3 Chand. 253 | Wis. | 1851
This is an appeal from an order of the circuit court overruling a demurrer to the complainant’s bill. The bill sets out, in substance, that Charles C. P. Arndt and the defendant, Drake, bargained with James D. Doty for two half quarter sections of land; the said Doty acting in behalf of individuals under the name of the Fond du Lac Company; that the sale was to be on condition that Arndt and Drake
To .this bill a demurrer was interposed, which was overruled by the court, and the defendant required to answer in thirty days. From the order overruling the demurrer, Drake appealed, and now insists that it is erroneous, because, on the facts stated in the bill, the complainant is not entitled to any relief; that he claims no discovery to aid him in his defense of the suit at law, shows no right to the land established at law, and seeks to obtain a title to the land, by the aid of a court of chancery, by a decree enforcing a forfeiture. On the part of the appellee, it is contended that the bill of complaint gives the court jurisdiction without the aid of our statute, under the general class of bills quia timet, to remove a cloud from the complainant’s title, and the court having taken jurisdiction for one purpose, will assume jurisdiction of the whole case, and restrain the proceeding at law ; that our statute gives the court jurisdiction ; that the bill presents a case in which the defendant has such an advantage at law, and in which the title is so embarrassed that the court will assume jurisdiction on the ground of restraining inequitable proceedings at law; that a court of equity only can give adequate relief, as the action of ejectment would only determine the possession ; that this case is not one coming within the rule that the complainant must first establish his right at law, nor a case where it is sought to enforce a forfeiture; that, admitting it to be a forfeiture, the forfeiture has accrued and was enforced by the plaintiff’s grantee.
We think that the order of the circuit court was erroneous, and that none of the positions taken by the appellee can be sustained. If the complainant is entitled to the land, he is
It is too well settled to be at all controverted, that courts of equity will not take jurisdiction of a case for the purpose of enforcing a forfeiture, but always leave a party who seeks to take advantage of one to his remedy at law. Harsburg v. Baker, 1 Pet., 236; Skinner v. Dayton, 2 Johns. Ch., 526. It was argued on behalf of the appellee, that the court obtained jurisdiction under the general class of bills quia timet, to remove a cloud from the complainant’s title, and having jurisdiction for one purpose, will assume jurisdiction of the whole case and restrain the proceedings at law. But it is to be observed that the complainant’s right, as sought to be enforced by this bill, is founded wholly upon the alleged forfeiture; unless a forfeiture has accrued the complainant has no right to the land. If the bill had asked for a discovery to aid the complainant in the defense of the suit at law, it might have been sustained ; but asking for none, and founding the right of the complainant to the land upon the forfeiture alone, it seems clear that it cannot be supported.
. It was contended on the part of the appellee, that the statute gave the court jurisdiction of the case, even if, by the general rules governing courts of equity, the court could not take jurisdiction. The statute referred to (R. S., ch. 84, sec. 34) provides that any person having the possession and the legal title to land may institute a suit against any other person setting up a claim thereto, etc.
We do not think that this section of the statute was intended to give courts of equity the power to disregard the well settled rules of law governing their proceedings for the purpose of determining questions of this nature. It was intended to give a person in possession of land the power to institute a suit in a
In such a case, if the defendant in the ejectment suit makes out a case proper for a court of equity to entertain, the court will take jurisdiction, sustain the proceedings at law, and make out a final decree between the parties. ■ But here the complainant is met at the threshold with the fact that his right to the land is founded wholly upon the alleged forfeiture, and we must leave him to his remedy at law. The order of the circuit court must be reversed.