12 Ky. 127 | Ky. Ct. App. | 1822
THIS wás a suit in chancery brought by Breckenridge’s heirs against Clinkinbeard, to . compel the specific execution of a contract entered into between Breckenridge and Clinkinbeard, on the Sd of July, 1797, whereby Breckenridge undertook, at his own ex¿. pence, to adjust by suit at law or otherwise, a claim of 500 acres of land, which Clinkinbeard held in Bourbon county ; and Clinkinbeard gave to Breckenridge full power for that purpose, and agreed when the title was ascertained, to convey to him .one equal moiety in quan. tity and value, of what he might recover.
Breckenridge, sometime afterwards, sold and received the price of fifty three acres of land, which Clinkinbeard conveyed to the purchaser; but the latter resists any further execution of the contract on his part, on the ground, that Breckenridge failed to perform his part of the contract.
The circuit court dismissed the bill, and the complainants have brought the case to this court by writ of error.
It appears that there were various adverse claims conflicting with that of Clinkinbeard; and that against James Kenny, who held one of those conflicting claims, Breckenridge, shortly after entering into the contract' with Clinkinbeard, brought suit and recovered judgment in ejectment, to enjoin which, Kenny filed his
it also appears, that Clinkinbeard, as late as 1805 and I806, had to bring two other suits against other adverse claimants, and employ other counsel; and he alleges that there are still other controversies depend-big. and refers to a suit in which a decree had been pronounced at the time in which he files an amended answer, by which he had lost a part of the land in controversy.
2. Upon the whole, it does not appear that Breckenridge paid any part of the expences incurred, although, by his agreement, he was bound to pay the whole; nor did he even as counsel or attorney at law, attend to and procure the final adjustment of any one 0f the various conflicting claims. Under these circumstances, we cannot suppose that he or his heirs, can be entitled to a specific execution of the contract on the part of Clinkinbeard ; for it is a settled rule of e(fuity, that if any one fails to perform his part of an agreement, or if it has become impossible to bepcrformed, he cannot insist on a specific performance. If, indeed, he has performed so much of his part of the agreement that he cannot be put in statu quo, and is in no default for not performing the residue, he will been, to a specific performance. Butin this case, t'cekeririll<ge may be placed in statu quo, by receivbig a compensation for his services rendered in the part he performed; and as to the residue, he most obvious.
The decree miist be affirmed with costs.