Sonnesyn v. Akin

104 N.W. 1026, 14 N.D. 248, 1905 N.D. LEXIS 67
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedMay 20, 1905
StatusPublished
Cited by40 cases

This text of 104 N.W. 1026 (Sonnesyn v. Akin) 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
Sonnesyn v. Akin, 104 N.W. 1026, 14 N.D. 248, 1905 N.D. LEXIS 67 (N.D. 1905).

Opinions

Young, J.

This is an action to recover damages for fraud. The plaintiff has appealed from an order of the district court vacating the verdict and judgment entered therein in his favor and granting a new trial. The defendant’s motion for a new trial was made -upon the minutes. The granting of the motion is assigned as error. It is essential to- a correct understanding of the questions presented upon -this appeal to set out the material allegations of the complaint and answer, and also the verdict upon which the judgment vacated was based.

The complaint alleges “that on the 30th day of September, 1902, the defendants, with intent to deceive and defraud the plaintiff, then and there falsely and fraudulently pretended and -represented to the plaintiff that they were the -owners and legally entitled to enter into a contract to sell and -convey to the plaintiff the following described real estate [describing 960 acres of land situated in Ransom county], and could give a contract for a good- and perfect title thereto, and would furnish the plaintiff with -an abstract of title, which abstract of title would show that the defendants were the owners of said described land and premises -and had the legal right to enter into a contract to sell and convey the same; that the -plaintiff, relying upon such representations, entered into a contract to purchase the said described premises and land of the defendants, and paid the defendants thereunder, in- merchandise and cash, the sum of $12,857.33; that the defendants were not the owners of said described lands and premises, and were not legally entitled to enter into a contract to sell and convey the same, and could not and have not furnished the plaintiff an abstract of title [252]*252of said land and premises showing that they were the owners of the same; that at the time plaintiff made the contract with the defendants to purchase said lands and made said payments thereon, said lands were owned by others; * * * that by reason of the premises the plaintiff has been damaged in the sum of $12,857.33” —for which sum he demands judgment.

The defendants, in their answer, admit the execution of the written contract referred to in the complaint, and attach a copy of the same to their answer as an exhibit; this being known in the record as “Exhibit A.” They also admit the receipt of a $2,500 cash payment upon the contract, and a further payment by the delivery of the stock of merchandise as alleged in the complaint. But they deny that they stated or represented that they were the owners of the land, and “especially deny that by reason of any of the facts set forth in the complaint plaintiff has been damaged in the sum of $12,857.33, or in any other sum or amount whatever,” and allege “that the defendants have -duly complied with all the terms and conditions of said written contract, and have tendered to the plaintiff an abstract of title to1 said premises, and that they are now ready, able and willing to convey, or cause to be conveyed to the plaintiff, by good and sufficient deeds of conveyance, all the lands in said- contract mentioned, in accordance with the terms and conditions of said contract, and conveying to the plaintiff full title to all of said lands, as therein mentioned, upon the full performance 'by the plaintiff of the other terms and conditions of said contract, and that the defendants herewith tender and offer full and complete performance of the terms and conditions upon their part to be performed.”

The contract was signed by the plaintiff and by the defendants. By the terms of this contract the plaintiff agreed to purchase the lands in question at an agreed price of $25,920. The contract describes the land, and fixes the terms of payment and rate of interest on deferred payments. Under it $2,500 was to be paid upon its execution, and $10,320 was to be paid by the delivery to the defendants of a certain stock of merchandise, located at Ormsby, Minn., at wholesale price, the taking of the inventory to begin on October 3, 1902. A further payment of $2,500 was to be made on January 1, 1903, when -the deal was to be completed. Plaintiff assumed a mortgage upon the land, and was to' pay the remainder of the purchase price in five equal annual installments. The contract makes no reference to the ownership of the land or [253]*253the condition of the title, but provides that: “An abstract of title is to be furnished to me (Sonnesyn) by you when $2,500 of the purchase money is actually paid, and if such abstract of title is objectionable you are to have until January 1, 1903, after its return to you, with such objections noted, within which to supply any deficiency or make a good merchantable title.”

This action was commenced November 26, 1902. The record shows that at the close of the testimony “counsel for the plaintiff, moved the court that the case be submitted to the jury upon a list of special questions covering the issues in the case.” This motion was granted. Before the proposed questions were submitted to the jury counsel for defendants requested that “questions numbered 3 and 4 be answered ‘No/ in order that there may be no confusion arising in the minds of the jury,” and the answers were inserted in accordance with such request. Thereafter the jury returned the following verdict:

“We, the jury impaneled and sworn to try the above-entitled action, do find for the plaintiff.
“Dated May 23, 1903.
“.[Signed] A. H. Barnes, Foreman.
“Question 1. Did the defendants or either of them, at or before making the contract, ‘Exhibit A/ state to or willfully lead the plaintiff to believe that they or either of them owned the lands which they had agreed to sell him? Answer. Yes.
“Question. 2. If you answer the above question ‘Yes/ did the plaintiff believe and rely upon such statements and representations, and was such belief and reliance one of the inducements that caused him to enter into said contract, and to part with his money and property? Answer. Yes.
“Question 3. Did the defendants or either of them own the lands described in said contract on the 30th day of December, 1902 ? Answer. No.
“Question 4. Did the defendants or either of them, own all of the lands described in said contract at the time this action was commenced, to wit, November 26, 1902? Answer. No.
“Question 5. What was the value of the goods and fixtures delivered to the defendants by the plaintiff? Answer. $10,000.
“Question 6. If .plaintiff is entitled to recover, should interest be computed on the damages? Answer. Yes.
“Dated May 23, 1903.
“[Signed] A. H. Barnes, Foreman.”

[254]*254On May 25, 1903, the trial judge directed the entry of judgment against the defendants for $13,052.52; the order therefor reciting that, “the jury having returned a verdict in favor of the •plaintiff generally, and having -been required to make special findings, which special findings and the answers thereto1 were as follows [setting o.ut a copy of the above verdict], and the court having, upon said special findings, concluded that the plaintiff is entitled to judgment against the defendants and each of them” for the above sum, orders, etc.

Thereafter t'he defendants moved, upon the minutes of the court, to vacate and set aside the verdict and judgment and for a new trial.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
104 N.W. 1026, 14 N.D. 248, 1905 N.D. LEXIS 67, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sonnesyn-v-akin-nd-1905.