Reed v. Robbins

108 N.E. 780, 58 Ind. App. 659, 1915 Ind. App. LEXIS 147
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 7, 1915
DocketNo. 8,577
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 108 N.E. 780 (Reed v. Robbins) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Reed v. Robbins, 108 N.E. 780, 58 Ind. App. 659, 1915 Ind. App. LEXIS 147 (Ind. Ct. App. 1915).

Opinion

Hottel, C. J.

Appellee filed in the Sullivan Circuit Court, a complaint in four paragraphs. Tbe first two paragraphs are in tbe usual form to quiet title, the difference between them being, that one of them alleges a legal title, and tbe other alleges an equitable title, to tbe two tracts of real estate (hereinafter designated as lots), in controversy. [660]*660The third paragraph alleges that on May 4, 1908, appellee was the owner of the lot described therein, and that he and his wife, on that day, signed, acknowledged and caused to be recorded a deed, purporting to convey such lot to appellant; that such deed was made without any consideration and without-any intent to pass title, and was never delivered by appellee or accepted by appellant. It is asked that such deed be cancelled and held for naught and that a commissioner be appointed to convey such lot to appellee. The fourth paragraph is the same as the third, except it seeks to have cancelled a deed made to the other lot.

A demurrer to each paragraph was overruled. Appellant filed an answer in general denial and an affirmative answer in which he alleges, in substance, that appellee conveyed to him the lots in controversy by deed; that such deeds were delivered and accepted; that appellant took possession of the lots thereunder and that such deeds were made by appellee for the purpose of defrauding his creditors. Appellant also filed a cross-complaint to quiet title to such lots, which was answered by a general denial. On the issues so tendered there was a trial by the court and a general finding for appellee. Appellant filed a motion for new trial which was overruled, and the court rendered judgment for appellee, quieting his title to the lots.

Errors are assigned challenging each of the rulings on the demurrers to the several paragraphs of complaint and the ruling on the motion for new trial. In his brief, appellant presents no question as to the ruling on the demurrer to either paragraph of the complaint, or as to any of the grounds of Ms motion for new trial other than those which, respectively, charge that the decision of the trial court is not sustained by sufficient evidence and is contrary to law.

It is contended by appellant that the evidence will in no event sustain a judgment on the second paragraph of complaint because it counts on an equitable title; that if the deeds in question were not, in fact, delivered appellee is [661]*661the owner of the legal title, and not the equitable title, and that, if the deeds were delivered, they were made to defraud appellee’s creditors and that, for this reason, equity will give the fraudulent grantor no relief; that it likewise follows that the evidence will not support a decision bas'ed on either the third or fourth paragraphs of complaint.

1. Appellee admits, in effect, that, at about the time of the making of the deeds in question, he was threatened with a lawsuit because of his alleged relations with another man’s wife, and that it was on account of this threatened litigation that he made the deeds in controversy. It is well settled that- a conveyance made in fraud of creditors is valid as between the parties and that equity will not interfere at the instance of a fraudulent grantor to aid him in the recovery of his property. Kitts v. Willson (1892), 130 Ind. 492, 501, 29 N. E. 401; Gable v. Columlus Cigar Co. (1895), 140 Ind. 563, 38 N. E. 474; Kitts v. Willson (1895), 140 Ind. 604, 39 N. E. 313; Finley v. Cooley (1823), 1 Blackf. 262; Edwards v. Haverstick (1876), 53 Ind. 348; Henry v. Stevens (1886), 108 Ind. 281, 9 N. E. 356; Sweet v. Tinslar (1867), 52 Barb. (N. Y.) 271; Bolt v. Rogers (1832), 3 Paige (N. Y.) 154; 1 Pomeroy, Eq, Jurisp. §401; Bump, Fraudulent Conveyances (4th ed.) §§395, 397, 398. While appellee somewhat qualified his admission, above indicated, relating to his motive and purpose in making the deeds, it is doubtful whether his evidence relieved the transaction from the taint 'of fraud and, if the deeds were in fact delivered within the meaning of the law, we think that under his own evidence, there might be a serious question whether a court of equity would extend to the grantor any relief, but, for the reasons hereinafter indicated, we need not and do not decide this question. We prefer to rest our decision on the other branch of the case and now address our inquiry to the question, whether there was a delivery of the deeds.

[662]*6622. 3. [661]*661It is contended by appellant and is, we think, in effect, [662]*662conceded by appellee, that the filing of a deed with, the recorder for record is a prima facie delivery of such deed, and, in the absence of intention not to deliver, is conclusive. Vaughan v. Godman (1884), 94 Ind. 191, 194; Townsend v. Millican (1913), 53 Ind. App. 11, 15, 101 N. E. 112; Somers v. Pumphrey (1865), 24 Ind. 231, 243; McNeeley v. Rucker (1843), 6 Blackf. 391. It is manifest from the exception involved in the proposition of law above stated, that the intention of the grantor is a controlling element in determining the question of delivery. Indeed, to make the delivery of a deed to real estate effective and complete in the particular ease, there must be an intent on the part of the grantor to part with all control over such deed as its owner. Indiana Trust Co. v. Byram (1905), 36 Ind. App. 6, 12, 72 N. E. 670, 73 N. E. 1094; Vaughan v. Goodman, supra; Hotchkiss v. Olmstead (1871), 37 Ind. 74; Dearmond v. Dearmond (1858), 10 Ind. 191, 194; Townsend v. Millican, supra, and cases cited; Berry v. Anderson (1864), 22 Ind. 36, 39; Freeland v. Charnley (1881), 80 Ind. 132, 136.. Hence on this branch of the case, the question which we are called on to determine in its final analysis is, Was there any evidence in this case which can be said to warrant the inference, evidently drawn by the trial court, that appellee, by filing the deeds for record, did not intend thereby-to part with ownership or control thereof or thereby to pass the title of the real estate in' question ? Our decision of such question must depend on that part of the evidence alone which is most favorable to appellee.

4. Appellant was a brother of appellee’s wife, and, at the time of the making of the deeds in question, was unmarried and clerking in a store for appellee and living with him in his home. The store was located on one of the lots in question. The facts testified to by appellee are, in substance, as follows: A short time after he was [663]*663threatened with the litigation before referred to, he, in company with appellant, went to the bank of his home town and he asked one of the officers of the bank about deeding the lots to him. Such officer indicated his unwillingness to be named as grantee. It was there suggested by a Mr. First, also connected with the bank, that the deeds be made to appellant, so that the lots would remain in the family. A few days later, on May 4, 1908, appellee and his wife, with appellant’s knowledge, went to Sullivan, the county seat, and there had the deeds prepared and they signed and acknowledged them; and appellee and the notary — -one or both — took them- to the recorder’s office and left them for record.

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Bluebook (online)
108 N.E. 780, 58 Ind. App. 659, 1915 Ind. App. LEXIS 147, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/reed-v-robbins-indctapp-1915.