Court Opinion

ID: 3267749
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2016-07-05 16:36:11.403873+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:41:15.712617
License: Public Domain

It is not my purpose in writing this dissent to attempt any elaborate display of authorities.
I mean only to show my disapproval of the majority opinion. I think it is demonstrably unsound.
The undisputed evidence in this case shows that the fund or money sued for as a trust fund had been misapplied, or at least used in the installation of a heating plant. It may be that not all of the fund was so used, but such a substantial portion thereof as would make it unnecessary to attempt any discovery of the small remainder or balance. *Page 900 
Upon the tracing and location of this fund in the heating plant, which was a part of the real property, there was but one remedy open to the claimant, Mrs. Sparks. She had a right to follow this fund and the further right to have enforced against it, or against any property in which it was invested, a lien in order that she might be protected. It is no answer to this contention to say that there was a first mortgage upon this real property in which the heating plant was located. That would not give her any lien or right against any other property into which this fund had never entered.
This conclusion of the majority must be recognized as erroneous when we consider that other parties have claims, not inferior in any respect to that of Mrs. Sparks, and which they can rightfully assert against the property in the hands of the receiver, which funds make up the entire property against which Mrs. Sparks was given a lien. The majority did not intend, by declaring this lien in her favor, to make it against all of the other property in the hands of the receiver superior to any other claim, but such is the effect of the decision, and it results in the same degree of unfairness as if the intention did exist. When all other claims to this fund in the hands of the receiver are paid, claimants must take proportionally less than what is due them, because their money has been taken to pay Mrs. Sparks in full, while her money must remain lost in the heating plant after she shall have been paid. In addition, that balance that remains will be charged with the costs of all the proceedings, including a receiver's fee, before other claimants will share therein.
Therefore the error of the majority makes Mrs. Sparks the favorite beneficiary, preferred over other claimants occupying relatively no worse position than she does, who must lose by reason of this error.
Moreover, in addition to not being warranted by law, the result is grossly inequitable.
SMITH, J., concurs in this dissent. *Page 901