Phoenix Trust Co. v. Vaught

205 N.W. 792, 201 Iowa 450
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedNovember 17, 1925
StatusPublished

This text of 205 N.W. 792 (Phoenix Trust Co. v. Vaught) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Phoenix Trust Co. v. Vaught, 205 N.W. 792, 201 Iowa 450 (iowa 1925).

Opinion

Morling, J.

The mortgage covers 224.5 acres, and provides that under. it the premises may be sold as an entirety, waiving sale in parcels and waiving sale of nonhomestead part before selling the homestead. The title was in E. J. Vaught. Decree of foreclosure was rendered September 29, 1922. Special execution under the foreclosure decree was issued, and the premises were sold as an entirety ■ thereunder January 6, 1923, to the Batavia Savings Bank. In July, 1922, the Batavia Savings Bank, in a personal action . against E. J. Vaught, had attached the premises, except that, instead of attaching the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter, the record before us shows that it attached the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter.' There were buildings upon the farm of minor value, but whether they were on the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter, or what forty they were on, does not appear. The bank’s suit was contested, and on December 12, 1922, the Batavia Savings Bank got judgment against Vaught for over $6,400. By this judgment the attached property was adjudged to be, sold on special execution. Special execution for the sale of the attached property was issued, and was in the hands of the sheriff at the time of the sale under the first execution,. January 6, 1923.

No demand for platting homestead was made, and no homestead was platted. At the execution sale there was no offer of sale by subdivisions or of the nonhomestead property separately. The entire farm was sold en masse. The mortgagee bid the amount of its judgment, principal, interest, and costs, $10,353.64. The Batavia. Savings Bank bid $15,000, and the property was struck off.to it. There were no other bids. The sheriff applied the overplus, $4,646.36, on the special execution in favor of the Batavia Savings Bank. The Batavia Savings Bank afterwards paid some taxes.

*453 The bank cashier who made the bid testified that, just prior to the sale, he made inquiry of the sheriff whether petitioners had asserted any homestead right, and, after examining the Avaiver in the mortgage, “naturally supposed that they [petitioners] would not claim any homestead right, also having one in Batavia.” He also says that, if the sheriff had offered the premises in parcels, or had sold the 184 acres separately from the forty having the buildings on it, they would not have put in a bid, and would not have put in a bid anyway, but for the fact that they had execution, and had been advised that the sheriff could apply the overplus on it. He and two of the directors say, in substance, that they did not think the farm Avas Avorth the amount of the bid; and the cashier says he knew the bank had no right to purchase farm lands, except to protect its interest. They knew that petitioners were living on the farm. “Probably was staying both places part of the time.” E. J. Vaught says that he knew that the land had been attached by the bank; knew that the judgment was for the sale of the attached property; knew "that the land was sold, and that the bank bid it in for $15,000; knew all those things very shortly after they happened; knew that the overplus had been applied on the bank judgment, and says, “I supposed that is where it would always stay, so far as I knew.” He also says that he thought the place was being sold for the mortgagee, and that he could redeem, until he learned afterwards that they had “butted in,” and he couldn’t redeem for less than $15,000; that he didn’t know, until he consulted an attorney in December, that he was entitled to the overplus.

The petitioners did nothing until December 21, 1923, when they filed their original petition in this proceeding, asserting existence of homestead rights, nonplatting, nonoffer of other lands separately; that the nonhomestead- lands were of sufficient value to satisfy the decree of foreclosure; that the sheriff applied the overplus upon the bank’s judgment,— and asked the court to set aside the sale.

On January 9, 1924, the bank took out sheriff’s deed. On January 28, 1924, the bank filed its answer to the original petition in this proceeding, setting up the mortgage, and especially setting out the waiver referred to, and waiver hy delay in ob *454 jecting to the sale. The answer further stated that the bank would prefer to have repaid the amount it had invested in the land and taxes, than to have the laud, and offered to convey upon payment of that amount, with interest and amount paid ' for recording sheriff’s certificate and deed.

After this answer was filed, petitioners amended by setting up the receipt by the bank of the overplus of $4,646.36, and stating that the bank’s judgment was not a lien against the homestead at the time the overplus was paid over to it, and that the homestead was worth more than the overplus. By the amendment they claimed judgment for the overplus, exempt from any claims on the part of the Batavia Savings Bank.

The bank then amended its answer, setting up, in substance, the matters testified to by its officers, as previously related. The amendment expressly stated that the bank would not have bid, unless it had believed and understood that the surplus would be applied by the sheriff upon the bank’s execution. .

I. The court found the land to be of the uniform value of $80 per acre, and gave judgment against the bank at that rate as the full value of the homestead. We think the value fixed is excessive, but do not pause to discuss that question.

The petitioners acquired homestead rights in the farm.on March 1, 1918. The notes on which the bank’s judgment was recovered, were dated July 17, 1920. The bank attempted by incompetent evidence to trace the origin of the indebtedness back pi March 1, 1918. The evidence does not warrant a holding that the debt to the bank antedated the homestead.

The bank also claimed an abandonment of the homestead. Mrs. Vaught had bought a town property in 1920. The vice • president of the mortgagee testified that, at the time she bought it, she said she was buying it as.her home. She denied-this testimony. She had $500 equity in it j at one time sold it on contract, ivhich was not carried out. The family belongings were left partly on the farm and were partly in the town house. The evidence shows that petitioners stayed part of the time at one place and part at the other; that Vaught paid poll tax in the country, voted in town at the general election of 1920 and the spring election of 1922. He testifies that he understood that by voting in town *455 be would abandon bis homestead on tbe farm. Botb petitioners say that they did not intend to abandon their home on the farm, but regarded that as their home.

A more detailed discussion of the evidence would be unprofitable. Suffice it to say that we think the bank has not sustained its claim of abandonment of homestead rights. Robinson v. Charleton, 104 Iowa 296.

II. Mrs. Vaught in rebuttal said she would like to put the surplus money from her homestead into another home; that “perhaps” she never decided that she would like to put it into another home until she was in the judge’s office with her attorney, and decided it would be well to state that; that she never knew until just then that she could do that. This claim is evidently an afterthought.

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205 N.W. 792, 201 Iowa 450, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/phoenix-trust-co-v-vaught-iowa-1925.