C. O. TEATE
v.
DAVID ANDERSON
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In this mortgage foreclosure appeal, the Florida Supreme Court addressed whether a mortgagor's testimony can prove execution of a mortgage, whether attorney's fees are recoverable in foreclosure, and whether a $1,600 fee award was reasonable on a $15,000 principal debt. The court affirmed the foreclosure decree, holding that the mortgagor's own testimony sufficiently proved execution and that the attorney's fee award was reasonable absent contrary evidence.
The court held that: (1) the mortgagor's own testimony that he executed the mortgage, prepared it, signed it, and delivered it was sufficient proof and rendered the first question moot; (2) attorney's fees are recoverable in mortgage foreclosure when the note contains such a provision and the complaint properly alleges entitlement to such fees; (3) and (4) the $1,600 fee award was reasonable because an attorney testified it was reasonable, there was no contrary testimony, and the burden was on the defendant to present evidence if he believed the fee excessive.
“This was all that was necessary to make it a binding agreement between the parties.”
The court held that the mortgagor's testimony that he executed, prepared, signed, and delivered the mortgage was sufficient proof of execution.
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The.appeal in this case brings for review a decree of foreclosure in an ordinary mortgage foreclosure suit.
The appellant in his brief states that there are four questions for us to determine, as follows:
“1. Where it becomes necessary to prove the execution óf a mortgage by attesting witnesses, can this be done by having one of such witnesses' testify that the signature thereon is that of the mortgagor?
“2. Is the complainant entitled to recover attorney’s fees in a mortgage foreclosure upon an allegation and proof that *82complainant agreed and obligated himself to pay his-attorneys a reasonable fee?
“3. Is it proper in an ordinary mortgage foreclosure to award approximately ten per cent, of the principal and interest due as a reasonable attorney’s fee, where it appears that the only attorney testifying as to what would constitute a reasonable fee states that he never received ten per cent, as a fee on a mortgage that large and did not know of any lawyer being paid ten per cent, in a foreclosure of this size.
“4. In' an ordinary mortgage foreclosure where no unusual skill or labor is required and the amount found to be due $15,000.00 principal and $1,414.50 interest, should the Chancellor award the sum of $1,600.00 as a reasonable attorney’s fee ?” ■
The first question is of no moment because the record shows that the mortgagor took the stand as a witness in his own behalf and testified that he executed the mortgage; and not only that, but he testified that he prepared the document in his office and signed it there and that the signature appearing on the mortgage is his signature and that he delivered it to Mr. Burkett, the attorney for the mortgagee. This was all that was necessary to make it a binding agreement between the parties. See Walker v. Heege, et al., 78 Fla. 667, 83 Sou. 605.
As to the second question, the note which was introduced in evidence without objection and which was made a part of the bill of complaint, contained the following provision:
“Now, should it become necessary to collect this note through an attorney, then I, or we, whether maker or endorser, hereby agree to pay all costs of such collection, including ,a reasonable attorney’s fee.”
*83The bill of complaint alleged, referring to complainants, “that they have placed the said note and mortgage in the hands of the undersigned attorney for collection and foreclosure, thereby obligating themselves to pay their attorney herein a reasonable attorney’s fee.”
These allegations were sufficient under the holdings of this Court in the case of Buchanan & Crowder, Inc., v. Kramer, et al., 120 Fla. 203, 162 Sou. 500.
The proof supported the allegations.
The third and fourth questions may be considered together. An attorney at law was introduced who testified that the sum of $1,600.00 would be a reasonable fee for the attorney’s service in this case. There was no testimony to the contrary. If that was not a reasonable fee, or if counsel or the defendant conceived it to be excessive, it was the duty of the defendant and his counsel to give the Chancellor the benefit of evidence tending to show that such amount would be an excessive fee.
We find no reversible error disclosed by the record, and, therefore, the decree should be affirmed.
It is so ordered.
Affirmed.
Ellis, P. J., and Terrell, J., concur.
Whitfield, C. J., and Brown and Davis, J. J., concur in the opinion and judgment
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Citator
Cited By
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Commodore Plaza AT Century 21 Condo. Ass'n, Inc. v. Cohen, 350 So. 2d 502 (Fla. 3d DCA 1977)….A. 1969); Holmes v. School Board of Orange County, 301 So. 2d 145 (Fla. 4th D.C.A. 1974). The other points raised by the appellant, by its appeals from orders awarding interest and attorney fees, we find to be without merit. See: Teate v. Anderson, 122 Fla. 81, 164 So. 849 (1935); Penn-Florida Hotels Corporation v. Atlantic National Bank of Jacksonville, 126 Fla. 344, 170 So. 877 (1936); Parker v. Brinson Construction Company, 78 So. 2d 873 (Fla.1955); Huntley v. Baya, 136 So. 2d 248 (Fla. 3rd D.C.A. 1962…
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The Wickes Corp. v. Moxley, 342 So. 2d 839 (Fla. 2d DCA 1977)…is no statute in Florida specifying that a mortgage must be signed in the presence of two witnesses, and our Supreme Court has held that there is no common law requirement for a mortgage of non-homestead property to be witnessed. Teate v. Anderson, 122 Fla. 81, 164 So. 849 (1935). However, long prior to the adoption of our 1968 Constitution, a mortgage of homestead property was deemed invalid unless it was executed in the presence of two attesting witnesses. McEwen v. Sehenck, 108 Fla. 119, 146 So. 839 (1…
Authorities Cited
- Walker v. Amalia Heege and Martin R. Heege, 78 Fla. 667 (Fla. 1920)
- Buchanan & Crowder, Inc. v. Kreamer, 120 Fla. 203 (Fla. 1935)