Pickett v. Wick

296 N.W. 924, 70 N.D. 650, 1941 N.D. LEXIS 211
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 25, 1941
DocketFile No. 6714.
StatusPublished

This text of 296 N.W. 924 (Pickett v. Wick) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pickett v. Wick, 296 N.W. 924, 70 N.D. 650, 1941 N.D. LEXIS 211 (N.D. 1941).

Opinion

*651 Burr, Oh. J.

In 19-38 the plaintiff commenced an action to cancel a contract for the purchase of real property, consisting of hotel buildings and the necessary real estate therefor. A trial was had, and oh August 16, 1939, findings of fact were made and entered.

Upon such findings, the court made conclusions of law as follows:

“1. That the plaintiff is entitled to the judgment of this court cancelling the contract as prayed for in her complaint.

“2. That the defendants are entitled to and are hereby granted, one year from the date of entry of judgment hereon in which to make redemption, upon the following conditions:

“a. That the defendants pay the 1934 tax levied and assessed against the premises involved herein, and all prior years, by the first day of September, 1939, and the 1935 tax by June 1, 1940.

“b. That the defendants keep said premises insured according to the terms of said contract.

“c. That the defendants pay to the plaintiff monthly the sum of $75, beginning with the 1st day of September, 1939. In case of redemption the payments are to be applied on the purchase price and interest.

“d. That the defendants commit no waste.

“In the event of appeal from the judgment entered hereon, or should the plaintiff refuse to accept the payments provided to be made, then the payments to be made the plaintiff to be deposited in the bank at Mott, N. D., in the name of the plaintiff.

“Should the defendant fail to perform any of the conditions herein set out for a period of ten days after the time fixed for such payment, then the plaintiff may apply to the court for an order permitting the entry of Judgment for the cancellation of said contract.”

Judgment was entered accordingly, and no appeal was taken theréfrom.

*652 On July 22, 1940, defendant served upon the plaintiff a notice of motion “for an order extending the time of redemption as provided in the judgment and decree entered in this action, and for a further stay- of execution on such judgment and decree until the 1st day of July, 1941.”

This matter came on for hearing before the district court on August 5, 1940. At that time the plaintiff appeared and objected to the consideration of this motion on the ground the court had no jurisdiction to entertain the motion, claiming the “Judgment had become final in that more than six months had expired since the service of the Notice of Entry of Judgment.”

The district court overruled the objection, and, after hearing, extended the time of redemption until July 1, 1941, under certain conditions set forth in the order.

The plaintiff appealed from this action of the court on the grounds:

“1. That the court had no jurisdiction to make or enter such amended Judgment in that the original Judgment of the case had become final for the reason that more than six months had expired since the service of Notice of Entry of Judgment on the Defendants.

“2. That the Defendants did not bring themselves within the purview of section three, Chapter’165, Laws of 1939, or any part of said chapter in that that chapter does not empower the Court to modify a Judgment for the cancellation of contract in any event. Furthermore, that chapter only empowers the Court to modify a Judgment during the period the Court has jurisdiction of the action; That here the Court had lost jurisdiction in that the Judgment had become final.

“3. Section 3 of Chapter 165, Laws of 1939, only empowers the Court to stay • execution on a Judgment for the cancellation of contract and only empowers the Court to do so while the Court has jurisdiction of the action and only empowers the Court to do So on the vendee making a certain showing, which showing the Defendants have not made here.

“4. Said Chapter 165, Laws of 1939, must be construed so that it applies to contracts made subsequent thereto, otherwise, it would be unconstitutional because it practically wipes out any substantial remedy the vendor has, thereby impairing her contract.”

This chapter 165, as we pointed out in Peterson v. Points, 67 N. D. *653 631, 634, 275 N. W. 867, 869, regarding a similar statute, was enacted for the purpose of providing “a more speedy review of cases arising under the moratorium act than would have been available had provision been made for an appeal” and “indicates an intention to permit a more comprehensive consideration in the appellate court of cases arising under this act than that already available in certiorari proceedings.”

Whether the order of the district court, made under the provisions involved here, is appealable is a doubtful question. However, no motion to dismiss the appeal was made by defendants, nor is the appealability of the order argued by them; and following /the rule laid down in Johnson v. Great Northern R. Co. 12 N. D. 420, 422, 97 N. W. 546, “The question of the appealability of the order not having been raised or argued by respondent, and in view of the doubt involved as to the construction to be given . . . and in view of the importance of this question . . . and inasmuch as the order appealed from must be affirmed in any event, we have deemed it best to dispose of the question presented, on the merits, without committing ourselves to the view that such an order is appealable, should the question be directly raised in another case in the future.”

This chap. 165 provides: “When any judgment has been entered for the cancellation of a contract for the sale of real estate . . . the court having jurisdiction thereof shall, at the request of any party to the action, cause notice of hearing ... to show cause, if any they have, why a stay of execution should not be granted. Before granting such request . . . the court having jurisdiction thereof shall receive any competent evidence of the reasonable rental value of said property, taxes levied and assessed. . . .” (§3.)

The trial eoui*t entered such an order staying execution for a time certain after hearing for such purpose.

Section 5 provides: “Where any mortgage or other lien upon real estate has been foreclosed and the period of redemption has not yet expired . . . the period of redemption may be extended for such additional time as the court may deem just and equitable, but in no event beyond July 1, 1941; or where stay of execution has been granted against the cancellation of a contract or the ejectment of a .tenant *654 from premises, for such additional time as the court may deem just and equitable, but in no event beyond July 1, 1941.”

No real serious question is raised as to the proper exercise of discretion by the court upon the evidence that was taken at this second hearing, the main objection being loss of jurisdiction to make such extension order. However, we later refer to alleged deficiency in the showing made by the debtor.

The trial court entering judgment for the cancellation of the contract under the terms set forth in its judgment and staying execution thereof is the court having jurisdiction of such proceedings.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Peterson v. Points
275 N.W. 867 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1937)
Johnson v. Great Northern Railway Co.
97 N.W. 546 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1903)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
296 N.W. 924, 70 N.D. 650, 1941 N.D. LEXIS 211, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pickett-v-wick-nd-1941.