Opinion ID: 1563772
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Arguments Advanced on Appeal

Text: To support its appeal, plaintiff argues that the Superior Court made numerous errors when it granted defendants' motion to vacate. First, plaintiff argues that the Superior Court exceeded the scope of this Court's mandate when it vacated the default decree. The plaintiff argues that once the hearing justice determined the issue concerning excusable neglect, the lower court had nothing left to decide, and defendants' motion to vacate should have been denied. Second, plaintiff asserts that the hearing justice improperly relieved defendants of their own attorney's negligence when he granted the motion to vacate. Third, it contends that because this matter is a statutory proceeding under § 9-21-2, the court improperly vacated the judgment on the basis of equitable principles. Fourth, plaintiff maintains that in the event that this Court agrees that the decree was vacated properly, the hearing justice nonetheless incorrectly assessed the redemption costs. The plaintiff asserts that it should have recovered all the property taxes it paid, plus interest, the amount of its expenditures for repairs and capital improvements, attorneys' fees, and rents defendants collected. In response, defendants primarily rely on the doctrine of acceptance of benefits. They contend that plaintiff waived its right to appeal because it accepted the redemption amounts ordered by the hearing justice and tendered the deed to defendants before final judgment was entered. They argue that the fact that plaintiff accepted payment before final judgment was entered rendered plaintiff's action voluntary rather than one done under legal compulsion, and thus plaintiff waived its right to appeal. Lastly, they contend that the hearing justice correctly established the redemption amount based on the original redemption agreement, plus accrued interest.