Raad v. Grant

169 N.W. 588, 43 N.D. 546, 1918 N.D. LEXIS 118
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 4, 1918
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 169 N.W. 588 (Raad v. Grant) 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
Raad v. Grant, 169 N.W. 588, 43 N.D. 546, 1918 N.D. LEXIS 118 (N.D. 1918).

Opinions

■Ciieistianson, J.

This is an action to rescind a contract for the purchase and sale of 160 acres of land, in Hettinger county in this state, and to recover the consideration paid under the contract.

The plaintiff’s claim, as stated in the complaint is that the defendant R. A. Grant “falsely and fraudulently represented that said land was much nearer Mott, North Dakota, and Burt, North Dakota, both market points for said land, than the same in fact is; that he falsely and fraudulently represented that said land was all good farming land with no gumbo or stone-on the same, when in truth and in fact the said land has stone on the same and much of the same is gumbo; that he falsely and fraudulently represented that said land or place had a good well of water thereon, when in truth and in fact the water thereon caiinot be used; that he falsely and fraudulently represented that said land was worth $40 per acre and that all land adjoining and, near was selling for that amount, when in truth and in fact said land is not worth to exceed the sum of $25 per acre; that he falsely and fraudulently induced this plaintiff to buy said land for the sum of $39 per acre or a total of $6,24-0.” And that the plaintiff, relying upon said representations, agreed in writing to buy the premises, and paid to the defendants the sum of $1,000 as paid of the purchase price. That by reason of the falsity of said representations, the plaintiff was deprived of all the benefits which he otherwise would have derived from the purchase, and that as soon as he discovered that the representations were false, he demanded a rescission, and a return of the $1,000 which he had paid to the defendants. ■.

The defendants, in their answer, admit that they sold the land in controversy to the plaintiff under the written contract attached to the answer, and that the plaintiff paid $1,000, as part of the purchase price according to the terms of such contract. The answer further avers that the plaintiff has defaulted in the terms of the contract, rendering the same subject to cancelation, and that the defendants have elected to cancel and terminate the contract. The defendants prayed judgment:

That plaintiff’s action be dismissed; that the land contract be canceled and terminated, and all rights of the plaintiff thereunder foreclosed, and that the $1,000 paid by the plaintiff be forfeited to the defendants as liquidated damages under the terms of the contract.

[549]*549The case was tried to the court without a jury. The court made findings of fact, among others, to the effect: “That prior to entering into said contract the plaintiff personally examined the land on two different occasions, that the defendants did not misrepresent to' the plaintiff that there was no gumbo or stone on the land; that the defendants did not misrepresent the distance of said land from Mott and Burt; that the defendants did not misrepresent the value of said land; that prior to the purchase of the land the plaintiff rode out from Mott to said land on two different occasions and had an opportunity to observe the distance of said land from Mott and Burt; that the plaintiff did not rely upon any of the statements made by the defendants relative to the situation of the land or the character of same; that at the time of entering into said contract the reasonable value of said land was $40 per acre; that the defendants did not misrepresent the well; that at the time of making said contract said well did contain average North Dakota water; that said land contained 160 acres and had 150 acres broken thereon and under cultivation, and that it was 8-J miles from Mott and 6.miles from Burt; that the defendants did not commit any fraud upon the plaintiff in connection with the sale of said land.”

The court further found: “That on the 24th day of September, 1917, the plaintiff and defendants entered into the following agreement' in writing: ‘September 24th, 1917. I hereby agree to surrender to B. A. Grant contract for deed which I hold conveying the N. E. ¿ of 14-132-92, upon payment of $200 on or before December 1st, 1917, providing that he will be put to no further expense in connection with this settlement.7 77 .

The court also found that the defendants have at all times been willing, ready, and able to comply with the terms of said land contract and settlement agreement, and that the defendants have incurred expenses aggregating $200 in conducting the litigation in the instant case. The court ordered judgment': (1) That the contract “be and the same is hereby in all things foreclosed and canceled, and the plaintiff barred from all right to redemption thereunder, and the defendants be and they are hereby given immediate possession of said premises, and defendants7 title to said premises is quieted as to any and all claims of the plaintiff to said land;” (2) that the plaintiff have judgment against the defendants for the sum of $200, with interest thereon at 6 [550]*550per cent from September 24, 1917; and (3) that each party pay his own costs and disbursements. Judgment was entered as ordered, and defendants appeal.

The only error assigned on this appeal is that the court erred in rendering judgment against the defendants for $200, and interest. The appeal is taken from the judgment roll proper. No statement of case has been settled. Hence, we have no means of knowing what evidence was introduced, stipulations made, or proceedings had in the court below. We have before us merely the pleadings, the findings of fact, conclusions of law, and the judgment. It is, of course, elementary that the judgment comes before us with all presumptions in its favor. And the appellant has the burden of showing error. And he must present a record affirmatively showing such error. 2 Enc. Pl. & Pr. 423, 424; Erickson v. Wiper, 33 N. D. 193, 225, 157 N. W. 592. “A mere suspicion or color of error is not sufficient, but every reasonable intendment establishing the regularity of the decision rendered must be removed, as all doubtful interpretations will be resolved in favor of the validity of the action of the trial court.” 2 Enc. Pl. & Pr. 425. Where a material fact or circumstance essential to establish the error is omitted, the presumption on appeal is that it would have sustained the decision objected to, if included. And where the record does not affirmatively show error, it will be presumed “that every proceeding below essential to its legality was validly taken, and that every fact essential to its regularity was legally shown. And where, on any contingency supposable in the state of the record, the decision below might have been valid, such contingency will be so presumed.” 2 Enc. Pl. & Pr. 425, 428-433.

And so, while the settlement agreement was not an issue under the pleadings, we must assume that it properly became one by action of the parties during the course of the trial. The plaintiff in his brief asserts that the agreement was offered in evidence by the defendants. As already stated we have no means of knowing what the fact is with respect to the admission of this agreement, but we must assume, in support of the decision appealed from, any contingency which might have occurred upon the trial under which it might have been proper for the court to render the judgment which it did. Hence, we must assume that the settlement agreement came properly before the court by action of the defendants themselves.

[551]*551It will be observed that tbe defendants prayed for affirmative equitable relief against tbe plaintiff. And defendants were awarded tbe affirmative relief asked.

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Bluebook (online)
169 N.W. 588, 43 N.D. 546, 1918 N.D. LEXIS 118, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/raad-v-grant-nd-1918.