Case Name: VITAL et al. v. ANDRUS et al.
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1908-03-30
Citations: 121 La. 221
Docket Number: No. 16,884
Parties: VITAL et al. v. ANDRUS et al.
Judges: 
Reporter: Louisiana Reports
Volume: 121
Pages: 222–222

Head Matter:
(46 South. 217.)
No. 16,884.
VITAL et al. v. ANDRUS et al.
(March 30, 1908.
Rehearing Denied April 27, 1908.)
Vendor and Purchaser — Bona Fide Purchasers — Title Acquired.
A purchaser in good faith from the owner of record is protected against an action in declaration of simulation brought by the forced heirs of the vendor of such owner of record.
[Ed. Note. — For cases in point, see Cent. Dig. vol. 48, Vendor and Purchaser, §§ 583-600.]
(Syllabus by the Court.)
Appeal from Fifteenth Judicial District Court, Parish of Calcasieu; Edmund Dennis Miller, Judge.
Action by Madeline Vital and others against D. D. Andrus and others. Judgment for defendants, and plaintiffs appeal.
Affirmed'.
Lionel Alfred Goudeau, for appellants. Gorham & Gorham, for appellees Andrus. McCoy, Moss & Knox, for appellee Austin.

Opinion:
PROVO STY, J.
Plaintiffs bring this suit as forced heirs of their father — that is to say, as quasi creditors of their father — to set aside a tax sale as having been a mere simulation, resorted to by their father for putting the property, a small plantation, beyond the reach of his creditors. The suit is against the adjudicatees at the tax sale and their vendee, Austin. The tax sale was made in 1897, and was duly recorded. The sale to Austin was made in 1902. This suit was filed in 1907. Austin was no party to the simulation, if simulation there was. He bought the property in perfect good faith, for cash, at its full value, relying upon the record. , We are very far from finding that the tax sale was a simulation; but, even if it was, Austin, as one who has purchased in good faith, relying upon the record, is entitled to protection. A purchaser in good faith is entitled to protection, even if he has purchased from the debtor himself. Civ. Code, art. 1981. A fortiori is he entitled to protection if he has purchased from the vendee of the debtor. Hiriart v. Roger, 13 La. 126; Fletcher v. Peck, 6 Cranch (U. S.) 133, 3 L. Ed. 162, cited in Broussard v. Broussard, 45 La. Ann. 1085, 13 South. 699.
Judgment affirmed.