28 Md. 388 | Md. | 1868
delivered the oinnion of this Court.
The only question presented by this appeal, is the validity of the proceedings under which the appellee claims title. These are three judgments rendered by justices of the peace, the writs of fieri facias issued thereon, the levy and sale by the constable, the order of ratification passed by the Circuit Court, and the deed from the constable to the appellee. The power to seize and sell lands under an execution issued by a justice of the peace, is conferred by the Code of Public General Eaws, Art. 83, sec. 3. Such a sale passes no title to the purchaser, until the proceedings shall have been returned to the Circuit Court, and the sale finally ratified and confirmed as provided by Art. 83, sec. 10, of the Code. When land is seized and sold by a sheriff under an execution issued by a Court of record, “it is the sale of the sheriff which vests the title in the purchaser.” Estep and Hall’s Lessee vs. Weems, et al., 6 G. & J., 306. Not so where the sale is made under an execution issued by a justice of the peace, which vests no title in the purchaser until it has been finally ratified and confirmed. In every case where an officer sells under an execution, it is necessary that he should first effect an actual seizure, for the power to sell is limited -to the property taken by the levy of the writ. Wright, et al. vs. Orrell, 19 Md. Rep., 155. The land seized and sold by the officer must be so described, that it may be ascertained and located, otherwise the seizure and sale are void. Williamson, use of Wallis, vs. Perkins, 1 H. & J., 449; Waters vs. Duval, 6 G. & J., 76. By an inspection of the proceedings offered in evidence in this case, it appears that two of the writs of fieri facias, under which the sale was made by the constable, were issued upon judgments of condemnation in attachment. The description-of the property attached in each case is “ one law office and lot of ground,” without further designation, except that it is called goods and chattels. In the judgments of condemnation it is described in the same way. The writs of fieri facias recite the property condemned and w'hich the constable is
The appellee next relies upon the Court’s order of ratification. This oi’der contains a precise description of a lot of ground, which it recites had been seized and sold by the constable, but it nowhere appears from the proceedings of the officer upon which the Court acted, that the property described in the Court’s order ever had been seized and sold . by him. It is material to consider that the Circuit Court in acting upon this subject, exercised a special jurisdiction conferred by statute; and in such case the proceedings must show on their face a substantial compliance with the provisions of the law. Here, as we have seen, the proceedings show that the pretended seizure and sale by the constable was void for uncertainty in the description of the property. In such case the order of ratification cannot give it validity. The 13th sec. of Art. 83 of the Code, makes the ratification by the Court conclusive evidence “ only of the notice of sale required to be given, and the manner of making the sale.” Koechlept vs. Hook’s Lessee, 10 Md. Rep., 179. In that case it was held that after an order of ratification, the validity of
Judgment reversed and judgment for appellant.