E. L. BRIGMAN, ET AL.,
v.
R. I. BISHOP

Fla. | 1933-07-18
Davis, C. J., and Whitfield, Ellis, Terrell and Buford, J. J., concur., Brown, J., dissents.
111 Fla. 504 Florida Supreme Court (1933) Positive Treatment
Also reported at: 149 So. 645
Cited by 3 cases

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Synopsis

In this mortgage foreclosure case, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed a deficiency decree against the original mortgagor and grantee assumors. The court held that a mortgagee may pursue both the original mortgagor and assuming grantees as principal debtors unless the mortgagee has clearly recognized the grantee alone as principal or is equitably estopped from pursuing the mortgagor.


Holding

The court held that while a deficiency decree should not be entered against a party not in default without proper notice and opportunity to be heard, the record shows adequate procedural regularity. The court also held that a mortgagee may treat both mortgagor and assuming grantees as principal debtors unless the mortgagee has recognized the grantee alone as principal or is equitably estopped from pursuing the mortgagor.


Key Quotes

“in a mortgage foreclosure case a deficiency decree should not be entered against a party who is not in default, without special application to the court, and notice to the defendant against whom such deficiency judgment is sought”

Establishes the general procedural requirement for deficiency decrees

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Facts & Procedural History

A mortgage foreclosure resulted in a deficiency decree for $1,457.94 against E. L. Brigman (the original mortgagor) and four others who were grantee a…

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Opinion of the Court
Davis, C. J.

Davis, C. J.

The Chancellor below entered a deficiency decree in favor of complainant in a mortgage foreclosure case. The deficiency judgment so entered was against E. L. Brigman, L. DeVane, J.-L. Sibley, J..E. Pyles and Arthur Coffey, the amount of same being $1,457.94. Brigman was *505the original mortgagor. All the others were grantee ass'umors of the mortgagor.

We sustain the proposition of law that in a mortgage foreclosure case a deficiency deci’ee should not be entered against a party who is not in default, without special application to the court, and notice to the defendant against whom such deficiency judgment is sought. But in this case the record shows that upon objections duly made to the entry of a deficiency decree, the first deficiency decree was vacated. After this, apparently upon full hearing, the decree was reinstated and put again into effect. It is the duty of appellants to make errors such as denial of a fair opportunity to be heard before the Chancellor, when complained of by them, clearly to appear. There is no showing in the record to overcome the presumption or' regularity as to notice and opportunity to be heard, that attaches to the order re-entering the deficiency decree, all presumptions being in favor of the order.

The claim of the mortgagor that as a commutative surety for the original debt, he should be held to have been released by the long continued forbearance of the mortgagee to enforce the mortgage debt against either himself or against the grantee assumors of the moi-tgagee, as well as by the acceptance by the mortgagee of payments on the debt from the grantee as'sumors, must, in view of the final decree finding the facts of the case against the complaining party on the evidence, be rejected by this Court on this appeal, on authority of Slottow v. Hull Investment Co., 100 Fla. 244, 129 Sou. Rep. 577; Bailey v. Inman, 105 Fla. 1, 140 Sou. Rep. 783.

Ordinarily a mortgagee may treat both his mortgagor and all assuming grantees of the mortgagor as principal debtors as’ to him, and may have a personal decree against both or either, unless the mortgagee has recognized the grantee *506alone as the principal debtor, or has equitably estopped himself to further pursue the mortgagor on the mortgagor’s own original debt. Slottow v. Hull Investment Co., supra.

The Chancellor found no such situation from the evidence. We are unconvinced by our examination of the record, that the Chancellor was wrong in so finding. Certain procedural errors have been assigned and argued. But it does not appear that any such objections as are here made were presented to, or insisted upon, in the lower court, nor ruled on there specifically by the Chancellor. None of the errors complained of are fundamental. Nor does it appear that any of the procedural misprisions complained of, have resulted in depriving appellants of any substantial legal or equitable right to a fair hearing and determination of their asserted rights. So no ground for reversal has been made to appear.

Affirmed.

Davis, C. J., and Whitfield, Ellis, Terrell and Buford, J. J., concur.

Brown, J., dissents.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Commercial Bank OF Dade City v. Andersen, 260 So. 2d 871 (Fla. 2d DCA 1972)
    …principal or interest will not generally discharge mortgagor.” “6. Mortgagee’s waiver of election to accelerate mortgage debt, without notice to mortgagor, held not to discharge mortgagor, whose position was not changed.” See also Brigman v. Bishop, 111 Fla. 504, 149 So. 645; and 72 A.L.R. 394-396, 399-400. The judgment of the Trial Court insofar as it holds the ANDERSENS not liable for the note and any deficiency resulting from its foreclosure is reversed with directions to the Trial Court to enter an app…

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