Scott v. Russell

149 F. Supp. 48, 1957 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3819
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Kentucky
DecidedFebruary 15, 1957
DocketNo. 749
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 149 F. Supp. 48 (Scott v. Russell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Scott v. Russell, 149 F. Supp. 48, 1957 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3819 (E.D. Ky. 1957).

Opinion

SWINFORD, District Judge.

This case was removed from the Kenton Circuit Court, Kenton County, Kentucky, and is before the court on the plaintiffs’ motion to remand to the state court and on the motion of the defendants, Claude W. Russell and Donna M. Russell, to set aside the warning order process and to dismiss the complaint. I am of the opinion that the plaintiffs’ motion to remand should be sustained and will therefore not consider the other motion as it is more properly to be entertained by the state court.

This is an equitable proceeding in which the plaintiffs pray the court to cancel certain deeds, mortgages and promissory notes and to restore the parties to the status quo which each enjoyed before the negotiations out of which the action arose. In addition the plaintiffs ask for a money judgment against the defendants, Claude W. Russell and Donna M. Russell, alleged to be a balance which those defendants owe the plaintiffs.

The complaint sets forth the following facts. On June 15, 1956, the plaintiffs entered into a contract with the defendants, Claude W. Russell and Donna M. Russell, for the purchase of a motel and restaurant in Pulaski County, Kentucky. At the time of the contract the property was encumbered in the sum of $35,000 secured by a vendor’s lien in favor of the defendants, Lawrence I. Marcum and Mary B. Marcum. In compliance with the terms of the contract, the defendants, Claude W. Russell and Donna M. Russell, executed a deed for the motel and restaurant in Pulaski County to the plaintiffs. In consideration for the conveyance of this real property the plaintiffs assumed and agreed to pay the balance due on the vendor’s lien which at that time was in the sum of $33,250. The plaintiffs further executed to the grantors a promissory note in the sum of $2,400 payable in monthly installments of $50 each (two installment payments totaling $100 with interest have been paid) and orally agreed to pay the sum of $1,000 in cash for certain inventory and stock represented by the sellers to be on the premises of the motel and restaurant. As further consideration the plaintiffs conveyed certain real estate in Kenton County, Kentucky, of the agreed value of $25,000. The Kenton County property at the time was encumbered by an indebtedness of $6,629.97, secured by a mortgage to the defendant, Kentucky Enterprise Federal Savings and Loan Association of Newport. The defendants, Claude W. Russell and Donna M. Russell, assumed and agreed to pay that amount.

As an additional condition of the contract and transaction the defendants, Claude W. Russell and Donna M. Russell, received certain personal property then on the premises of the Kenton County real estate, in exchange for which the defendants, Claude W. Russell and Donna M. Russell, gave to the plaintiffs certain personal property then on the Pulaski County real estate. Simultaneously with the execution of the deeds, the plaintiffs executed to the defendants, Claude W. Russell and Donna M. Russell, a real estate and chattel mortgage upon the Pulaski County realty and chattels as security for the payment of the vendor’s lien retained by the defendants, Lawrence I. Marcum and Mary B. Marcum, and as security for the payment of the promissory note in the sum of $2,400. The plaintiffs further executed their [50]*50promissory note to the defendants, Claude W. Russell and Donna M. Russell, in the sum of $33,250 to bear interest at the rate of 5% per annum. This interest and indebtedness was to be amortized by quarterly payments.

On July 7,1956, the defendants, Claude W. Russell and Donna M. Russell, paid the balance of $6,629.97 to the defendant, Kentucky Enterprise Federal Savings and Loan Association of Newport. They simultaneously borrowed $10,000 for which they executed a note to the loan association and secured it by a mortgage on the real estate which had been deeded to them by the plaintiffs.

It is alleged by the plaintiffs that they seek relief from their transactions and to be restored to their former ownership of their Kenton County property and for a cancellation of all the notes and obligations which they have executed and assumed and for a monetary judgment against the defendants, Claude W. Russell and Donna M. Russell, in the sum of $3,307.03, representing the difference between the $10,000 loan to the Russells and the balance owed by the plaintiffs on their original mortgage in favor of the defendant, Kentucky Enterprise Federal Savings and Loan Association of Newport, in the sum of $6,629.97.

The defendant, Kentucky Enterprise Federal Savings and Loan Association of Newport, filed an answer, cross complaint and counterclaim and asked for a foreclosure of its mortgage in satisfaction of the indebtedness.

The defendants, Lawrence I. Marcum and Mary B. Marcum, file their answer in which they pray that the cross complaint and counterclaim of the defendant, Kentucky Enterprise Federal Savings and Loan Association of Newport, be dismissed as to them.

28 U.S.C.A. § 1332 gives this court jurisdiction of all civil actions where the amount in controversy exceeds the sum or value of $3,000 exclusive of interest and costs and is between citizens of different states. Those facts must appear on the face of the complaint. The defendants who removed this case acknowledge that the plaintiffs and certain of the defendants are citizens of the State of Kentucky, but contend that the real controversy is between the plaintiffs, citizens of Kentucky, and the defendants, Claude W. Russell and Donna M. Russell, who are citizens of Ohio, and that the other defendants are neither necessary nor indispensable parties. In passing upon the motion to remand the real question is whether or not the mortgage holder and vendor’s lien holders are indispensable parties.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to exercise its equitable power of cancellation and rescission of deeds of conveyance, a written contract, and oral agreements on the ground that the Russells made misrepresentations of material facts by which representations the plaintiffs were defrauded. The issue as between these parties is an issue of fact. If fraud was practiced within the meaning of the law and no other defense prevails, the plaintiffs should be granted the relief sought. This may appear to be a separate controversy within the meaning of 28. U.S.C.A. § 1441(c) which provides that if causes of action are separate and independent the court has jurisdiction. If the causes of action are not separate and independent the case must be remanded.

It is not possible to cancel the mutual deeds between the plaintiffs and the Russells without directly affecting the rights of the Marcums and the loan association. The Marcums hold a vendor’s lien on the Pulaski County property and they have a right to demand payment of the obligors, who are now the plaintiffs. A court of equity should not force the holder of a vendor’s lien, who has advanced credit to an individual, to accept as a creditor a stranger to the transaction. It is true the Russells are not in fact strangers to the Marcums as it was to the Marcums that the credit was originally advanced. Nevertheless, that was a voluntary arrangement on the part of the Marcums and not one forced upon them. It may be assumed that the Marcums acquiesced in the transfer of [51]*51the real estate to the plaintiffs. It may be that the Marcums prefer the Scotts as creditors.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
149 F. Supp. 48, 1957 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3819, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/scott-v-russell-kyed-1957.