Opinion ID: 1681558
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Validity of the Judgment Lien

Text: The defendants next argue that at the time of the March 1, 1954, conveyance, the land in question was the separate property of Flora Shield. According to the defendants, if the record title appeared in Elgean Shield prior to March 1, 1954, the undisputed evidence is that he held as trustee for his wife, Flora Shield. Thus, the defendants conclude that the plaintiffs have no valid judgment lien to foreclose because the judgment which they acquired in Ft. Davis against Elgean Shield could not be said to attach as a lien to the separate property of Flora Shield. The jury found that at the time of the March 1, 1954, conveyance, the record title in the name of Elgean Shield to the 2,031-acre tract was not held for the use and benefit of his wife, Flora Shield. The defendants contend that there is no evidence to support this finding. We do not agree. In 1937 the status of the 2,031 acres was that, by inheritance, Elgean Shield owned a 6/25ths interest, I. O. Shield owned a 6/25ths interest, Camille Wallace owned a 6/25ths interest, Leon Shield owned a 6/25ths interest and Shield Brown owned a 1/25th interest. All of these parties had joined in a mortgage and deed of trust to P. O. Ketchum, which lien and note were later transferred to Kansas City Life Company. The interest of Leon Shield was mortgaged under a deed of trust, which was a second lien, to the First Coleman National Bank, and both notes were in default in 1937. Mrs. Flora Shield knew of these mortgages and knew that the notes were delinquent. At that time, in 1937, I. O. Shield, by two separate deeds, conveyed his interest in the land to Mrs. Flora Shield (and in addition 500 more acres, which were later conveyed by Elgean Shield to Camille Wallace in the partition suit), and Elgean Shield conveyed his interest in the land to Mrs. Flora Shield. The deed to the 2,031 acres from I. O. Shield recited that it conveyed his 6/25ths interest, and the deed to the 500 acres recited that it conveyed all my right, title and interest as it appears in the said lands. The deed of Elgean Shield to Flora Shield also conveyed all of my interest as it appears in the said lands. The First Coleman National Bank then acquired the lien of Kansas City Life Company and foreclosed against the land, and a trustee's deed was executed to the First Coleman National Bank in early 1938. A ratification deed was then executed to the First Coleman National Bank by all of the parties including Mrs. Flora Shield, and this ratification contained a warranty of title. In 1938 the land was conveyed by the First Coleman National Bank to Elgean Shield, and he conveyed an undivided interest therein to Camille Wallace. This undivided interest was later the subject of a partition suit in 1950, and deeds were exchanged, Camille Wallace conveying to Elgean Shield all of her interest in the 2,031 acres and Elgean Shield conveying to Camille Wallace all of his interest in the 500 acres. In 1947 Elgean and Flora Shield executed a deed of trust on their interests in the 2,031-acre ranch to the Ortin Associates securing the payments of certain notes, and in 1949 this deed of trust was foreclosed and the property was conveyed by trustee's deed to Shield Oil and Gas Company. In 1950 Shield Oil and Gas Company conveyed the said 2,031 acres to Elgean Shield, such deed reciting unto the said Elgean Shield out of his sole and separate estate. The defendants contend that the deed from Elgean Shield to Flora Shield in 1937 was a warranty deed. Thus, the defendants contend that the deed from The First Coleman National Bank to Elgean Shield in 1938 was an after-acquired' title. We do not agree. As stated by the Court of Civil Appeals:    the conveyances to Flora Shield in 1937 conveyed the `right, title and interest as it appears' in the property and the evidence shows that the right, title and interest of each of the grantors was subject to mortgages and deeds of trust, the existence of which was well known by Mrs. Shield. These mortgages were foreclosed and thereby Mrs. Shield's separate interest in the land was also foreclosed and lost. Furthermore, Flora Shield joined in the deed of trust with her husband in 1947 to Ortin Associates, and on foreclosure of this deed of trust a trustee's deed was given to Shield Oil and Gas Company. Then Shield Oil and Gas Company conveyed the subject property to Elgean Shield, reciting that the consideration was paid out of his sole and separate estate and the deed was made to him as his sole and separate property. The record does not show, as a matter of law, that at the time of the March 1, 1954, deed, the land in question was the separate property of Flora Shield.