Rural Acceptance Corporation v. Pierce

298 N.E.2d 499, 157 Ind. App. 90, 1973 Ind. App. LEXIS 981
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 25, 1973
Docket1-872A55
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 298 N.E.2d 499 (Rural Acceptance Corporation v. Pierce) 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
Rural Acceptance Corporation v. Pierce, 298 N.E.2d 499, 157 Ind. App. 90, 1973 Ind. App. LEXIS 981 (Ind. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinion

Lybrook, J.

Pierce brought suit against Curtice for specific performance of a conditional sales contract involving certain real property, joining Warthen and Rural Acceptance Corporation (RAC), judgment lien holders. From a judgment quieting title in Pierce and fixing the interests and priorities of the parties, RAC appeals.

The contract was executed on January 26, 1964, and Pierce, the buyer, took possession of the realty. Curtice had mortgaged the property to Indiana Bank & Trust Company, and at trial, the outstanding mortgage balance was stipulated to be $2,-721.23. Evidence revealed that Pierce made his contract payments to the bank, and they were applied to the pre-existing mortgage.

On June 27, 1967, Warthen secured judgment against Curtice in the amount of $1,000.00, and on September 9, 1969, RAC obtained a default judgment against Curtice on a note in the sum of $3,212.44, plus interest and attorney fees. In an attachment and garnishment proceeding Pierce was joined as garnishee defendant. The court ordered Pierce to continue making the land contract payments to Indiana Bank until the mortgage was satisfied, then to make payments directly to RAC in satisfaction of its judgment.

In November, 1969, Pierce ceased making payments on the advice of the bank and filed this action in December “to get these matters cleared up.” Pierce also ceased paying the property taxes, but continued to pay the insurance premiums.

At trial, the balance due on the contract was $5,201.34. The evidence showed that Pierce had arranged to borrow this *93 sum from the bank upon receipt of title, and Pierce stood ready and willing to pay the amount into court in satisfaction of the contract obligation.

At trial, RAC argued that Pierce was not entitled to the relief sought since his failure to make payments after November 1969, had put him in default. It also contended that, under the terms of the contract, Pierce acquired no interest in the realty until the purchase price was paid in full. RAC therefore prayed that their interests be adjudged prior and superior to those of Pierce.

The trial court rejected RAC’s contentions and entered judgment in favor of Pierce which reads in part as follows:

“IT IS THEREFORE, ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED by the Court:
“That the plaintiff is the owner in fee simple of the real estate described in the complaint . . . and that defendant’s claim thereto is without right and unfounded, and that plaintiff’s title thereto be, and the same is hereby quieted and forever set at rest as against the defendant and all persons claiming under him.”
* * *
“That a Commissioner’s Deed be prepared and executed herein to plaintiffs and title is hereby quieted as against the world.”

The court further found the unpaid contract balance to be $5,201.34 and established the parties’ interests and priorities in that sum as follows: (1) the mortgage in the sum of $2,721.23, (2) Warthen in the sum of $1,000.00, and (3) RAC in the sum of $1,480.11.

From this determination, RAC appeals, contending that the trial court erred in (1) granting Pierce relief outside the scope of the pleadings by quieting title in the real estate, (2) granting specific performance without proof of payment or tender of all installments of the contract, (3) finding that Pierce had any right, title or interest in the real estate, when he had failed to make some of the payments, pay the *94 taxes or repair a burned garage, (4) finding that Pierce had an interest superior to that of RAC, by virtue of the conditional sales contract, and (5) holding that the insurance proceeds for the loss to the garage were to be applied to the mortgage instead of being apportioned between Curtice and Pierce.

Appellant’s first contention must fail when the relief granted by the court (above), is compared with the relief sought in the complaint, to-wit:

“WHEREFORE, plaintiffs ask that the defendants Amos Paul Curtice and Frances Jane Curtice be required to convey said premises to plaintiffs by Warranty Deed and in the event they refuse to do so, that a Commissioner be appointed to make said conveyance to plaintiffs upon tender of the balance due under said contract, and that the Court make proper disposition of said funds as the interests of said parties may appear, and that plaintiffs’ interest in said real estate be declared paramount to the other defendants, and that said liens of the other defendants be declared no [sic] to attach to the real estate herein, and for such other proper relief in the premises.”

RAC argues that the relief granted was outside the scope of the pleadings. However, in fact, the relief granted is virtually identical to that sought by Pierce; i.e. having the title of the real estate vested in him and having the various defendants’ interests properly determined.

RAC contends that Pierce was not entitled to specific performance because he was in default and had not paid or properly tendered the balance of the purchase price. Pierce argues that since Curtice could not be located, it would be manifestly unfair to require either demand or tender.

In Dempster v. Miller (1954), 124 Ind. App. 518, 119 N.E.2d 720, it was held that:

“. . . after a vendor’s refusal to perform, a tender of the amount due is not necessary before purchaser’s suit for *95 specific performance. Walcis v. Kozacik (1927), 86 Ind. App. 484, 156 N.E. 589. A tender of the purchase price is not required as a condition precedent to a suit for specific performance of a contract for the sale of real estate where the vendor evinces an intention not to perform and denies the right of the purchaser to enforce the conveyance in pursuance to such contract. Bronnenberg v. Indiana Union Traction Co. (1915), 59 Ind. App. 495, 109 N.E. 784. It has also been held that to constitute a tender it is not always necessary to produce the money and count it out. If the money is present and the party is ready and willing to pay and offers to do so, but the person to whom such offer is made by his own conduct prevents the completion of the tender, the party for whose benefit the money is offered will not be heard to say that the tender was not sufficient. Mathis v. Thomas (1885), 101 Ind. 119; Platter v. Board of Com’rs. of Elkhart Co. (1885), 103 Ind. 360, 2 N.E. 544; Spurgeon v. Smitha (1888), 114 Ind. 453, 17 N.E. 105.”

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
298 N.E.2d 499, 157 Ind. App. 90, 1973 Ind. App. LEXIS 981, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rural-acceptance-corporation-v-pierce-indctapp-1973.