MARY LOUISE ADAMS
v.
ORANGE REALTY SALES, INC.

Fla. | 1939-03-24
Terrell, C. J., and Whitfield, Brown, Buford and Chapman, J. J., concur., Thomas, J., not participating, as this case was submitted before he became a member of the Court.
136 Fla. 844 Florida Supreme Court (1939) Positive Treatment
Also reported at: 187 So. 625
Cited by 5 cases

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Synopsis

The Florida Supreme Court reconsiders its October 1938 decision in this real property title dispute. The court recedes from its prior holding regarding the legal sufficiency of an unsealed power of attorney, recognizing the presumption that a recorded conveyance bearing the language "In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal" had an affixed seal in the original document despite its omission from the record.


Holding

The court held that the lower court erred in finding that title did not pass from David D. Cady through the deed executed by Hal D. Cady as attorney-in-fact, applying the presumption that the original conveyance bore the seal of the grantor where the recorded copy contains the attestation clause "In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal." However, the judgment is affirmed on other grounds.


Key Quotes

“it is to be presumed from the words: "In witness whereof I. have hereunto set my hand and seal," appearing in a certified copy of the record of a conveyance, that the original conveyance had affixed thereto the seal of the grantor and that the omission of the seal from the record was an error of the recording officer”

Establishes the presumption that rebuts the court's prior holding regarding unsealed power of attorney

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Facts & Procedural History

David D. Cady executed a power of attorney (not under seal) to Hal D. Cady, who attempted to convey Cady's property to Robert T. Hughes. Mary Louise A…

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Opinion of the Court
Per Curiam.

Per Curiam.

— This case is before us on rehearing after mandate recalled, pursuant to our opinion filed October 6, 1938.

Upon further consideration we recede from what was said in that opinion as follows:

“The power of attorney from David D. Cady to Hal D. Cady was not under seal and, therefore, the purported power of attorney was insufficient and ineffectual to authorize the conveyance of the title from David D. Cady to Robert T. Huges. So this left the record showing paramount title in David D. Cady.
“Plaintiff did not proceed, as by paragraph (b) of Rule 85, supra, is required, to test the legal sufficiency of the power of attorney (an instrument duly shown in defendant’s deraignment of the chain of title), but instead proceeded to trial and successfully contested the introduction of'the deed-executed by the purported attorney in fact. This left the title as deraigned in the bill of particulars resting in David D. Cady with possession under color of title in the defendant.
“The trial court found that the paramount record title rested in David D. Cady, a third party, and rendered verdict and judgment in favor of defendant.”, because we overlooked and failed to consider the rule of law enunciated in *846Sumner v. Mitchell, 29 Fla. 179, 10 Sou. 562, and cases there cited, to the effect that it is to be presumed from the words:
“In witness whereof I. have hereunto set my hand and seal,” appearing in a certified copy of the record of a conveyance, that the original conveyance had affixed thereto the seal of the grantor and that the omission of the seal from the record was an error of the recording officer and that in the absence of the original instrument, by reason of its loss or destruction, or some other affirmative proof that the original instrument did not bear the seal of the grantor, the presumption of its having been affixed will prevail. See also 18 C. J. 410, Sec. 485; Green v. Camp, 61 Fla. 256, 54 Sou. 363.

It, therefore, follows that the lower court was in error in holding affirmatively that the legal title once vested in David D. Cady did not pass by the deed attempted to be executed for him by Hal D. Cady as attorney in fact. This, however, does not change the ultimate result because, without reliance on this point, the judgment should be affirmed.

We, therefore, re-affirmed our judgment, supra.

So ordered.

Terrell, C. J., and Whitfield, Brown, Buford and Chapman, J. J., concur.

Thomas, J., not participating, as this case was submitted before he became a member of the Court.


Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus


Citator

Cited By

  • Bittner v. Walsh, 132 So. 2d 799 (Fla. 1st DCA 1961)
    …gth of his own [*802] title and not on the weakness of the defendant’s title or even the lack of record title of the defendant in possession. Alford v. Sinclair, Fla.1951, 55 So. 2d 727. Adams v. Orange Realty Sales, 1938, 134 Fla. 175, 183 So. 621; 136 Fla. 844, 187 So. 625. N« error having been made to appear on this appeal, the final judgment appealed from must be and it is affirmed. Affirmed. STURGIS and WIGGINTON, JJ., concur.…
  • Blitch v. Sapp, 142 Fla. 166 (Fla. 1940)
    …erly instruct the jury relative to constructive possession of the premises here in dispute? It is academic that plaintiffs must recover, if at all, on the strength of their own title. Adams v. Orange Realty Sales, 134 Fla. 175, 183 South. Rep. 621, 187 South. Rep. 625. It is likewise well settled that plaintiffs, in an action of ejectment, are required to show legal title in themselves, or that they were in prior possession (actual or constructive) of the land and were ousted by the defendant. Harris v. Butler,…

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