Court Opinion

ID: 9830038
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-01 19:49:59.931744+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:43:11.323072
License: Public Domain

On Rehearing.
[5] It is pointed out in appellee’s motion for a rehearing that, among others, his pleadings tendered the following issues: (1) That the indebtedness claimed by appellant against Acklin Bros, was fictitious and without consideration ; (2) that the mortgage set up in this suit, securing the payment of said indebtedness, and upon the terms of which appellant bases his right to recover, was made for the fraudulent purpose of hindering, delaying, and defrauding appellee in the collection of his debt; (3) that if the said indebtedness ever existed it had been paid and satisfied before the levy of appellee’s writ of attachment upon the property described in appellant’s said mortgage, and that the appellant and the said Acklin Bros., were colluding and confederating together to suppress and conceal the fact of such payment. There appears to have been no evidence offered on either of these issues, and in view of the trial court’s action it became wholly unnecessary to offer any. As shown in the original opinion, the court sustained a motion made by appellee for judgment in his favor on the facts stated in appellant’s tender of issues because it appeared therefrom that appellant was not in possession of the property in controversy when appellee’s writ of attachment was levied upon the same, but was merely a lienholder. In connection with the presentation and hearing of this motion of appellee, the proof necessary to enable the court to enter judgment in accordance with his announced views of the law was made; but, as stated, no evidence bearing upon the above-stated issues was introduced or tendered. It is recited in what purports to be a statement of facts sent to this court, and which contains certain admissions made at the hearing of appellee’s motion for judgment, that it was understood that said admissions were made for the purposes of said hearing only, and were not binding on either party on any other hearing or trial. In this state of the record we were in error in stating in our original opinion that the case had been fully developed in the trial court, and in rendering judgment in this court for appellant. It is true the record discloses that a demurrer to that portion of appellee’s pleadings setting up that appellant’s indebtedness against Acklin Bros, was without consideration was sustained by the court, evidently on the ground that the pleading was not verified by oath, but the plea of payment remained, and upon another trial appellee would have the right to introduce evidence in support thereof. Besides, were the case simply remanded for a new trial appellee would have an opportunity to amend his plea of no consideration to support the indebtedness claimed against Acklin Bros. If it be said that the record fails to disclose that leave to amend was asked, the reply fnay be made that, as appellee’s motion for judgment on the facts stated by appellant in his tender of issues was sustained, no necessity therefor existed. But, however this may be, appellee is entitled to be heard on his said plea of payment and contends that we erred in rendering judg*670ment for appellant.' In this contention we concur, and our action in rendering judgment in favor of appellant will be set aside and the cause remanded for a new trial.