HENRY J. STEPHENS, WILLIAM ADAMS, LOUISE ADAMS, CARL H. FRANCIS AND MRS. CARL H. FRANCIS, APPELLANTS,
v.
LILLIAN A. STEPHENS, APPELLEE

Fla. | 1924-05-14
West and Terrell, J. J., concur., Taylor, C. J., and Ellis and Broavne, J. J., concur in the opinion.
87 Fla. 466 Florida Supreme Court (1924) Positive Treatment
Cited by 8 cases

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Synopsis

Lillian A. Stephens sought a mandatory injunction to recover a home purchased with her separate funds but titled in her ex-husband Henry J. Stephens's name due to inadvertence. The Florida Supreme Court reversed the trial court's grant of a preliminary mandatory injunction, holding that such injunctions commanding positive acts require a final hearing and adjudication of the underlying equities.


Holding

A mandatory injunction commanding a defendant to perform a positive act will not be ordered except in rare cases where the right is clear and free from reasonable doubt, and then only after final hearing to execute the court's judgment. The trial court erred in granting a preliminary mandatory injunction without a prior adjudication of the equities regarding the claimed resulting trust.


Key Quotes

“Except in rare cases, where the right is clear and free from reasonable doubt, a mandatory injunction, commanding the defendant to do some positive act, will not be ordered until after final hearing, and then only to execute the judgment or decree of the court.”

Establishes the governing legal standard for mandatory injunctions, requiring proof of clear rights and deferral until final hearing

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Facts & Procedural History

Lillian A. Stephens and Henry J. Stephens were married with one child. Lillian purchased homes with her separate funds, but the deed to the final home…

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Opinion of the Court
Whitfield, J.

Whitfield, J.

In a bill of complaint filed by the appellee Lillian A. Stephens, it is among other matters in substance alleged that appellee and the appellant Henry J. Stephens had beqn married and lived together as husband and wife and had one child; that appellee purchased a home in which they lived which was subsequently sold and another home purchased with appellee’s funds in which the family lived; “that by inadvertence the deed to said property was made to Henry J. Stephens, appellee’s husband, instead of being made to your oratrix as should have been done and this, notwithstanding the fact that your oratrix had negotiated the transaction and’ that the entire consideration for said purchase was paid out of the separate properties and monies of your oratrix; that your oratrix had no intention of making a gift of said property to the defendant, Henry J. Stephens, but intended at all times to retain the same as her separate property; that by reason of the premises and of the fact that the entire purchase-of said premises had been paid by your oratrix but the legal title by inadvertence placed in the name of Henry J.’ Stephens as aforesaid, your oratrix is the owner of the equitable title to said premises' and the said: Henry J. Stephens holds the' legal title thereto in trust for your oratrix;” that subsequently the defendant husband ob tained a divorce from appellee and later while appellee and her child were living at the said home the defendant Stephens fraudulently and surreptitiously obtained possession thereof and excluded appellee therefrom, the property being occupied by the appellants. The prayer is for a mandatory injunction for the surrender of the property to complainant “for her use as her home and until a final decree of this court; that defendants and each of them shall be temporarily enjoined and prohibited from annoying your oratrix in her use, possession and occupancy of said premises or from in any way interferring with or impeding her use, possession and occupancy of the same, or from in any manner annoying her on account' of her occupancy of said premises, and that upon final hearing said temporary injunction may be made permanent; that said Henry J. Stephens may be temporarily and permanently enjoined from prosecuting any action of ejectment otherwise in an attempt to oust defendant from her use, occupancy and possession of said premises pending a final decree in the ease; that by decree of this court it may be adjudged that said defendant, Henry J. Stephens, holds the legal title to said property in trust for your oratrix, and that said Henry J. Stephens may be, by decree of this court, commanded and strictly enjoined to convey to your oratrix the legal title to said premises by á good and sufficient deed,” etc.

The court without notice tó appellants on bill and an affidavit ordered the possession of the property delivered to the' appellee and enjoined appellants from interferring with apellee’s possession until further order of the court and subsequently denied a motion to dissolve the mandatory injunction. Defendants appealed.

Except in rare 'cases, where the right is clear and free from reasonable doubt, a mandatory injunction, command ing the defendant to do some positive act, will not be ordered until after final hearing, and then only to execute • the judgment or decree of the court. Florida East Coast R. Co. v. Taylor, 56 Fla. 788, 47 South. Rep. 345.

In this case the bill alleges that the legal title to the property is in the appellant divorced husband. In order to have a resulting trust in the property decreed in favor of the complainant below, appellee >here, the essential facts must be duly alleged and proven in due course.

There was no sufficient showing to warrant a mandatory injunction at least prior to a due adjudication of the equities, therefore the orders appealed from are revérsed.

West and Terrell, J. J., concur. Taylor, C. J., and Ellis and Broavne, J. J., concur in the opinion.


Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus


Citator

Cited By

  • Bowling v. Nat'l Convoy & Trucking Co., 101 Fla. 634 (Fla. 1931)
    …ocutory hearing as would have justified the court in specifically enforcing the contract pendente lite, altho the power of the court to make such an order unquestionably exists in proper eases, where the conditions warrant its exercise. 90 Fla. 123; 87 Fla. 466; 58 Fla. 415. The decree appealed from is therefore affirmed. Whitfield, P.J., and Terrell, J., concur. Buford, C.J., and Ellis and Brown, J.J., concur in opinion and judgment.…
  • …its effect before that time is like awarding an execution before trial and judgment.’ To the same effect are the following cases:” (Citing a vast number of authorities.) See also Zetrouer v. Zetrouer, 89 Fla. 253, 103 So. 625; Stephens v. Stephens, 87 Fla. 466, 100 So. 746; Trust Co. of Fla. v. Crider, 102 Fla. 593, 136 So. 434, and Section 73 of the 1931 Chancery Act. In this connection it must be remembered that the bill in this case did not allege what would be a reasonable rate, nor did it allege any…
  • Am. Fire & Cas. Co. v. Rader, 160 Fla. 700 (Fla. 1948)
    …n the nature of a mandatory injunction. This court is committed to the doctrine that such an injunction will not be granted until after final hearing except in rare cases where the right is clear and free from reasonable doubt. Stephens v. Stephens, 87 Fla. 466, 100 So. 746. The bill of complaint must allege definitely every fact necessary for relief. The allegation of opinions, or legal conclusions is not sufficient. Baker v. McKinney, 54 Fla. 495, 44 So. 944; Hall v. Horne, 52 Fla. 510, 42 So. 383; House…

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