Opinion ID: 2638139
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Hess's Life Estate

Text: Hess contends that the real estate contract granted her a life estate in the real property. Although that contract was never recorded, she argues that her possession of the real property gave the Goodmans constructive notice of her life estate, therefore making it valid as to them pursuant to Idaho Code § 55-815. [4] Hess then asserts that Lothrop did not have any authority to bind Hess during the mediation and that the mediating parties were mutually mistaken in reaching an agreement that failed to fully appreciate or respect Hess's life estate in the real property. Hess did not have a life estate in the real property. Under the doctrine of merger, the real estate contract was merged into the deed, and the deed alone determined Hess's rights. Estes v. Barry, 132 Idaho 82, 85, 967 P.2d 284, 287 (1998). Because she did not reserve it in the deed, Hess did not have a life estate in the real property. Since Hess did not have a life estate, whether Goodman had actual or constructive notice is irrelevant. He could not have had notice of a nonexistent interest in the real property. Whether Lothrop had authority to bind Hess is likewise irrelevant, as is Hess's claim that the mediating parties were mistaken in failing to recognize her life estate. Hess did not have any interest in the real property to recognize and so her consent to any mediated agreement was unnecessary. Lothrop also argues that the mediation was unfair because her attorney failed to properly advise her regarding the law. She contends that he did not tell her she may have a defense based upon the doctrines of adverse possession and boundary by acquiescence. Lothrop is not entitled to relief from her agreement based upon an alleged mistake by her counsel in failing to advise her of the applicable law prior to or during the mediation proceedings. She voluntarily chose her attorney and cannot avoid the consequences of any failure on his part to advise her of the applicable law. Henney v. Henney, 100 Idaho 739, 740, 605 P.2d 503, 504 (1979); Donovan v. Miller, 12 Idaho 600, 605-06, 88 P. 82, 88 (1906).