By deed of general warranty dated May 1, 1950, and recorded in this county in deed book vol. 3082, p. 548, one Charles R. Noroski, widower, conveyed certain premises to Henry Berger, plaintiff, William J. Noroski, defendant, and Charles R. Noroski, defendant. Similarly, by deed dated October 31, 1956, another conveyance was recorded by which William J. Noroski and Mary E. Noroski, his wife, and Margaret Franzetta and Charles Franzetta, her husband, conveyed a parcel of land to Henry Berger, William J. Noroski and Charles R. Noroski. Plaintiff, Henry Berger, now brings this action for partition of said real estate alleging a one-third undivided interest in both by virtue of the two deeds. Defendants’ answer raises, as a defense, a resulting trust. Defendants allege all three parties held said parcels of real estate as trustees for the benefit of the Munhall Packing Company, a corporation.
Plaintiff here raises preliminary objections to the use of this defense asserting that, as an express parol trust is alleged by defendants, the statute of frauds and the statute of limitations bar any legal recognition of
As is well established in Pennsylvania, the statute of frauds precludes the introduction of evidence of express parol trusts of interests in land and renders the same void and unenforceable while both implied and constructive trusts are expressly excepted from the same: Act of April 22, 1856, P. L. 532, sec. 4, 33 PS §2; Kalyvas v. Kalyvas, 371 Pa. 371 (1952), and the cases cited therein; Hamberg v. Barsky, 355 Pa. 462 (1947); Detz v. Detz, 57 Lane. 81 (1960). The principle question for determination by the court in the within situation is whether or not the allegations of defendants’ answer sufficiently raise circumstances under which a resulting trust can be declared.
As stated in defendants’ answer:
“It is denied that the named grantees are the legal or equitable owners of the said premises. On the contrary, it is averred that the purchase money for said premises was provided by Munhall Packing Company, a Pennsylvania business corporation, and that the named grantees agreed and understood that they were mere record holders of the legal title of said premises for the benefit of Munhall Packing Company; that Munhall Packing Company has been in continuous and sufficient possession of the said premises since May 1, 1950 to the knowledge of the named grantees; that the named grantees are the officers and directors of said Munhall Packing Company, and that no rental has ever been paid by Munhall Packing Company, nor has any rental been demanded, or claim of ownership made, by the named grantees in respect to said premises.”
While it is true that defendants allege an agreement and that actual proof of such to evidence an express
As to the statute of limitations, Act of April 22, 1856, P. L. 323, sec. 6, 12 PS §83, it is well established that in the case of a resulting trust, possession of the premises by the beneficiary tolls the statute from running. See Zahorsky v. Leschinsky, 394 Pa. 368, 374, 375; Wosche v. Kraning, 353 Pa. 481 (1946); Christy v. Christy, 353 Pa. 476. Likewise, the defense of laches
Plaintiff’s assertion of equitable estoppel has no merit. If proven to be true that defendant grantor could not now present a claim inconsistent with indefeasible title because of the warranty, such a guaranty does not extend to the manner in which the grantee receives his interest. The warranty is only applicable to past events up to the time in which grantee receives his interest, not to future events which may then become clouds on the title. The grantor, in no event, would be estopped from asserting title in another as defeasible beyond his own warranty.
Lastly, plaintiff objects to defendants’ use of a trust defense where the Munhall Packing Company, the alleged beneficial owner thereof, has never in fact asserted title to the same. With this objection, we cannot concur. It is to be noted that plaintiff has alleged right and title to the property in question by virtue of the two deeds. Defendants’ answer specifically denies plaintiff’s actual right, title and interest in said property, asserting said interest is actually in another. It is elementary that in any action for partition, plaintiff must establish among other things a positive right and title to the property in question: Hayes Appeal, 123 Pa. 110, 132 (1888); Hoffer v. Miller, 53 Pa. 156; 14 Standard Pennsylvania Practice §22, and the cases cited therein. Therefore, as defendants are raising an issue of title the defense is a proper one. Likewise, it is well established that any action for partition will be barred if any defendant or third party is in adverse possession of the premises for any period of time, however short. See Swan’s Estate, 238 Pa. 430 (1913);
We are, therefore, in view of the foregoing, of the opinion that the preliminary objections filed by the within plaintiff should be dismissed. An appropriate order will be entered.
Order
And now, March 26, 1964, plaintiff’s preliminary objections having come before the court en banc, following argument thereof and the study of briefs submitted by counsel; upon due consideration thereof, it is hereby ordered, adjudged and decreed that said preliminary objections be and the same are hereby dismissed.
