WILLIAM F. KISZ AND ANN T. KISZ, HIS WIFE, APPELLANTS,
v.
MACK MASSRY, SANDRA MASSRY, SOUTHEAST FIRST BANK OF LARGO AND LETA S. ALLEN, APPELLEES
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In this foreclosure case, the trial court applied a 20-year statute of limitations to appellants' mortgage obligation, rejecting their argument for a 5-year limitation. The appellate court affirmed, holding that appellants were estopped from challenging the judgment on appeal because they had accepted the benefits of a settlement agreement with appellees.
Appellants were estopped from appealing because they accepted the benefits of the settlement agreement. By agreeing to the judgment rendered by the lower court through their settlement, appellants ratified that judgment and are thereafter barred from attacking it on appeal.
[1] A party who accepts the benefits of a settlement agreement is estopped from attacking that settlement, even if the settlement was not initially authorized, provided the p…
[2] A stipulation entered into by counsel for parties after a final judgment, which results in the cancellation of a foreclosure sale and an agreement for payment, can preclu…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“Where a party accepts the benefits of a settlement agreement or a compromise of his case and knows, or in the exercise of due diligence should have known, of the facts concerning that settlement, the party ratifies the settlement by accepting the benefits whether the settlement was in the first instance authorized by him, and he is thereafter estopped to attack the settlement.”
Establishes the legal principle that accepting settlement benefits constitutes ratification and estops a party from attacking the settlement
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceOn June 30, 1978, appellees filed a foreclosure action on a mortgage. The trial in November 1981 focused solely on whether the 5-year or 20-year statu…
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NELSON, WILLIAM J., Associate Judge.
On June 30,1978, an action to foreclose a mortgage on real property was filed by appellees. Appellants filed an answer and affirmative defenses raising the issue of statute of limitations. The only issue at trial was the determination of the applicability of the statute of limitations contained in section 95.281(l)(a) and (l)(b), Florida Statutes (1981). The trial was conducted in November, 1981. There was an oral understanding between counsel that the trial would be conducted similar to an argument for summary judgment in that there would be no presentation of testimony because there were no questions of fact.
At trial appellees took the position that the applicable subsection of Florida Statute 95.281 was subsection (l)(b); that the final maturity of the note was not ascertainable from the record of it, and that the statute of limitations was therefore twenty years. Appellants took the position that Florida Statute 95.281(l)(a) was applicable in that the final maturity of the note was ascertainable from the record and that the five-year statute of limitations should apply-
The trial judge heard argument and decided that the final maturity of the obligation was not ascertainable from the record of it, and, therefore, the twenty-year statute of limitations was applicable. The trial decision was rendered in favor of the appel-lees and final judgment was entered.
The final judgment called for a sale by the clerk on December 7, 1981 at 11:00 a.m. Notice of foreclosure sale was published on November 20 and 27, 1981. Counsel for appellants notified counsel for appellees that “in the meantime” he would discuss with his clients the possibility of making a settlement or going to the appellate court.
On the date of the foreclosure sale, counsel for appellants and appellees agreed that appellants would pay the full amount of the final judgment plus publication costs. Based upon this stipulation and settlement of the case, counsel for appellees cancelled the foreclosure sale. The agreement was never carried through and this appeal followed.
Appellants argue that the trial court erred in applying section 95.281(l)(b). Ap-pellees argue that appellants are not in a position to seek review of this question by the appellate court because of the stipulation entered into by counsel for the respective parties. We agree with appellees.
The stipulated facts show that after the lower court entered its final judgment, counsel for appellants entered into an agreement with counsel for appellees on December 7, 1981, whereby the foreclosure sale to be held that day was called off and appellants were to pay $8,984.34, together with $16.95 to cover the publication costs for the foreclosure sale.
There is no issue as to whether the agreement was entered into or whether appellants received the benefit therefrom. These facts were contained in the court approved statement of the evidence and proceedings.
Where a party accepts the benefits of a settlement agreement or a compromise of his case and knows, or in the exercise of due diligence should have known, of the facts concerning that settlement, the party ratifies the settlement by accepting the benefits whether the settlement was in the first instance authorized by him, and he is thereafter estopped to attack the settlement. Nagymihaly v. Zipes, 353 So. 2d 943 (Fla. 3d DCA 1978).
In that appellants agreed to the judgment rendered by the lower court, the judgment is AFFIRMED.
GRIMES, A.C.J., and RYDER, J., concur.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
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Still v. Polecat Indus., Inc., 683 So. 2d 634 (Fla. 3d DCA 1996)…nt agreement, and ratified the terms of the agreement by accepting the settlement funds. Accordingly, we find no legal basis to contest the settlement agreement. See Lotspeich Co. v. Neogard Corp., 416 So. 2d 1163 (Fla. 3d DCA 1982); Kisz v. Massry, 426 So. 2d 1009 (Fla. 2d DCA 1983); Shields v. Del Rosario, 303 So. 2d 355 (Fla. 3d DCA 1974), cert, denied, 315 So. 2d 97 (Fla.1975). Affirmed.…
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J. Allen, Inc. v. Castle Floor Covering, Inc., 543 So. 2d 249 (Fla. 2d DCA 1989)…he benefits of a settlement agreement or a compromise ... and knows ... of the facts concerning that settlement, the party ratifies the settlement by accepting the benefits ... and he is thereafter estopped to attack the settlement.” Kisz v. Massry, 426 So. 2d 1009 (Fla. 2d DCA 1983). Allen was aware, before entering into the addenda that there would be a claim for damages on the rework required under the owner’s interpretation of the prime contract specifications. By entering into the addenda, any rights and…
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Taplin v. Taplin, 611 So. 2d 561 (Fla. 3d DCA 1992)…and on the wife’s acceptance of its benefits. By signing the addendum and accepting its benefits, she ratified the agreement and was estopped from denying its validity, even though the copy she signed may not have been the original. Kisz v. Massry, 426 So. 2d 1009, 1011 (Fla. 2d DCA 1983); Nagymihaly v. Zipes, 353 So. 2d 943, 944 (Fla. 3d DCA 1978). Second, in this case, Bradley was not represented by a guardian ad litem. Consequently, it is clear that estoppel cannot bar enforcement of his rights. Nonethele…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Gaspar Nagymihaly and Veronica Nagymihaly v. Zipes, 353 So. 2d 943 (Fla. 3d DCA 1978)