Court Opinion

ID: 9864630
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-25 14:30:22.45199+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:17:13.342857
License: Public Domain

THE COURT.
In their petition for a rehearing, respondents urge “the fact that Gustavus S. Miller was a minor when the documents in question were executed precludes rescission thereof.” He was over twenty-five years of age when the fourth amended complaint was filed. It is not perceived, therefore, that he stands in any different position than would any other defendant who had innocently received a gift of property procured through the fraud of a third person.  The question is whether an innocent recipient of a gift procured to be made through another’s fraud can set up his innocence as a defense to an action by the donor to rescind the gift on account of the fraud. No case has been cited or discovered in which such a defense has been upheld. The son has parted with nothing of value, nor do the contract and deed obligate him to do anything. In Antoszewshi v. City Plumbing Co., 185 Mich. 215 [151 N. W. 635], it was held that the plaintiff was entitled to the cancellation of a deed conveying property to a husband and wife, where the execution of the deed was induced by fraud of the husband, the wife not being a party to the fraud nor giving any consideration for the conveyance. In Martin v. Evans, 163 Ala. 657 [50 South. 997, 1000], third persons had fraudulently induced a mother to convey property to Martin, without consideration, in order to prevent the prosecution of her son for a crime; it was held that the mother was entitled to a decree canceling the deed. In that case, however, it appears that Martin was not wholly without fault. Dwight H. Miller was acting for his son- in procuring the conveyance, though without having been appointed the agent of the latter. By now retaining the property ac*466quired through the fraudulent transaction, the son ratifies his father’s agency in procuring it and holds it subject to all the infirmities of title which resulted from his father’s conduct. “He who takes the benefit must bear the burden.” (Civ. Code, sec. 3521.)
Respondents ask that the following language be stricken from the opinion: “A mere reading of the agreement shows that Dwight H. Miller obtained thereby an indefensible advantage over the plaintiff,” on the ground that “allegations do not prove themselves.”  It was not deemed necessary to restate the oft-repeated rule that a demurrer admits the allegations of a complaint and must be decided upon the assumption that such allegations are absolutely true. If the property rights of the parties are as alleged in the complaint and the agreement is correctly set forth therein, then the statement in the opinion of which complaint is made is strictly accurate. It seems needless to add that the court does not assume, except for the purposes of the demurrer, whether the facts alleged are true or not.
The petition is denied.
A petition by respondents to have the cause heard in the supreme court, after judgment in the district court of appeal, was denied 'by the supreme court on December 26, 1924.
All the Justices present concurred.