168 Ga. 213 | Ga. | 1929
Mrs. Kate G. Hardin, as administratrix on the estate of Mrs. Anna E. Gramling, brought ejectment against E. Lee Douglas as the real defendant, and certain tenants in possession, to recover two lots of land in the City of Atlanta, one of which will be hereafter referred to as the Simpson Street property, and the other the West Peachtree Street property. Douglas answered, setting up title to the property in controversy by virtue of a deed executed to him by Mrs. Gramling, plaintiff’s intestate, on June 6, 1911. The plaintiff contended that this deed was void for the reason that it was made as security for a debt owing by Mrs. Gramling to the defendant, and that the debt was usurious in that more than the legal rate of interest was charged and reserved by the creditor, E. L. Douglas, against Mrs. Gramling; and further that the issue on the question of. the debt being an usurious one had been actually litigated and determined between Mrs. Gramling
The motion for new trial contains fourteen special grounds, nine of which complain of certain excerpts from the charge of the court to the jury, four of refusals to charge, and one of the admission of certain documentary evidence. Ground 6 is as follows: “Because, as movant contends, the court .erred in charging the jury: 'The court instructs you that a determination of a subject-matter in a former suit between the same parties, by a court of competent jurisdiction, should be an end to litigation. A judgment in a court of competent jurisdiction is conclusive between the same parties and their privies, as to all matters actually made and determined which were in fact and necessarily decided by the court. The court instructs you that if the judgment in a former case would have been reached without the point in issue in the latter case being directly or necessarily passed upon, the judgment in the former case would not be conclusive on that point. The real question is, was the identical issue involved, and was it material, or could judgment have been reached without directly and necessarily passing upon the question? The court instructs you that parol evidence is permissible to show that a matter apparently covered by the judgment of a court was really not passed on by the court, and that parol evidence is permissible to show just what issue was passed on by the court. And the court instructs you that if you find from the evidence in this case that Douglas hitherto brought suit against Mrs. Gramling, which was defended by Mrs. Hardin as administratrix, and that the issue was raised and litigated between said parties in that case as to whether a deed made by Mrs. Gramling to Douglas in June, 1911, was void or not, and on that issue the jury found in favor of Mrs. Gramling, or her administratrix, and judgment was accordingly rendered thereon, and if that question was actually decided by that jury, necessarily decided, then, in that event, it would be the duty of the jury in this case to consider such judgment as absolute and binding-on you, and you would not be authorized to find that said (?) was good or valid irrespective of what you gentlemen trying this case might yourselves believe as to that issue. In other words, if
The general rule is that in order for a former judgment to bind parties in a subsequent suit by way of estoppel as to any fact, it must appear from the judgment in the former suit, or by extrinsic evidence, that such question of -fact was within the issues of the former action, and was actually litigated and determined in such action. But if such judgment and extrinsic evidence leave it as a mere matter of conjecture as to what questions of fact were litigated and determined in the former action, the judgment is not an estoppel. Draper v. Medlock, 122 Ga. 234 (50 S. E. 113, 69 L. R. A. 483, 2 Ann. Cas. 650); Augir v. Ryan, 63 Minn. 373 (65 N. W. 640). It is true that one of plaintiffs .witnesses testified that the only issue in the former ease was whether the transaction with reference to the property was a loan or a sale. But Douglas contended that there were several issues in that case, among them being an issue as to whether or not there were any funds in the sheriff’s Rands not consumed by claims of higher dignity; whether or not Douglas had paid the taxes or any of them at the time of the institution of the suit; whether or not he had agreed to pay these taxes at the time he received Mrs. Gramling’s deed; whether the suit could be maintained to recover a judgment for taxes that automatically would go to judgment without suit; whether each lot was or was not liable for its own taxes; whether or not these taxes were actually assessed and unpaid; whether or not his payments of these taxes wefe voluntary; whether or not a suit for breach of warranty can be maintained for the voluntary payment of taxes, if she was not ousted from the premises. It did not appear upon what issue the verdict in favor of the defendant was founded, it being generally for the defendant. It was incumbent
It is insisted by learned counsel for the plaintiff that when she, as defendant in the former suit, introduced in evidence the record and judgment in that case, “the result was exactly the same as if she had introduced in evidence a deed from Douglas to her as of the date of the former judgment.” This might be true if the sole issue in the first suit was as to whether the deeds from Mrs. Gram-ling to Douglas on June 6, 1911, were void as being security deeds tainted with usury. But as pointed out previously, and from a perusal of the former record, it appears that there were other issues involved in that case; and therefore the former verdict and judgment will not work an estoppel, where it does not appear from the verdict and judgment on what particular issue the verdict and judgment were founded. Estoppels are not favored by our law. Civil Code (1910), § 5736. “If such judgment and extrinsic evidence leave it a matter of conjecture as to what qrrestions of fact were litigated and determined in the former action, the judgment is not an estoppel.” Draper v. Medlock, 122 Ga. 243 (50 S. E. 116, 69 L. R. A. 483, 2 Ann. Cas. 650); Callaway v. Irvin, 123 Ga. 344, 345, 350, 351 (51 S. E. 477); Bonds v. Brown, 133 Ga. 451 (66 S. E. 156); Evans v. Birge, 11 Ga. 265, 272; Irvin v. Spratlin, 127 Ga. 240 (55 S. E. 1037, 9 Ann. Cas. 341). We are of the opinion that in view of the former record, and of the authorities cited, the excerpt from the charge of the court was adjusted to the issues in the case, and was not error for any reason assigned.
The fi. fa. was as follows: “State of Georgia, Fulton County, City of Atlanta. To the Marshal of the City -of Atlanta, greeting: You are hereby required, that of the goods and chattels, lands and tenements of Mrs. A. E. Gramling, you cause to be made by levy and sale sufficient thereof to make the sum of three hundred twenty-five dollars and sixty-nine^cents, the amount of her city tax for the year 1910; also the further sum of four 35/100 dollars, for interest to October 15, 1910; also the further sum of fifty cents for this fi. fa., and a sufficient amount to cover interest on said principal tax at -the rate of seven per cent, per annum from October 15, 191;0, until settled, together with all costs that may hereafter accrue; and have you the said sums of money before me -on the first day of January next, in payment of said tax and costs, and have you then and there this fi. fa. Witness the Honorable Eobt. E. Maddox, Mayor. Given under my hand and official signature this 17th day of October, 1910. C. E. Adams, (L. S.) Deputy Clerk of Council.” The entry of levy was as follows;
The defendant also introduced in evidence a warranty deed from Mrs. Anna E. Gramling to E. L. Douglas, dated and recorded on June 6,1911, conveying to the grantee, for the consideration of $7,773, the lot in controversy, fronting 50 feet on west side of West Peachtree Street and running back 132 feet. Also a warranty deed from Mrs. Anna E. Gramling to E. L. Douglas, dated and recorded on June 6, 1911, conveying to the grantee, for the consideration of $3901.17, the lot in controversy, fronting 50 feet on the south side of Simpson Street and extending back 126 feet. Also a quitclaim deed from Mrs. Kate G. I-Tardin to E. L. Douglas, dated June 6, 1911, and duly recorded, quitclaiming and conveying to the grantee, for the consideration of one dollar, both the West Peachtree Street lot and the Simpson Street lot above described. The court stated the contentions of the parties, and charged the jury, in part, as follows: ‘“The court instructs you that in an ejectment suit like this, for the plaintiff to recover she must recover on the strength of her own title, and not on the weakness of the defendant’s title. In other words, if the plaintiff in an ejectment suit shows the same sort of title in herself, but not sufficient title to recover on, if the defendant introduced no evidence, then the plaintiff could not recover by showing that the defendant had no title. The plaintiff in an ejectment case must make out a prima facie right to recover against the defendant, by showing that the defendant holds under the same common source of title as the plaintiff herself, and that the defendant’s alleged title, as derived from that source, is void. The defendant may show an outstanding title in another person than the plaintiff, provided the defend
Error is assigned, in ground 14 of the motion for new trial, in admitting to the jury, over the objections of the plaintiff, the tax fi. fa. issued by the City of Atlanta, together with the levy entered thereon, and the tax deed from J. M. Fuller, marshal of the City of Atlanta, copies of which are set -out in the previous part of this opinion. The grounds of objection presented were: (a) That the fi. fa. was void, and the deed made thereunder was void, (b) Because neither the fi. fa. nor the deed described the property as being the same property as that contained in the declaration; and the description in the deed and in the fi. fa. was void, because insufficient to identify any particular property, (c) That neither the deed nor the fi. fa. showed that the prerequisites to the issuance of a fi. fa. for city taxes had been complied with, (d) That neither the deed nor the ii. fa. shows that the prerequisites to the purchase of property by the City of Atlanta under tax sale had been complied with, it being specially pointed out that the City of Atlanta can only bid off property when nobody else bids as much as the tax and the cost, i. e., the amount of the fi. fa., against it. (e) That there was no proof that the property was ever advertised, and no proof that it was ever exposed to sale in the manner required by law; and that there was no presumption on behalf of a fi. fa. issued for municipal taxes that the prerequisites of the law had been complied with, (f) That there was no evidence that the person in possession of the property was given any notice as required by law, as condition precedent to the sale, (g) That the fi. fa. on its face showed that the property was redeemed by Lee Douglas by the payment of $464.75 on March 25, 1914. (h)
The description in the entry of levy, in the fi. fa., and in the deed, are hereinbefore set out. We are of the opinion that the description of the property on Simpson Street was sufficient. No question is raised as to the description of the West Peachtree Street property. If the description is sufficiently definite to enable the levying officer to ascertain the property, it is sufficient. See Stokes v. Georgia, 46 Ga. 412 (2), 413 (12 Am. R. 588). This court has held that a description which can be made certain will be treated as sufficient. Ray v. Pease, 95 Ga. 153, 169 (22 S. E. 190); Horton v. Murden, 117 Ga. 72, 76 (43 S. E. 786); Boggess v. Lowry, 78 Ga. 539 (3 S. E. 771, 6 Am. St. R. 279); Burson v. Shields, 160 Ga. 723 (129 S. E. 22); Hawkins v. Johnson, 131 Ga. 347 (62 S. E. 285); Wiggins v. Gillette, 93 Ga. 20 (2) (19 S. E. 86, 44 Am. St. R. 123). One of plaintiff’s witnesses, Dr. Gramling, testified that this lot was known as 22 Simpson Street. The defendant also /testified that the above street number designated this particular lot. It was also in evidence that the Simpson Street property was enclosed by a fence. The City Code of Atlanta of 1924, § 121, provides: “Deeds made by the City of
The evidence authorized the verdict; the charge was full and fair; and none of the grounds of the motion for new trial show cause for reversal.
Judgment affirmed.