Tennent v. Caffery

113 So. 167, 163 La. 976, 1927 La. LEXIS 1725
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedApril 25, 1927
DocketNos. 27960, 27961, 28245.
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 113 So. 167 (Tennent v. Caffery) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tennent v. Caffery, 113 So. 167, 163 La. 976, 1927 La. LEXIS 1725 (La. 1927).

Opinion

THOMPSON, J.

The cases styled and numbered in the caption present three separate appeals growing out of an attempt by the plaintiff to foreclose via executiva a mortgage on certain property described in the pleadings.

The first is a devolutive appeal by defendant, Caffery, from an order refusing a preliminary injunction against the executory process after hearing on a rule nisi.

The second is a devolutive appeal by the Westwego Canal & Terminal Company, Incorporated, the present owner of the mortgaged property, from the order of .seizure and sale.

The third is both a suspensive and devolutive appeal by the plaintiff from an order granting the Westwego Canal & Terminal Company a preliminary injunction against the sale under executory process.

The plaintiff has moved to dismiss the two first-mentioned appeals for the reasons: (1) That the plaintiff was not served with the order of appeal and was not cited to answer the appeal; and (2) that there can be no appeal from a judgment dissolving a restraining order nor a devolutive appeal from an order of executory process.

It appears that the two appeals were granted on motion of counsel representing the appellants. The orders did not direct service and citation, but it was the duty of the clerk of court to have caused such notice to be given and service made.

Under the circumstances, we do not think the failure of the clerk to perform that duty can be visited on the appellants.

It is well settled that an appeal will not be dismissed because the appellee was not cited to answer the appeal, when the failure to issue the citation was due to the neglect of the clerk and was not the fault of the appellant. Taylor v. Allen, 151 La. 82, 91 So. 635.

However, it appears that the plaintiff and appellee in an application for writs, in case No. 27949 (161 La. 778, 109 So. 488) on the docket of this court, took cognizance of the two appeals and thereby waived the want of notice and citation of appeal. The appellee is therefore precluded from now asking the dismissal of the appeals on the ground stated.

While the order on its face appears to grant an appeal to Caffery only from the judgment dissolving the restraining order, from which no appeal is allowable,- nevertheless the judgment refused the preliminary *981 injunction, and it is from that judgment we think the appeal was intended to be taken.

The last ground for the dismissal of the appeal of the Westwego Canal & Terminal Company is that no devolutive appeal lies from an order of executory process.

This is unquestionably true in a case where the executory proceedings have culminated in a seizure and sale of the mortgaged property.

And the reason for the rule is that when the writ has thus become functus officio, a reversal of the judgment or order of executory process on a devolutive appeal would not authorize the undoing of what had been done in execution of the order appealed from. Citizens’ Bank v. Bellamy Lbr. Co., 140 La. 497, 73 So. 308; King v. Hardwood Mfg. Co., 140 La. 753, 73 So. 853; Jefferson v. Gamm, 150 La. 372, 90 So. 6S2.

As was said in Jones v. Bouanchaud, 158 La. 27, 30, 103 So. 393, 394:

“And, should the sale take place pending the [devolutive] appeal, said appeal would then present only a moot question. * * * It would decide nothing as to the validity of the debt sued upon. Hence such an appeal could not be entertained after the sale of the property under the writ.”

It has never been held, however, that a devolutive appeal will not be maintained from an order of executory process, where it does not appear that the writ has been executed and the property seized and sold.

Such is the situation here. The property has not been sold and the execution of the writ has been stayed by injunction.

We are of the opinion, therefore, that the appellant is entitled to have the devolutive appeal considered by this court.

Before discussing the issues raised on the several appeals, it may be well to give a brief statement of the facts as disclosed by the pleadings and the documents filed in connection therewith.

On February 10, 1925, Robert Ruffin Barrow sold with full warranty of title, and with full subrogation of all warranties to which he was entitled, unto Donelson Caffery who appears to have been acting as trustee for Richardson, Higgins, and Alexander, a certain tract of land fronting on the Mississippi river, in the town of Westwego, having a frontage of 1 arpent on said river and a depth between parallel lines of 100 arpents.

Also a tract of one-half arpent on either side of Bayou Senette, beginning at a point where said bayou first intersects the continuation of the rear line of said tract and continuing to a point where said bayou finally enters said tract nearest the Mississippi river.

Being the same property acquired by act of sale from Camille Zeringue to Barataria & Lafourche Canal Company, passed on April 21, 1830, before Felix de Armos, notary public for the parish of Orleans, and recorded in the parish of Jefferson in Conveyance Book 1, folio 330.

Together with all the batture rights, privileges, and servitudes appurtenant thereto and all of the buildings and improvements situated thereon, including the canal situated thereon, known as the Barataria and Lafourche Canal, and its locks and appurtenances and the rights and privileges belonging or incidental thereto.

All such rights, title, interest, and privileges, including banks and batture rights, rights of way franchise, public grants, and privileges of any nature whatsoever in and to all the portions of the canal and its connections known as Barataria and Lafourche Canal, lying in the parish of Jefferson, whether within or without the tract of land first described above, as said Barrow may have in his own right, or as successor to the right, title, privileges, and franchises of the Barataria & Lafourche Canal Company and its stockholders.

Being a part of the same property the ven *983 dor declares he acquired from F. E. Tennent by act of sale passed before Aubin Bourg, a notary public of the parish of Terrebonne, on June 11, 1887,, registered in the parish of Jefferson, December 6, 1887, in G. O. B. R., folio 439.

The consideration for the sale to Gaffery was $75,000, of which $35,000 was paid in cash, and for the balance the said Gaffery executed his note payable one year after date to his own order and by him indorsed in blank. To secure the said note, the vendor’s privilege was specially recognized, and the said land was specially mortgaged and hypothecated in favor of any future holder or holders of said note, and the purchaser agreed 'that any such holder should have the right to cause said property to be seized and sold to satisfy said note. The purchaser further bound himself not to alienate or in any manner incumber the said property to the prejudice of the said mortgage.

It was further stipulated that the note should bear no personal liability against the maker, but should operate only on the land.

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Bluebook (online)
113 So. 167, 163 La. 976, 1927 La. LEXIS 1725, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tennent-v-caffery-la-1927.