Court Opinion

ID: 9794619
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 03:08:34.324669+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:18:13.307636
License: Public Domain

RAPER, Justice,
concurring in part and dissenting in part.
I concur with the majority opinion only to the extent of reversing the district judge on the grounds that the case should be treated as one for declaratory judgment.
*510I am convinced that it is a question of law as to whether or not the case was tried in such a fashion that the plaintiffs were entitled to amend their complaint to the extent of asking for the relief of ejectment to which they have shown themselves entitled. The same basic premise exists in an ejectment action and a quiet title action. If the plaintiffs establish title in themselves and are otherwise entitled to possession, then they are entitled to have the trespasser ejected, even though they may have initially prayed for a decree quieting title, particularly under the circumstances of this case.
In going through the district court file, it should be noted that plaintiffs joined as defendants many persons and entities practically all of whom were in default at the time of trial. The only answering defendants were Helen B. Heath, Dolly Irene Hunter, Roy and Zadabeth Marion and Leona Fern Ellison. The first time this case was appealed, we dismissed it because of Rule 54(b), W.R.C.P. in that all of the many other persons named as defendants had not been closed out by a default judgment. Eventually a default judgment quieting title in the plaintiffs as against its non-answering defendants was entered and the appeal to this court finally perfected. There was a quiet title aspect to the case as to those many other defendants.
At a point prior to trial, the district court entered summary judgment in favor of the Braggs on the issue of adequate and sufficient consideration for the Heath-Bragg quitclaim deed but at the same time denied summary judgment on the issue of delivery and on the issue of adequacy of the quitclaim deed from Mrs. Heath to the plaintiffs because of issues of fact as to those matters. The outcome of the case as to proper relief would, therefore, depend upon who appeared. While the plaintiffs were perhaps careless in not seeking an amendment sooner, still the title status of the parties would not be established until all of the evidence was in. Rule 15(b), W.R.C.P. is not so inflexible that appropriate amendments cannot be made at almost any time. It is also interesting and pertinent that in their complaint, the plaintiffs prayed that not only title be quieted and that the defendants be adjudged to have no right, title, or interest but also “that Plaintiffs have such other and further relief as is proper in the premises.” I would hold that the plaintiffs are entitled to amend as a matter of law, and there is no need to remand the case for the district judge to make any findings or decisions in that regard.
In reversing the district court, I would direct entry of a judgment ejecting the defendants, if they are in fact in possession of the eighty acres. Apparently some of the defendants have been doing road construction work on the premises. On the basis that the plaintiffs have, as a matter of law, shown an uninterrupted chain of good title, the defendants should be ejected. The documentary evidence alone establishes such a title. The Producers Gold and Copper Mining and Milling Company filed on the Clara B., Emma G., Gold Coin, and Olney lode mining claims which were described in Survey Number 423, in a described portion of Section 34, Township 18 North of Range 78 West of the 6th p.m. in Carbon County, Wyoming. Thereafter, the United States issued a patent to those claims and incorporated into the patent the same description as disclosed by Survey Number 423.
Thereafter Sol R. Teague acquired title somehow from the mining company. No one challenges any mesne conveyances between the patent and Teague’s title. Both sides depend on Teague’s title. By a regularly recorded deed made on May 6, 1971, recorded May 11, 1971, Teague conveyed to one of his daughters, Helen B. Heath, all of his interest in the above described claims embraced by Survey Number 423. On November 1,1977, by a quitclaim deed, recorded November 7, 1977, Helen B. Heath conveyed all of her interest to the plaintiffs in this action, describing the property only by references to the claim names, covered by Government Survey Number 423, excepting only a two-acre tract. Thereafter, on October 19, 1978, the district court for Carbon County enteréd a decree determining the *511heirship of Sol Rogers Teague and named four daughters, the defendants and appel-lees in this action, and held that each was entitled to an undivided one-quarter interest in the real property owned by the decedent, Sol Rogers Teague and described the claims embraced by the United States patent.
The trial judge in this case entered a judgment. The court’s substantive holding was that plaintiffs failed to show a connected chain of title vesting a legal estate in them and that the deed which the plaintiffs had, which referred only to a survey describing various mining claims, was extinguished upon the issuance of a fee patent. Perhaps the mining claims were superseded by a patent, but that makes no difference. The patent in evidence does not extinguish the mining claims. It continues to identify the premises as the Clara B., Emma G., Gold Coin, and Olney parcels as described by Survey No. 423 and only perpetuates the rights thereto.1 It is noted that the decree determining heirship also describes the property owned by Sol Rogers Teague as “Those certain patented mining claims (Patent, the United States of America, No. 91959, issued November 29, 1909, General Land Office No. Cheyenne 06) known as the Clara B., Emma G., Gold Coin, and Olney lode mining claims, designated by the Surveyor General as Survey No. 423 * * *.” The only purpose in the deed for referring to the mining claims was to describe the land conveyed in that the patent had already issued. If that is not so, then Mrs. Heath defrauded the plaintiff; but I do not think the latter to be the case.
I am satisfied with the law set out in the plaintiffs’ brief to the extent that what can be made certain, is certain. The reference to land made in the quitclaim deed to the plaintiffs was to land as embraced by Survey Number 423. Survey Number 423 does embrace the land conveyed as appears more fully in the patent. It should be noted that in the Heath-Bragg deed, there is a reference made to “less Tracts in Clara B. 2 A. more or less.” That tract appears to have been a two-acre tract divided into twelve lots, each of which varies in size from 100 X 100 feet to 75 X 125 feet, as cabin sites. Cabin No. 1, on the excepted two acres, was owned by someone else for some thirty years.
It seems to me that the only question in this case is whether the plaintiffs’ title is better than that of the defendants. It was acquired by plaintiffs prior in time by valid deed from Sol R. Teague before his death. The determination of heirship was subsequent but there was then no land of Teague left for the named heirs. It had been transferred to his daughter who sold to plaintiffs. The defendants produced no muni-ments of title other than the determination of heirship which is late in point of time. Heirs cannot establish title by such a proceeding in land which the decedent did not own.
I am convinced that the plaintiffs proved their title clearly and unquestionably and are entitled to a decree ejecting the defendants. The only question I can see involves location of the cabins. It is not as clear as perhaps it could be whether cabins are located on the eighty-acre tract covered by the Heath-Bragg deed or whether they are in the subdivided two acres which were excepted by Mrs. Heath. The transcript of testimony tells me they are not on the eighty acres. There might be some question about an occupying claimant’s right under § 1-32-206, et seq., W.S.1977. There was no alternative counterclaim count by defendants asking for value of any cabin.
I cannot figure out really what would be accomplished by remanding and directing the district judge to make certain findings, which he will do and the case may end up in exactly the same posture as at the present time. So, as I see it we will probably have *512another appeal back in our laps in which exactly the same issues as we have before us will be presented. It is suggested they should and can be settled now.
I would, therefore, reverse the district court in all respects accordingly.

. The metes and bounds description of each parcel begins with the language: “Beginning, for the description'of the Clara B. lode claim, at corner No. 1, * * * “Beginning, for the description of the Emma G. lode claim, at corner No. 1, * * * “Beginning, for the description of the Gold Coin lode claim, at corner No. 1, * * * ”; and “Beginning, for the description of the Olney lode claim, at corner No. 1, * *