Van Meter v. Bank of Clearwater

276 So. 2d 241, 1973 Fla. App. LEXIS 6918
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedApril 18, 1973
DocketNo. 72-904
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 276 So. 2d 241 (Van Meter v. Bank of Clearwater) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Van Meter v. Bank of Clearwater, 276 So. 2d 241, 1973 Fla. App. LEXIS 6918 (Fla. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinion

BOARDMAN, Judge.

Defendant/appellant, Pleas W. Van Meter, brings this interlocutory appeal to review the orders of the trial court denying appellant’s attacking motions to plaintiff’s/appellee’s second amended complaint. Appellee, Bank of Clearwater, a Florida corporation, as guardian of the property of Hattie Nix Van Meter, an incompetent, filed its said complaint with the clerk of the Circuit Court of Pinellas County, to which appellant filed his motion to dismiss and motion to add parties. After proper hearing, the conscientious trial judge denied both of appellant’s motions. Appellant did not file additional responsive pleadings to the complaint in the trial court, but elected to seek review here.

We have thoroughly examined the record, read the briefs, and heard the able arguments of counsel.

We affirm the order of the trial judge denying appellant’s motion to add parties.

Appellee has made Pleas W. Van Meter, husband of the ward, a party defendant; it should not be required or compelled to join other parties. We cannot ascertain with certainty that by adding parties not identified by name or interest in the subject matter that the filing of a multiplicity of suits would be avoided.

The other point raised by appellant does, in our opinion, have merit, and we discuss it in detail later herein.

The precise point presented by appellant is whether the second amended complaint, with sufficient particularity, alleges facts to support the allegations set out therein of fraud and undue influence. Appellant’s contention is that the fraud alleged in said complaint is not stated with particularity (Rule 1.120(b), RCP), 30 F.S.A., and, therefore, the trial judge erred in denying his motion to dismiss. The ap-pellee’s contention is opposite and urges af-firmance of the ruling of the trial judge. To determine the question we believe it helpful to set forth the pertinent paragraphs of the second amended complaint:

“COUNT I.
1. This is an action for cancellation of deeds.
a. Hattie Nix Van Meter was adjudicated mentally incompetent by County Judge of Pinellas County, Florida, the Honorable Richard A. Miller on November 10, 1969 and the plaintiff, BANK OF CLEARWATER, was duly appointed Guardian of the Incompetent’s real property and personal property.
b. Prior to her adjudication of incompetency but while incompetent, Hattie Nix Van Meter owned an undivided one-half interest in the following pieces of real property, and may have owned interests in other pieces of property, of
[243]*243which Plaintiff has no personal knowledge at this time, to-wit:
1. Lots 1 through 10 inclusive and Lots 21 and 22, Block 9, of BOUR-LAND’S SUBDIVISION, according to map or plat thereof as recorded in Plat Book 14, Page 27, Public Records of Hillsborough County, Florida.
2. Lots 25, 26, Block 9, of BOUR-LAND’S SUBDIVISION, Public Records of Hillsborough County, Florida.
3. Lots 26 and 63, Block 9, SPRING PARK REVISED SUBDIVISION, Safety Harbor, Pinellas County, Florida.
4. 14 Lots located in Cleveland, White County, Georgia, LONG MOUNTAIN SUBDIVISION.
5. Lot 13, Block 10, LAKE HAMILTON SHORES ADDITION #2 and part of the SE-j4 of the NEJ4 of Section 2, Township 3, Range 19, Garland County, Arkansas and Lots 41, 42, 43, 44, 66, 67, 68, 69 and 70 of the PINE PARK SUBDIVISION of a part of the E-i/£ of the SW-';4 of Section 3, Township 3, South, Range 20 West.
c.Prior to her adjudication of incompetency but while incompetent, Hattie Nix Van Meter, transferred her interest in the above described property to the Defendant, PLEAS W. VAN METER, in the following manner and may have transferred interests in other properties of which plaintiff has no personal knowledge at this time:
1.On or about June 1, 1969, Hattie Nix Van Meter executed what is purported to be a Release of her right, title and interest in the property described in Paragraph 3 b. 1 to the Defendant; said instrument was recorded in Official Records Book 2042, Page 77, of the Public Records of Hillsbor-ough County, Florida, a copy of which is attached hereto and marked Plaintiff’s Exhibit “A” and made a part of this record hereof. There was placed on said instrument state documentary stamps in the amount of 65‡.
2. In March of 1969, Hattie Nix Van Meter, gave what appears to be an Assignment of Mortgage on the property, described in Paragraph 3 b. 2, to the Defendant.
3. Prior to her adjudication of incompetency but while incompetent, Hattie Nix Van Meter, transferred her interests in the lots described in Paragraph 3 b. 3 to the Defendant.
4. Prior to her adjudication of incompetency but while incompetent, Hattie Nix Van Meter, transferred to the Defendant a Deed which purports to convey all of her right, title and interest to the property described in Paragraph 3 b. 4.
5. Prior to her adjudication of incompetency but while incompetent, Hattie Nix Van Meter, transferred an undivided one-half interest in the property described in Paragraph 3 b. 5 to the Defendant.
d. That at the making of the above transfers, Hattie Nix Van Meter, from bad health, mental trouble, and old age, was utterly, totally and entirely non-compos mentis, without mind or freedom of will, and was incapable of making any contract whatever, or of judging of the proper disposal of her property.
e. That at the time of the execution of the above transfers Hattie Nix Van Meter, was entirely under the influence, mental control and volition of her husband, the Defendant, and was fraudulently induced by him to execute the above described deeds.
f. That the Defendant, PLEAS W. VAN METER, is the husband of Hattie Nix Van Meter and was living at the home at the time of the execution of the [244]*244said instruments by Mrs. Van Meter. The Defendant was maintaining a close fiduciary relationship with Mrs. Van Meter by reason of their marriage and was using his position to fraudulently induce her to execute the purported transfer deeds.
g.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Arvida Corp. v. Nu-Way Plumbing, Inc.
295 So. 2d 118 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1974)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
276 So. 2d 241, 1973 Fla. App. LEXIS 6918, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/van-meter-v-bank-of-clearwater-fladistctapp-1973.