Opinion ID: 411941
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Contract Formation and Validity

Text: 15 The Buslees assert that no contract was formed. They claim that there was no meeting of the minds since Mr. Otero signed the purchase agreement after the addition of, but without approving, the modifications on which Mr. Buslee had conditioned his approval. However, there were at least three purchase agreements, and both Mr. Otero and Mrs. Buslee signed at least one, to which Mr. Buslee's addendum was never attached, on September 5. There was evidence that Mrs. Buslee was authorized to contract for both herself and her husband. Moreover, Mrs. Buslee was apparently ready to close the sale even though she knew that Mr. Otero had not signed the modifications. There was sufficient evidence for the trial court to find that the parties had a meeting of the minds. We uphold its finding that they formed a contract. 16 The Buslees also argue that the contract is void under N.M.Stat.Ann. Sec. 40-3-13 (1978). Under that section, a contract to sell land held in joint tenancy by a husband and wife is void unless the wife either signs the contract or gives the husband a power of attorney to sell the land. Hannah v. Tennant, 92 N.M. 444, 589 P.2d 1035 (1979). The power of attorney must be recorded as if it were a conveyance of the property. N.M.Stat.Ann. Sec. 47-1-7 (1979). 17 A contract's invalidity under section 40-3-13 is an affirmative defense. See Hannah, 589 P.2d at 1037. The defendant bears the burden of proving an affirmative defense, 3 Wendell v. Foley, 92 N.M. 702, 594 P.2d 750 (Ct.App.), cert. denied, (1979), even if he must assert a negative, see Kuchan v. Strong, 39 N.M. 281, 46 P.2d 55 (1935). At trial, the Buslees did not testify that a search of the relevant land records had failed to produce a properly recorded power of attorney; they offered no evidence suggesting that there was none. 4 We uphold the trial court's finding that the Buslees did not establish this affirmative defense. 5