Tapp v. Guaranty Finance Company

158 So. 2d 228
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 14, 1964
Docket5963
StatusPublished
Cited by51 cases

This text of 158 So. 2d 228 (Tapp v. Guaranty Finance Company) 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
Tapp v. Guaranty Finance Company, 158 So. 2d 228 (La. Ct. App. 1964).

Opinion

158 So.2d 228 (1963)

Oliver C. TAPP, Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
GUARANTY FINANCE COMPANY, Inc., and Elmer A. Uffman, Defendants-Appellees.

No. 5963.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.

November 12, 1963.
Rehearing Denied December 16, 1963.
Writ Refused February 14, 1964.

*229 Ralph Brewer, Baton Rouge, for appellant.

Kennon, White & Odom, by John S. White, Jr., Watson, Blanche, Wilson, Posner & Thibaut, by Charles W. Wilson, Baton Rouge, for appellees.

Before ELLIS, LOTTINGER, HERGET, LANDRY and REID, JJ.

ELLIS, Judge.

Plaintiff, Oliver C. Tapp, purchased an automobile on August 11, 1956 from Leland Mims Used Cars, represented by Leland G. Mims. The unpaid portion of the purchase price was represented by a promissory installment note payable to Leland Mims Used Cars and paraphed for identification with a chattel mortgage on the automobile. The note is endorsed by "Leland Mims Used Cars, by Leland G. Mims" to the order of Guaranty Finance Co., Inc.

In Suit No. 60,122 on the docket of the district court for the Parish of East Baton Rouge, Guaranty Finance obtained an order for executory process, seized and sold the automobile with appraisement.

It appears from the face of the record in that foreclosure proceeding that *230 the endorsement from Leland Mims Used Cars to Guaranty Finance Co., Inc. was not in authentic form and, therefore, under the well-established jurisprudence of this state, executory process was not available to the plaintiff in that instance. Accordingly, the Sheriff's sale was null and void. Miller, Lyon & Company v. Cappell, 36 La.Ann. 264, Art. 2635, LSA-Code of Civil Procedure.

Also in Myrtle Grove Packing Co. v. Mones, 226 La. 287, 76 So.2d 305, the Supreme Court reiterated the well-settled law as to executory process in no uncertain language, viz.:

"Executory process, under which a creditor is permitted, without citation or the usual legal delays, to seize the property of the debtor in satisfaction of a claim, is a harsh remedy specifically sanctioned by the Constitution, Section 44, of Article VII, and is permitted in only two instances, the one pertinent to the instant case being where it is supported by an act importing a confession of judgment. Article 732 of the Code of Practice. Consequently, there must be strict compliance with the letter of the law governing this severe remedy. Courtney v. Andrews, 10 Rob. 180; Cumming v. Archinard, 1 La.Ann. 279; Robb v. Potts, 2 La.Ann. 552; Pele v. Meaux, 17 La.Ann. 58; Ricks v. Bernstein, 19 La.Ann. 141; Calhoun v. Mechanics' & Traders' Bank, 30 La.Ann. 772; Bank of Leesville v. Wingate, 123 La. 386, 48 So. 1005; and General Contract Purchase Corp. v. Doyle, La.App., 56 So.2d 432. Further, it is well settled by authorities that are legion in our jurisprudence that the writ of seizure and sale may issue only upon the presentation to the judge of the note sued on and the act containing the confession of judgment. Day v. Fristoe, 7 Mart., O.S., 239; Wray v. Henry, 10 Mart., O.S., 222; Tilghman v. Dias, 12 Mart., O.S., 691; Harrod v. Voorhies' Adm'x, 16 La. 254; Tildon v. Dees, 1 Rob. 407; Dodd v. Crain, 6 Rob. 58; Dosson v. Sanders, 12 Rob. 238; Cumming v. Archinard, 1 La.Ann. 279; Chambliss v. Atchison, 2 La. Ann. 488; French v. Mechanics' & Traders' Bank, 4 La.Ann. 152; Commercial Bank of New Orleans v. Poland, 6 La.Ann. 477; Tufts, Fermor & Co. v. Beard, 9 La.Ann. 310; Pele v. Meaux, supra; De Brueys v. Freret, 18 La.Ann. 80; Peyroux v. Lacoste, 18 La.Ann. 626; Gaudoz v. Blanque, 23 La.Ann. 520; Parkerson v. Grundy, 23 La.Ann. 530; Fazende v. Flood, 24 La.Ann. 425; Burns v. Naughton, 24 La.Ann. 476; Crescent City Bank v. Blanque, 32 La.Ann. 264; Wood & Roane v. Wood, 32 La.Ann. 801; Miller, Lyon & Co. v. Cappel & Curry, 36 La.Ann. 264; Van Raalte v. Congregation of the Mission, 39 La.Ann. 617, 2 So. 190; Bonnecaze v. Lieux, 52 La.Ann. 285, 26 So. 832; Bank of Leesville v. Wingate, supra; Interstate Trust & Banking Co. v. Powell Bros. & Sanders Co., 126 La. 22, 52 So. 179; Osborne v. Mossler Acceptance Co., 214 La. 503, 38 So.2d 151; Commercial Credit Co. v. Melba Candy Co., 3 La.App. 267; Terrel v. Ferguson, 4 La.App. 339; General Finance Co. of La. v. Evans, La.App., 196 So. 581; and General Contract Purchase Corp. v. Doyle, supra. And where there is a discrepancy between the note sought to be collected and the note described in the mortgage, this discrepancy is fatal to the action. Chambliss v. Atchison; Courtney v. Andrews; Ricks v. Bernstein; Miller, Lyon & Co. v. Cappel & Curry; Van Raalte v. Congregation of the Mission, all supra; Taylor & Husband v. Boedicker & Badenhausen, 21 La.Ann. 170; Hackmuller v. Figueroa, 125 La. 307, 51 So. 207; Kreher v. Theisman's Estate, 125 La. 600, 51 So. 656; Bass v. Barthelemy, 134 La. 319, 64 So. 126; and Southern Hardware & *231 Woodstock Co. v. Smith, 11 La.App. 49, 123 So. 403."

On May 23, 1957, fifteen days after the Sheriff's sale, Guaranty Finance Co., Inc. sued Tapp in Suit No. 60,681 for a deficiency judgment, which was rendered after personal service on the defendant and by default on June 21, 1957.

On June 8, 1960 Guaranty Finance Co. Inc., and Elmer A. Uffman executed a document purporting to be a transfer of the deficiency judgment in suit No. 60,681 to Mr. Uffman, and thereafter, on June 13, 1960 a third suit, No. 76,050, was brought by Elmer A. Uffman against Tapp seeking to garnish the latter's wages. Doherty Hardware Company was made garnishee and answered, showing that the judgment debtor was employed by it.

On July 28, 1960 this, the fourth suit, No. 76,873 was filed by Tapp against Guaranty Finance Company, Inc. and Elmer A. Uffman, seeking to enjoin the garnishment of his wages and further seeking an annulment of the deficiency judgment rendered June 21, 1957. Judge Johnson granted a preliminary injunction halting the garnishment. Thereafter, on the merits, Judge LeBlanc denied a permanent injunction and refused to set the deficiency judgment aside.

It appears from the record that the plaintiff herein, Oliver C. Tapp, did not consult an attorney prior to the instant suit and took absolutely no action in any of the previous proceedings. The nullity of the foreclosure proceeding under executory process is complained of here for the first time.

It cannot be seriously disputed that the sale under executory process was null and that had the debtor sought to enjoin it, he would have been successful. Furthermore, had Tapp contested the demands for a deficiency judgment or had he appealed from the deficiency judgment rendered against him by default, he would have been successful. Mack Trucks Inc. v. Dixon, La.App., 142 So.2d 605; Doherty v. Randazzo, La.App., 128 So.2d 669.

In the last cited case the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal in considering an action seeking a judgment of nullity of a seizure and public sale of property by executory process held:

"However, as a general rule, a mortgagor is estopped from complaining that the order for executory process was signed without ample authentic evidence once the property is adjudicated.4 An exception thereto was initially

"4. Miller v. People's Homestead & Savings Association, La.App., 161 So. 656; Franek v. Brewster, 141 La. 1031, 76 So. 187.

created in the case of Viley v. Wall5 and the validity thereof was

"5. 1923, 154 La. 221, 97 So. 409, 411.

recognized in two subsequent cases.6

"6. Burden v.

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158 So. 2d 228, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tapp-v-guaranty-finance-company-lactapp-1964.