Case Name: BROWN v. STAPLES et al.
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1915-03-08
Citations: 138 La. 602
Docket Number: No. 21106
Parties: BROWN v. STAPLES et al.
Judges: 
Reporter: Louisiana Reports
Volume: 138
Pages: 601–609

Head Matter:
(70 South. 529)
No. 21106.
BROWN v. STAPLES et al.
(March 8, 1915.
On the Merits, Nov. 15, 1915.
Rehearing Denied Jan. 10, 1916.)
(Syllabus by the Court.)
On Motion to Dismiss.
1. Appeal and Error <&wkey;640 — Grounds for Dismissal — Defective Transcript.
Where the clerk of the district court has returned a transcript as directed by appellant, in accordance with the provisions of Act No. 229 of 1910, the appeal will not be dismissed on the ground of the transcript being defective.
[Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Appeal and Error, Cent. Dig. §§ 2788, 2829; Dec. Dig. &wkey; 640.]
On the Merits.
2. Mortgages <&wkey;151 — Lien of Contractor —Priority.
The recording of a building contract and bond in the mortgage office within 7 days after the date of the contract and before the date fixed for commencing the work, as required by Act No. 134 of 1906, preserves a lien in favor of the contractor, superior to a pre-existent mortgage on the property.
[Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Mortgages, Cent. Dig. §§ 307, 309-311, 314r-329, 332-336; Dec. Dig. <&wkey;>151.]
3. Mechanics’ Liens @=3127, 132 — Mechanics’ Privileges — Subrogation to Contractor’s Lien.
If the contract for the construction of a building be not recorded in the mortgage office, e. g., if it be for an amount too small to require registry, the only lien that a workman or furnisher of material can acquire on the property is that. which results from recording his sworn account or other evidence of the debt in the mortgage office, according to article 3272, Rev. Civ. Code; and, in this event, the sworn account or other evidence of the debt must be recorded within 7 days from the date of the obligation if the property be situated in the parish where the obligation originated, or within 15 days if it be situated in another parish, in order to give the lien a preference over a pre-existent mortgage. But, if the building contract, with bond attached, was recorded in the mortgage office within 7 days after the date of the contract and before the date fixed for commencing the work, a workman or furnisher of material becomes subrogated to the lien of the contractor, to the extent of any balance due him, by filing a sworn statement of the work done or material furnished with the owner of the building and having it recorded in the mortgage office within 45 days after the completion of the building contract, according to the provisions of Act No. 134 of 1906.
[Ed. Note. — For other eases, see Mechanics’ Liens, Cent. Dig. §§ 174-176, 190, 192-207; Dec. Dig. <&wkey;127, 132.]
4. Subrogation <&wkey;7 — Principal and Surety-Payment of Debt.
Payment of the debt of the principal obligor by his surety subrogates the latter to all of the rights of the creditor.
[Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Subrogation, Cent. Dig. §§ 17, 18, 21-29, 58, 77, 83, 92; Dee. Dig. &wkey;37.]
Appeal from Civil District Court, Parish of Orleans; George H. ThSard, Judge.
Action by James Brown against M. C. Staples and others, wherein the National Surety Company intervened. From the judgment, intervener appeals.
Reversed and rendered.
Grant & Grant, of New Orleans, for appellant. Dinkelspiel, Hart & Davey, of New Orleans, for appellee Grünewald.

Opinion:
SOMMERVILLE, J.
Appellee's motion to dismiss the appeal in this case is based, on the ground that the transcript is incomplete, in that it does not contain certain documents offered in evidence during the trial. The transcript was made by the clerk of court under written instructions given to him by counsel for appellant; and Act No. 229 of 1910, p. 388, provides that:
When the transcript is "so prepared the appeal will not be dismissed on the ground of the transcript being defective, but the parties shall have the right to cause to be filed thereafter any omitted portion of the record as a supplemental transcript."
The right is reserved to the parties to the record to cause any omitted portion of the record to be filed as á supplemental transcript, if it shall appear that the same is needed for the proper disposition of the cause.
The motion to dismiss is denied.