White v. Phillips Petroleum Company

232 So. 2d 83
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 20, 1970
Docket2919
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 232 So. 2d 83 (White v. Phillips Petroleum 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
White v. Phillips Petroleum Company, 232 So. 2d 83 (La. Ct. App. 1970).

Opinion

232 So.2d 83 (1970)

Joseph D. WHITE et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants,
v.
PHILLIPS PETROLEUM COMPANY, Defendant-Appellee.

No. 2919.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

January 15, 1970.
Rehearing Denied February 4, 1970.
Writ Refused April 20, 1970.

*84 Broussard, Broussard & Moresi, by Marcus A. Broussard, Jr., Abbeville, for plaintiffs-appellants.

Bailey & Mouton, by Charles Bailey, Lafayette, for defendant-appellee.

Before TATE, CULPEPPER and MILLER, JJ.

MILLER, Judge.

Plaintiffs claim ownership of a one acre square tract of land in the southeast corner ofa 20 arpent tract which measures 2½ arpents east and west by 8 arpents north and south. The larger tract, which is in the Erath Field of Vermilion Parish, is under mineral lease to defendant, and this suit is for the recovery of the value of minerals produced by defendant from the one acre parcel in controversy.

Both plaintiffs and defendant trace their claims to a common author, P. J. Miller. Plaintiffs' ancestor in title acquired the one acre parcel by Act of Exchange executed *85 and recorded in the Conveyance Records of Vermilion Parish on November 13, 1929, wherein the tract in dispute was described as:

One certain tract of land lying and being situated in the Parish of Vermilion, State of Louisiana, containing One (1) Acre, and being taken in the Southeast (SE) Corner of a certain tract of land containing 20 arpents, more or less, measuring 2½ arpents East and West by 8 arpents North and South, more or less, and bounded North by P. Evilier Broussard, or assigns, East by Williams Jones et als., South by Rose Hill and West by Jessie White. Said One Acre of land being bounded North by Dr. Preston J. Miller, East by William Jones et als., South by Rose Hill and West by Dr. Preston J. Miller, and being a portion of the same property acquired by Preston J. Miller from Theodore Broussard, per deed recorded in Volume 87 at folio 403, under Entry No. 42,026 of the Conveyance Records of Vermilion Parish, Louisiana.

Defendant's mineral leases were granted on March 18, 1956 and on February 20, 1957. The first lease was acquired by defendant directly from Miller and the mineral lease described the entire twenty arpent tract. All but 2.729 acres in the northeastern portion of the twenty arpent tract was released. Defendant's second lease was granted by Miller to W. K. Smith (who later assigned to defendant) and covered the remainder of this same twenty arpent tract.

Defendant's first mineral lease as to the 2.729 acres and its second mineral lease as to the balance of the twenty arpent tract have been continuously maintained in force by production from Conservation Department units in the field. The one acre parcel claimed by plaintiffs is included in each unit except the 307.96 acre unit shown as Exhibit D-8.

The accuracy of the description of the twenty arpent tract in defendant's mineral lease is not disputed. and it includes the one acre tract claimed by plaintiffs appellants. Defendant does not question the description of the twenty arpent tract in the Act of Exchange by which plaintiffs' ancestor in title acquired the one acre tract.

The first issue is whether under the laws of registry prevailing in this State, the mineral leases of defendant take precedence over plaintiffs' acquisition. Plaintiffs claim that defendant's leases are subordinate to their acquisition by Act of Exchange as it was first executed and recorded. Defendant, although admitting that plaintiffs' deed antedates its mineral leases and preceded them of record, contends that the deed does not locate or identify the one acre parcel and that as a "purchaser" on the faith of the public records (McDuffie v. Walker, 125 La. 152, 51 So. 100 [1910]), it acquired full leasehold rights in the entire twenty arpent tract free and clear of plaintiffs' claims.

Is the description (one acre in the southeast corner of a tract containing 20 arpents more or less, measuring 2½ arpents east and west by 8 arpents north and south, more or less, said one acre being bounded north and west by vendor who previously owned the entire 20 arpent tract, and east and south by named neighboring property owners) so vague that it conveys nothing and third party "purchasers" purchasing from the party who conveyed by this description, can acquire from this same party the entire twenty arpent tract?

The trial court found that it was and dismissed plaintiffs' suit. On appeal, plaintiffs contend that their deed adequately described and locates the one acre in dispute; and alternatively, that the description used was sufficient to place defendant on notice that P. J. Miller, its lessor, owned twenty arpents LESS ONE ACRE and could lease no greater interest.

A most impressive argument is made by defendant that the parties to this Act of *86 Exchange (White and Miller) did not intend that the one acre parcel should be in the shape of a square. Defendant points to the fact that in the very Act of Exchange by which this one acre was conveyed by Miller to White, Miller also conveyed to White three other one acre tracts. Two of these one acre tracts were described as "* * * One (1) Acre square, and being taken from the Northeast corner * * *" and "* * * containing One (1) acre, square * * * and being in the southeast corner * * *". The other two one acre tracts were not so designated as to shape. We have quoted the description of the acre which is the subject of this suit. The description of the other one acre tract where the shape was not specified as square is:

"One certain lot or parcel of land lying and being situated in the Parish of Vermilion, State of Louisiana, containing One (1) Acre, of land, and being bounded North by Coulee Kinney, East by Preston J. Miller, or rather a fence erected by the said Preston J. Miller, separating his Dwelling house from his barn, said fence running North and South, from said Coulee Kinney to the Public Road, said acres of land being taken in the northern portion and adjoining the Coulee Kinney, and being a portion of the same property acquired by Preston J. Miller from Rodolph Guidry, per deed recorded in Volume 89, at folio 447, under Entry No. 43,096, Conveyance Records of Vermilion Parish, La."

Defendant has established that an "acre" is a unit of quantity, not form, comprising an area of 160 square rods or 43,560 square feet. In Corpus Juris Secundum, Vol. I, page 921, an acre is defined as "A quantity of land containing one hundred and sixty square rods of land in whatever shape; * * *". See also Black's Law Dictionary to the same effect.

The only testimony in the record is that of Eugene Sellers, Civil Engineer and Land Surveyor. He was called by plaintiffs and testified as an expert that given the description here at issue, he would survey the usual one square acre 208.71 feet by 208.71 feet out of the southeast corner of the 20 arpent tract. He based this on his experience of 10 years. He explained that if the acre was to be anything but square, the parties usually describe the irregular shape. Tr. 94. This is the only evidence in the record concerning shape of the tract.

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Bluebook (online)
232 So. 2d 83, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/white-v-phillips-petroleum-company-lactapp-1970.