Smith v. Newbaur

33 L.R.A. 685, 144 Ind. 95, 1895 Ind. LEXIS 346
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 19, 1895
DocketNo. 17,618
StatusPublished
Cited by27 cases

This text of 33 L.R.A. 685 (Smith v. Newbaur) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Smith v. Newbaur, 33 L.R.A. 685, 144 Ind. 95, 1895 Ind. LEXIS 346 (Ind. 1895).

Opinions

Howard, C. J.

This was an action for the foreclosure of a mechanic’s lien, brought by appellees against appellants. There was a trial by the court and a finding and decree in favor of the appellees.

The errors assigned and argued on this appeal call in question the correctness of the court’s action in overruling the demurrer to the complaint, in overruling the motion to strike out parts of the complaint, and in overruling the motion for a new trial.

The complaint shows that appellants entered into a contract with a firm named Challenger & Carey for the erection of a dwelling house on premises owned by appellants, the contractors to furnish all materials for the building; and that the contractors sublet a part of the work to another firm, named Sanders Brothers, who were to furnish all materials in the part constructed by them. The appellees furnished the materials used by both contractors and sub-contractors. A bill of particulars, showing the materials furnished, and also the dates of the several items, is made a part of the complaint; as is also a copy of the notice to hold a lien, filed in the recorder’s office.

The action was brought under the provisions of the mechanic’s lien law of 1883 (Acts 1883, 140), as amended by the act of 1889 (Acts 1889, 257), and by the act of 1891 (Acts 1891, 28), section 7255, R. S. 1894, (section 1688, Ell. Supp.), and following sections.

In support of the demurrer to the complaint, it is first contended that the mechanic’s lien law of this State is invalid, as repugnant to section 1, Art. 14, of [97]*97the Constitution of the United States, which provides that no State shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law. This contention is based upon the provisions of section 3 of the mechanic’s lien law (section 7557, R. S. 1894; section 1690, Ell. Supp.) which provides that any person wishing to acquire such a lien upon any property shall file in the recorder’s office, “at any time within sixty days after performing such labor or furnishing such materials,” notice of his intention to hold such lien.

This notice, the only one provided for in the statute, is insufficient, say counsel, to secure that due process of law referred to by the Federal Constitution before the fixing of a lien upon the citizen’s property. Under the law as enacted, counsel contend, any one may perform labor or furnish material in the construction of a building for a land owner, without such owner’s knowledge or consent, and then secure a lien upon the land and building by notice filed after the work is done or materials furnished. It is said that the property owner should have notice at or before the doing of the work or the supplying of the materials, so that he may, if he wishes, prevent the doing of such work or the furnishing of such materials, and so keep his property free of the lien.

It has often been held that every statute under which a contract is made enters into and forms a part of such contract. The appellants, in the contract for the erection of the dwelling house upon their property, are therefore chargeable with knowledge of, and are bound by, all of the provisions of our mechanic’s lien law then in force. By the terms of the agreement entered into, the contractors were to furnish all materials necessary for the construction of the building. [98]*98This was notice that such materials were to be furnished; and the law under which the contract was made was further notice that the building and ground upon which it was to be erected would be liable to a lien for the value of the materials so furnished. The only uncertainty left was whether those who should furnish the material would claim the lien therefor. That uncertainty is provided for in the statute, which requires that the notice of intention to hold the lien be filed in the recorder’s office within sixty days. The owner has, consequently, ample means of protection, and is not liable to a lien without notice, nor to have his property taken without due process of law.

It is intimated that the law hampers the freedom of action of the property owner; that he may desire to pay the contractor in advance, or to pay him by an exchange of other property for the erection of the building; and that it may be an inconvenience, or induce the contractor to bid higher for the work, if payment is to be delayed for sixty days after the work is done. These, however, are considerations that should be addressed to the legislature, and not to the courts. Besides, it is to be remembered that without the right to a lien on the property, laborers and materialmen would, in many cases, have no security for their toil or the materials furnished by them. The laborer is worthy of his hire, and the seller of goods ought to be paid for them. As the law stands, all parties are secured in their rights. The owner, by seeing that laborers and materialmen are paid, or by keeping back for sixty days from the contractor sufficient to make such payment, is in no danger of having to pay twice for his building; while at the same time the man whose labor or material has gone into the building can look to the building itself and [99]*99to the ground upon which it stands for his security. The property-owner enjoys the benefit of this work and of this material; and it is but just that he should be charged, for at least sixty days, with the responsibility of seeing that they are paid for.

It is next urged that the complaint is insufficient as not alleging “that the plaintiffs sold the material to the contractors and sub-contractors, respectively, to be used in the building against which the lien is sought to be enforced.”

The allegations as to both contractors and subcontractors are that they “purchased of the plaintiffs cement and other materials for use in the construetion and erection of said building, of the value of, etc., * * * which said materials so furnished by the plaintiffs to said * * [contractors and sub-contractors] were by them used in the construction of said building. ” The bill of particulars and the notice of the intention to file a lien, each made a part of the complaint, also show that the materials were furnished “to the contractors and sub-contractors to be used in the building against which the lien is sought to be enforced.” It would be extremely technical to hold that materials alleged to have been purchased for use in the building were not thereby shown to have been sold to be used in the building; particularly when it is alleged that the materials were actually so used.

A third reason advanced to show that the demurrer should have been sustained to the complaint is, that the notice of intention to hold a lien does not contain a sufficient description of the property.

The complaint alleges a mistake in the description as stated in the notice, and asks for a reformation. The real estate was described in the notice as a part of out-lot number 21, in Haney’s addition of out-lots to the town of Hartford City; whereas it should have [100]*100been a part of out-lot number 21, in Henley’s addition of out-lots to the town of Hartford City.

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Bluebook (online)
33 L.R.A. 685, 144 Ind. 95, 1895 Ind. LEXIS 346, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/smith-v-newbaur-ind-1895.