ALICE L. FROSEN, HER HUSBAND, APPELLANTS,
v.
JOHN CAPO, APPELLEE
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Alice Frosen took possession of land and agreed to pay John Capo $1,500 for his interest in it, but then refused to pay or sell the property. The Florida Supreme Court held that despite the agreement being oral (parole), Capo has an equitable right to subject the lands to payment of the purchase money.
The court held that the oral contract is enforceable in equity. Although the agreement was parole (oral), it was a complete independent contract that conveyed Capo's entire interest to Frosen with delivery and possession passing. Capo retains the right under equity to subject the lands to payment of the purchase money. The constitutional provision regarding married women's property does not bar this remedy, as the $1,500 represents the price of property purchased by Frosen from Capo.
“The parole contract had the effect of conveying to Frosen all the right, title and interest of Capo in and to the lands covered by the original contract, delivery and possession passed to Frosen, no lien was reserved and no security was taken for the purchase price except the personal obligation of the grantee.”
Establishes that despite being oral, the agreement completely transferred Capo's interests to Frosen with delivery and possession.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceIn February 1920, Alice Plunkett entered into an agreement with Capo and Ortagus to purchase lands in Duval County. Ortagus later assigned his interes…
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Terrell, J.
February 26th, 1920, Alice B. Plunkett entered into an agreement -with John Capo and J. H. Ortagus to sell them, the said Capo and Ortagus certain lands in Duval County by terms and description therein specifically set out.
July 12th, 1920, J. H. Ortagus sold and assigned all his right, title and interest in said agreement to John Capo, the plaintiff in this cause. Some time after the date of said agreement, Alice B. Plunkett was legally married to one Bossert and afterwards to one J. H. Frosen when she become Alice L. Frosen, the defendant in this suit.
In December 1921, Alice L. Frosen,* then Alice L. Bos sert, entered into an agreement with John Capo whereby Alice L. Frosen took over all the right, title and interest of John Capo in and to the lands described in the original contract herein, entered into possession thereof, and agreed to sell the said lands within a reasonable time for cash and from the proceeds thereof, pay the said John Capo the sum of $1500.00.
After taking possession of the lands so purchased or the right therein from John Capo, Alice L. Frosen refused and still refuses to sell or make any effort to sell the same, or to pay the said John Capo the $1500.00 purchase price for his interest therein, though she has had numerous offers to purchase the said lands from persons financially able and willing to buy them. No security appears to have been given for the $1500.00, and the agreement under which it was to be paid to Capo for his interest in the lands in question was a verbal one.
The bill prays for a lien against the lands involved in favor of John Capo; that said lands be sold under direction of the court, and that Capo be paid the sum of $1500.00 from the proceeds thereof. Demurrer to the bill was overruled and appeal was taken to this court.
Appellant contends that the bill of complaint seeks to alter by word of mouth an instrument under seal, that the verbal agreement on which this action is based is contrary to the Statute of Frauds, that complainant has a clear legal remedy, and seeks to violate Section 2 of Article II of the Constitution of Florida.
The record discloses that Capo, the complainant, was legally in possession of the property by virtue of the contract of February 26, 1920, which at least gave him an equity therein, that he had paid a substantial sum to Frosen, the defendant, under the terms thereof, that he had not breached any of the terms of said contract, that Frosen proposed to pay Capo $1500.00 for Ms interest in the lands covered by said contract if he would give her possession at once, that said proposition was accepted and possession given, and that the lands were to be sold by Frosen in a reasonable time and $1500.00 paid to Capo from the proceeds of the sale.
The parole contract had the effect of conveying to Frosen all the right, title and interest of Capo in and to the lands covered by the original contract, delivery and possession passed to Frosen,' no lien was reserved and no security was taken for the purchase price except' the personal obligation of the grantee.; This we think was a complete independent contract, by which the original contract was abandoned and the complainant Capo has his right under the law to subject the lands in equity to the payment of the purchase money, no intervening equities being shown. Johnson v. McKinnon, 45 Fla. 388, text 400, 34 South. Rep. 272; McKinnon v. Johnson, 54 Fla. 538, 45 South. Rep. 451; Shaylor v. Cloud, 63 Fla. 608, 57 South. Rep. 666, 39 L. R. A. (N. S.) 1171; 17 R. C. L. 598.
It seems to be conceded that the defendant Frosen was at the time of the institution of this suit and at the time of the making of the parole agreement herein a married woman. If this be true and the lands in question were her separate property, they may be charged in equity and sold as provided in Section 2 of Article II of our Constitution relating to married women’s property, as the $1500.00 was clearly “the price of any property purchased by her” from Capo.
For the reasons assigned herein, we think that there was equity in bill of complaint, and the order of the Chancellor is therefore affirmed. Whitfield, P. J., and West, J., concur. Taylor, C. J., and Ellis and Browne, J. J., concur in the opinion.
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Blood v. Hunt, 97 Fla. 551 (Fla. 1929)…5 So. R. 622. This remedy in equity was not available where mortgage liens upon a married woman’s separate property were given in accordance with the statutes, since such liens were [*574] enforceable by foreclosure proceedings. See Frosem v. Capo. 88 Fla. 236, 102 So. R. 158. Before the Constitution of 1885 was adopted the statutes had.changed the common law, so that the property of married women would remain their separate property; though the common law disability of married women to contract generally…
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Citizens Bank & Tr. Co. v. Ella B. Smith and her Husband, 97 Fla. 601 (Fla. 1929)…or the purchase price is not secured by mortgage, the suit may be maintained to charge in equity the ninety-nine year lease purchased by the married woman as her separate property, for the payment of the “purchase money thereof.” See Frosin v. Capo, 88 Fla. 236, 102 So. R. 158. The right of the complainant is to charge in equity the property purchased by the married woman defendant, “for the purchase money thereof.” Other separate property of the married woman cannot be also subjected to the complainant's…
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Cornell v. Ruff, 105 Fla. 504 (Fla. 1932)…ted in both the Orchard Villa and the Crestwood lots. Both lots, therefore, became her separate statutory property subject to be charged in equity and sold as provided in Section Two of Article Eleven of the Constitution of Florida. Frosen vs. Capo, 88 Fla. 236, 102 So. 158; Citizens Bank & Trust Co. vs. Smith, 97 Fla. 601, 121 So. 900. As to the deficiency decree it is sufficient to say that this Court has repeatedly held that such a decree against a [*507] married woman amounted to a personal judgment a…
Previewing 3 of 6 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Johnson v. McKinnon, 45 Fla. 388 (Fla. 1903)
- McKinnon v. Johnson, 54 Fla. 538 (Fla. 1907)
- Shaylor v. Cloud, 63 Fla. 608 (Fla. 1912)