45 Iowa 510 | Iowa | 1877
Section 3290 of the Code provides that the court shall appoint referees to make partition into the requisite number of shares, or if it is apparent, or the parties so agree, that the
It appears from the petition and answer in this case that the property cannot be equitably divided, and. so far as the practicability of a division is involved no question is made.
The power of the legislature to provide that the shares of all the parties shall be sold, where a division of the land cannot be made, has been too long acquiesced in to be now called in question. We think the owner of an undivided interest in real estate has the right at any time to have partition made; and, if the premises cannot be divided by metes and bounds, he has a right to compel a sale, that he may have and hold his interest in the proceeds in severalty.
Such a proceeding is not depriving.a party of his property without due process of law. When parties, by contract, assume the relation of tenants in common in real estate, the law fixes their respective rights, one of which is that the partnership may be dissolved, so to speak, and that if necessary the common property may be sold and the proceeds divided.
The abstract of title shows that there is a lien' upon the undivided one-half of plaintiffs’ share for the purchase money. It is true this lien purports to be on the whole property, but as the mortgage was not executed by the defendant it cannot affect his interest. The abstract further shows that there is a judgment lien against the interest of the defendant. It is required, by section 3287 of the Code, that if the lien be upon one or more undivided interests the bolder thereof shall be made a party. This has not been done. The lienholders
The cause will be reversed and remanded, with leave to the plaintiffs to make the lienholders parties (if such liens still exist), in order that an account of the liens may be taken. .And the parties should be allowed to present their respective claims for improvements, and for violation of the provisions of the lease, and their rights should be adjusted before an order of sale is made.
Eeversed.