41 N.E.2d 499 | Ill. | 1942
Walter A. Nelson and Minnie E. Nelson, his wife, appellants, executed a note for $23,000 payable to the order of the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, and secured its payment by a mortgage upon two parcels, the first consisting of 160 acres improved by a dwelling and farm buildings, occupied by mortgagors as their homestead. The second was an 80-acre tract directly across the road upon which there were no buildings. On September 11, 1930, Edward D. Brown, appellee, recovered a judgment in the circuit court of Henry county against Nelson and his wife for $6738.65. An execution issued and was thereafter *372
returned unsatisfied. On March 1, 1932, Walter A. Nelson and Minnie E. Nelson executed a certificate of entry to the insurance company, which recited the execution of the note and mortgage and that mortgagors had defaulted in making the payments of principal, interest and taxes and had surrendered peaceful possession of the mortgaged premises to the insurance company, and had assigned and transferred all right, title and interest in the growing crops upon said premises to the company. On the same day and as a part of the same transaction the insurance company entered into a written lease with Walter A. Nelson by the provisions of which it leased to him on a crop and cash rental basis, the farm from March 1, 1932, to February 28, 1933. During the next six years, similar leases were entered into and Nelson and his family continued to reside upon the farm and operate it. On October 26, 1935, an alias execution issued upon the judgment of September 11, 1930, but was returned unsatisfied by the sheriff. A third execution was issued on July 10, 1936, and served by the sheriff on July 16, 1936. On January 15, 1938, the sheriff sold the property for $8000 without setting off the homestead, and issued a certificate of purchase to Brown, the highest bidder. On November 7, 1938, upon motion, the original cause in which judgment was rendered against the Nelsons in favor of Brown was redocketed, and the Nelsons filed their motion to set aside the sale of January 15, 1938, and to hold for naught the said certificate of purchase issued to Brown. Upon a hearing this motion was denied, and an appeal was taken to the Appellate Court for the Second District where the judgment was affirmed.(Brown v. Nelson,
The Appellate Court rightfully found that appellants had a homestead in the premises and that when the farm was sold by the sheriff under the execution in January, 1938, it was not sold subject to any homestead rights, and *373
that prior to the sale no homestead estate was set off to appellants. But the Appellate Court overruled the contention that the sale was void and stated that the provisions of the statute as to the manner in which an execution sale is to be made are directory and not mandatory, and that the remedy of the appellant was by a complaint in equity. We cannot agree with this latter holding for the decisions in this State are that while a proceeding is pending, that is, before a sheriff's deed has issued, redress for such an error as this should be had from the court which ordered the execution to issue. In McLean County Bank
v. Flagg,
The case of Jenkins v. Merriweather,
This doctrine was also recognized in International Packing Co.
v. Cichowicz,
In Parker v. Crilly,
The judgments of the Appellate Court and of the circuit court are reversed and the cause is remanded to the circuit court of Henry county with directions to allow the appellants' motion.
Reversed and remanded, with directions.