109 Wis. 271 | Wis. | 1901
It developed from the evidence offered by the defendants that the Johnston Harvester Company obtained a judgment against the mortgagor, Gibson, in the .county court of Fond du Lac county, on the 19th day of October, 1878. This judgment was not docketed in the office of the clerk of the circuit court until the 21st day of
But, should the law be conceded to be as claimed by defendants, there is another reason why the lieñ of defendants’ judgment must be postponed to that of the mortgage. The judgment was rendered on October 19, 1878. By sec. 2902, the lien thereof expired ten years from the date of rendition, or October 19,1888. The fact that the judgment
It is further urged that, as plaintiff is an attorney, he could not purchase the mortgage in suit and enforce it, and that he did not purchase in good faith and in the usual course of trade. Upon the question of good faith the evidenqe is all one way, and amply supports the trial court’s conclusions in favor of plaintiff. The fact that George Gibson, one of the defendants, acted as plaintiff’s agent in the purchase of the mortgage, is of no consequence. The reason he was sent to the mortgagee to open negotiations was that it was believed that he could obtain better terms than the plaintiff could. The plaintiff testified that he purchased the mortgage as a matter of business, and paid for it with his own money, without any understanding with others, and frankly stated that he intended to foreclose it if ^not paid. The assertion that he was disqualified from making such purchase because he was an attorney finds no support in the law of this state. It is only where questions of champerty or maintenance arise that such disqualification exists. Miles v. Mut. B. F. L. Asso. 108 Wis. 421. The only authority cited to support the defendants’ contention is from New York, where they have an express-statute on the subject. See Browning v. Marvin, 100 N. Y. 144. The disability of the attorney arises where some duty or obligation to his client is involved, and the courts are strict in enforcing a rigid adherence to such duty and a complete recognition of such obligations. The facts in this case fail to disclose any violation of duty or any such trans-actioh as would bring it within the condemnation of the law.
By the Oov/rt.— The judgment is affirmed.