Lawyer v. Sams
Decision Date | 15 November 1951 |
Docket Number | No. 7803,7803 |
Citation | 237 P.2d 606,72 Idaho 101 |
Parties | LAWYER et al. v. SAMS et ux. |
Court | Idaho Supreme Court |
Paul C. Keeton and Paul W. Hyatt, Lewiston, for appellants and cross-respondents.
Thomas A. Madden and Edward C. Butler, Lewiston, for respondents and cross-appellants.
For convenience we will hereinafter refer to the parties as plaintiffs and defendants. On and prior to January 2, 1932, plaintiff, Corbett Lawyer, was the record title owner of certain real property located near Lapwai in Nez Perce County. Upon said date, a tax deed to such property was issued to Nez Perce County by its Treasurer and Ex-Officio Tax Collector for delinquent taxes for the year 1927. On July 14, 1932, Nez Perce County sold said real estate at public sale to defendant, J. E. Sams, for the sum of $296.68 and executed and delivered its deed to Sams. Whereupon defendants took possession of the property and have remained in possession thereof.
On March 25, 1933, plaintiffs commenced this action against defendants to quiet title as against said tax deeds. Defendants answered, claiming title by virtue of the deed from Nez Perce County. On September 11, 1950, plaintiffs filed a supplemental complaint praying that defendants be required to account for all rentals and profits from the premises. For reasons undisclosed by the record, the cause did not come on for trial until December 19, 1950. At the close of the trial, the court duly made and entered findings of fact and conclusions of law and entered judgment decreeing both the above mentioned tax deeds void and of no effect, quieting title to the premises in the plaintiffs, and granting judgment to defendants for the purchase price, with accrued interest, in the sum of $627.35. No costs were allowed to either party. From such judgment, defendants have appealed to this court. Plaintiffs have cross-appealed from that part of the judgment granting judgment to defendants for $627.35, and from the failure to grant plaintiffs their costs.
The specifications of error by defendants attack the judgment of the trial court decreeing the tax deed to Nez Perce County and the deed from Nez Perce County to defendant, Sams, to be null and void and of no force and effect. The validity of such deeds turns upon the question of whether the Treasurer and Ex-Officio Tax Collector of Nez Perce County served upon plaintiff, Corbett Lawyer, the required legal notice that unless said real estate was redeemed prior to the 2nd day of January, 1932, a tax deed would issue to Nez Perce County.
The law, as to service of notice, in effect at the time involved in this action, is contained in Chapter 181, 1931 Session Laws, page 298, the material part of which reads as follows:
Defendants' Exhibit No. 4 is a resolution of the board of county commissioners of Nez Perce County, adopted August 11, 1931, purportedly made in pursuance of the 1931 Legislative Enactment. It reads as follows:
'Whereas, due and legal notice for failure to pay taxes for the year 1927 was given in the year 1931 'Whereas, the legislature extended the time for paying 1927 taxes from three to four years;
'Whereas, under and by virtue of the said amendment extending said period of redemption, it will be necessary to again serve said owners of said real property and those interested therein; and,
'Whereas, no funds for such services were provided for in the 1930 budget and personal service and posting of notices will entail considerable expense for which no funds are available, and actual notice of said delinquency can be given by using the United States mail.
'Now Therefore, in consideration of the premises, be it resolved that the treasurer of Nez Perce County, Idaho be, and she is hereby instructed and directed to make service of all real property owners and those interest--therein whose taxes for the year 1927 are unpaid by mailing a copy of said notice to all record owners and those entitled to notice thereof, which notice shall be registered with a return receipt requested, as provided in Chapter 181, 1931 Idaho Session laws.'
The tax collector's affidavit regarding service of notice upon plaintiff, Corbett Lawyer, was filed December 31, 1931. The material part of the affidavit is as follows:
The evidence discloses that the Ted Allman mentioned in the affidavit of the tax collector, was the young nephew of Mrs. Sams, residing in the home of plaintiffs. Both plaintiffs testified they never received the notice and the court so found. The court further found that at the time in question, plaintiffs were living at Lapwai in ...
To continue reading
Request your trial-
Summers v. Martin
...by Rule 41 of the Supreme Court. Appellants have fully presented their contentions; therefore we shall consider the same. Lawyer v. Sams, 72 Idaho 101, 237 P.2d 606. Appellants contend that the action commenced in Gooding County attempts a determination of title to real property situate in ......
-
Sines v. Blaser
...is mandatory and the lack of it a fatal defect even though the owner of the property otherwise had actual notice. Lawyer v. Sams, 72 Idaho 101, 105, 237 P.2d 606, 609 (1951); Johnson v. Welch, 48 Idaho 284, 281 P. 748 (1929); Dickerson v. Hansen, 32 Idaho 18, 177 P. 760 (1918); Rice v. Rock......
-
Passmore v. Austin
...v. Hoage, 63 App.D.C. 391, 73 F.2d 114; Annotation 107 A.L.R. 1514. See also, Johnson v. Welch, 48 Idaho 284, 281 P. 748; Lawyer v. Sams, 72 Idaho 101, 237 P.2d 606. The surety bond of respondent not having been canceled as required by statute and by the terms of the bond, we must hold as a......
-
Salvis v. Lawyer, 7919
...... From such judgment appellants appeal to this court. [73 Idaho 471] Prior to the year 1932, respondents were the owners of the farm in issue. In that year the land was sold by Nez Perce County for taxes to one J. E. Sams who thereupon entered into possession of the property. On March 25, 1933, respondents herein commenced an action against J. E. Sams and wife to quiet title as against the tax deed. The cause did not come to trial until December 19, 1950. The trial court found . Page 590. in favor of Lawyer and ......