Standard Plumbing, Heating & Supply Co. v. Dupree

157 So. 759
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 4, 1934
DocketNo. 1400.
StatusPublished

This text of 157 So. 759 (Standard Plumbing, Heating & Supply Co. v. Dupree) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Standard Plumbing, Heating & Supply Co. v. Dupree, 157 So. 759 (La. Ct. App. 1934).

Opinion

MOUTON, Judge.

Plaintiff obtained judgment for $247, with legal interest, against Thomas B. Dupree, one of the defendants herein, on the 26th day of July, 1933, which was signed by W. Karruth Jones, judge for the parish of East Baton Eouge, on July 27, 1933.

Thomas B. Dupree entered a confession of judgment, in favor of his mother, Mrs. Annie Hayes Parker, for the sum of $22,500 with interest on $20,000 at 8 per cent, per an-num from March 5, 1928; and with a like interest on $2,500 of said $22,500, from March 19, 1930.

On the 31st day of July, 1933, two days after this confession of judgment had been entered by Thomas B. Dupree in favor of Mrs. Annie Hayes Parker, judgment was signed in her favor by Judge Favrot, judge for said parish, in the amount for which the confession of judgment had been made.

On the 31st of July, 1933, the day on which that judgment was signed, in execution thereof, Mrs. Parker obtained the issuance of a writ of fi. fa. under which the property belonging to Thomas B. Dupree, consisting of rights, credits, and movable effects, was seized:

On the 3d of August, 1933, a couple of days after Mrs. Parker had seized these effects, plaintiff herein, the Standard Plumbing & Supply Company, obtained the issuance of a fi. fa., under which the same property was seized.

*760 Plaintiff, Supply Company, filed tfie present suit, alleging that Thomas B. Dupree was insolvent on July 20 th and 31st when the confession of judgment was made and rendered, as before stated; and that Mrs. Parker knew he was then insolvent; and had no other property out of which plaintiff could satisfy its judgment against Thomas B. Dupree.

On these allegations plaintiff herein prayed that the seizure made by Mrs. Parker be set aside and that the property seized be subjected to its judgment.

The district judge rejected plaintiff’s demand, from which plaintiff appeals.

The record shows that Thomas B. Du-pree was heavily involved in 1933, at the time he confessed judgment in favor of his mother and when that judgment was signed. It is shown that a year or two before, his mother gave him some money, he says, probably, and advanced him a few loans.

His aunt, Mrs. Cook, also made him loans of money about that time, she thinks about $1,000, and could not say whether she made him other loans. According to the value Thomas B. Dupree placed on his property, it is not clear that he was solvent in July, 1933. 1-Ie admitted he was probably insolvent when this case was tried, which was in April and May, 1034, about nine months after he confessed judgment in favor of his mother, who we cannot believe would have seized two of his automobiles, a motorcycle, and even the furniture in his home, unless he had been absolutely insolvent.

The evidence shows that the only property that could be sold under execution to satisfy his mother’s judgment was seized by the sheriff and that he had no other unincumber-ed effects out of which the judgment of the plaintiff for $247, with legal interest, could have been satisfied.

The real issue in contest is as to whether or not his mother, Mrs. Parker, knew that he was insolvent in July, 1933, when he confessed judgment in her favor and which was signed three days thereafter.

Counsel for Mrs. Parker, defendant, contends that the only cause that could be advanced to set aside the seizure would be that Thomas B. Dupree had confessed judgment, and that it had been made in favor of his mother, Mrs. Parker.

The proof shows that the sum for which Mrs. Parker sued was for a legitimate sum of money Mrs. Parker loaned to her son, and that it was due when he confessed judgment..

A confession of judgment, as this was. for an honest debt, is no ground for the revocation of a seizure in a case of this character, nor is it revocable because of the relationship of mother and son, as exists in this case. It was so held in Maurin v. Rouquer et. al., 19 La. 594, body of decision, page 600; also, previously in St. Avid v. Weimprender’s Syndics, 9 Mart. (O. S.) 648, 654; Ham v. Herriman, 1 Mart. (N. S.) 535.

When the complaint rests solely on the two grounds, above stated, plaintiff has no right to the revocatory action and this seems to be the settled rule in our jurisprudence.

The court, however, in the case of Ellis, Milbank & Company, Transferees, v. Fisher, Burgess & Co., on rehearing, 10 La. Ann. page 482, expresses itself, as follows, on this subject:

“The mere fact that Ellis confessed judgment in favor of Milbank & Co., is not conclusive, though it might be considered, with other circumstances, as an indication of fraud.”

In the case of Maurin v. Rouquer et al., 19 La. 594, above cited, it will also be observed that in ruling that the mere relationship of father and son was not to be taken as evidence of fraud, the court took occasion to say that the “son was not a creditor of the father,” whereas here the mother was unquestionably a creditor of Thomas B. Dupree, her son, who confessed judgment in her favor.

Thomas B. Dupree, when testifying, was asked if he had not compiled the list of the property seized and had not given it to his mother’s attorney. He first answered he did not think so, then said, “I don’t know that I know,” and finally stated in answer to that, question that he was not positive he had not given this list to his mother’s attorney.

He was also asked if he had not accompanied his mother’s attorney in securing the-writ of fieri facias which was issued on her judgment against him. His answer to that question is: “I don’t remember.”

1-Ie testified also that he is certain he had a conversation with Mr. Loret, attorney for Mrs. Parker, with reference to the claim of his mother, prior to the seizure, and that if' he saw him at all it was “at her instigation.”

It is shown that Thomas B. Dupree inherited property from his father who died many years ago; that it grew in value, listed for a time to about $15.0,000; that his mother managed his affairs from his birth, and knew everything'about his estate when he became. *761 of age. It is shown that he is the only child; that he lives in the city of Baton Ronge where his mother lives; that she is very much attached to him; and that he is a frequent visitor at her home. Mrs. Parker says, however, that she was not aware of the condition of his business affairs in July, 1933, when she obtained her judgment against him. She claims she knew a suit had been filed by plaintiff, Supply Company, against her son, ■but is positive she did not know that a judgment had been rendered against him on that claim.

This judgment in favor of plaintiff, herein, was rendered on July 26, 1933, and was signed July 27, 1933, and the confession of judgment by Thomas Dupree was signed July 31, 1933, two days thereafter.

Not only this, but the record shows that on July 31,1933, the day this judgment was signed, Mrs. Parker caused the fi. fa. to issue under which the effects belonging to her son were seized. It is so alleged in plaintiff’s petition and admitted by Mrs. Parker, respondent.

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Related

Maurin & Co. v. Rouquer
19 La. 594 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1841)
J. Grossman's Sons v. Chachere
67 So. 545 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1915)

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