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Conn v. ThorntonConn v. Thornton

Supreme Court of Alabama
Jun 15, 1871
Reporters:
Before:
Saffold
B. F. SAFFOLD, ,J.

Of the essential elements of a promissory nóte, one is, certainly, as to ‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‍the time of payment. Here, the rule that what can be made certain is ■certain, is permitted to operate. A note payable within a limited time after a man’s death, ‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‍is sufficiently certain as to the time of payment, because an event must occur which will make this definite, — 1 Pars, on Notes and Bills, pp. 40, 88, 39. ‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‍A written promise to pay a certain sum of money at the death of a party to the instrument, or at a limited time after the death of such a ‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‍party, or of a third person, is a valid promissory note; because it must inevitably become due at some future time, since all men must die, although the exact period ‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‍is uncertain. — Story on Prom. Notes, § 27.

The judgment is reversed, and the cause remanded.

Case Details

Case Name: Conn v. Thornton
Court Name: Supreme Court of Alabama
Date Published: Jun 15, 1871
Citation: 46 Ala. 587
Court Abbreviation: Ala.
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