferred payments to immediately become due and payable.

“It is further ordered, adjudged and decreed that of said one thousand dollars payable in cash, six hundred dollars ($600.00) is to be paid to Ross Blackmon, attorney of record for complainant, in full settlement of all claims for attorney’s fees which he has against the complainant, Mamie Ethel Nixon, and credit is to be given to that extent upon said amount ordered to be paid to complainant.

“It is further ordered, adjudged and decreed that the Anniston National Bank of Anniston, Alabama be and it is hereby appointed to act as trustee for complainant, Mamie Ethel Nixon, to administer all sums of money due and payable under the terms •of the agreement this day filed in court between the parties to this proceeding and also all sums of money due and payable under the terms of that note or contract made by said Hubert William Nixon, Elsie Nixon Bryan, Herman Clarence Nixon and Cadie Myrtyl Nixon Cranston, to the complainant, Mamie Ethel Nixon, under date of September 1, 1936. Both of said agreements are hereby expressly ratified and confirmed.

“It is further ordered, adjudged and decreed that that certain deed executed by complainant, Mamie Ethel Nixon, to Hu bert William Nixon, Elsie Nixon Bryan, Herman Clarence Nixon and Cadie Myrtyl Nixon Cranston, under the date of September 8, 1936, be and the same is hereby expressly ratified and confirmed.

“It is further ordered, adjudged and decreed that said Anniston National Bank of Anniston, Alabama, as such trustee shall, from the moneys paid under this agreement and under said agreement of September 1, 1936, pay to complainant, Mamie Ethel Nixon, the sum of sixty-five dollars ($65.00) per month until the remainder of the $1172.49 mentioned in the second paragraph of this decree is paid and said trustee shall thereafter pay to the complainant, Mamie Ethel Nixon, the sum of fifty dollars ($50.00) per month until the deferred payments called for and provided in said note or contract of September 1, 1936 are fully paid and extinguished.

“It is further ordered, adjudged and decreed that should complainant, Mamie Ethel Nixon, die before all the $2172.49 herein ordered and provided to be paid to her has been paid, then her death shall act as a release from liability on the part of said Hubert William Nixon, Elsie Nixon Bryan, Herman Clarence Nixon and Cadie Myrtyl Nixon Cranston or any of them to pay any further part of said $2172.49, but this shall in no way affect their liability under said contract of September 1, 1936. It is further ordered, adjudged and decreed that in such event, any funds in the hands of said trustee for the use or benefit of complainant, Mamie Ethel Nixon, which have not been paid to her at the time of her death shall revert in equal parts to said Hubert William Nixon, Elsie Nixon Bryan, Herman Clarence Nixon and Cadie Myrtyl Nixon Cranston.

“It is further ordered, adjudged and decreed by the court that said Anniston National Bank as such trustee may pay such sums as can he paid out of the cash on hand belonging to complainant, Mamie Ethel Nixon, on the indebtedness outstanding against her in favor of S. E. Boozer if such trustee finds said payment to be to the best interest of complainant, Mamie Ethel Nixon.

“It is further ordered, adjudged and decreed that this trust is created under the Act of the Legislature of 1935 (Acts, 1935, page 626 [Code 1940, Tit. 58, § 1]) and *46 that sums of money and the property put in trust hereunder and under the agreement this day filed in court shall not be liable for or subject to be seized or be taken in any manner for the debts of said Mamie Ethel Nixon, whether the same be contracted or incurred before or after the creation of said trust.”

The bill of review, filed April 4, 1941, sought to vacate the above decree, cancel the agreement upon which it was based, and reopen the original cause.

It was framed in two aspects: In one, it may be termed as strictly a bill of review, challenging the decree for error apparent on the record. In another, a bill in the nature of a bill of review challenging the decree for fraud in its procurement, including fraud in the procurement of the agreement on which the decree was based.

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Bluebook (online)
15 So. 2d 561, 245 Ala. 43, 1943 Ala. LEXIS 57, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/nixon-v-nixon-ala-1943.