MARIE E. BERNS ET AL., APPELLANTS,
v.
EDWARD J. HARRISON, APPELLEE

Fla. | 1930-10-29
Terrell, C. J., and Whitfield, Ellis, Strum, Brown and Buford, J. J., concur.
100 Fla. 1105 Florida Supreme Court (1930) Positive Treatment
Also reported at: 131 So. 654
Cited by 40 cases

AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.

Synopsis

This case addresses whether a solicitor's fee can be awarded in a mortgage foreclosure without proof of an agreement or obligation to pay, and whether a grantee who accepts a deed with a clause assuming a mortgage debt is bound by it. The court affirmed the debt assumption but reversed the solicitor's fee award due to lack of proof.


Holding

The court held that a solicitor's fee cannot be awarded in a mortgage foreclosure without the complainant proving their obligation to pay it. The court also held that a grantee who knowingly accepts a deed containing a clause assuming a mortgage debt is bound by that clause.


Key Quotes

“Where the point has been properly presented this Court has held that the fee to be allowed the holders of the mortgage for the services of his solicitors in a foreclosure of the mortgage debt is intended as an indemnity to the holder of the mortgage for expenditures necessarily made or incurred to protect his interest and that the burden is on complainant to prove his right to such recovery and establish the basis for computation or determination of the amount.”

Establishes the requirement for proof of obligation and basis for calculation of solicitor's fees.

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Facts & Procedural History

Appellants appealed a final decree in a mortgage foreclosure case, primarily challenging the award of a $2,000 solicitor's fee and the finding that on…

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Opinion of the Court
Andrews, Commissioner: Per Curiam.

Andrews, Commissioner:

An appeal was taken to a final decree awarding $23,-174.70 as. total amount due on the mortgage' debt in which was included $2,000.00 solicitor’s fee for complainant.

All appellants assigned as error the awarding of said solicitor’s fee, while one of the appellants, Annie N. Gibbons, wife of George A. Gibbons, deceased, in addition to the above assignment, separately assigned as error the court’s findings that George A. Gibbons, deceased, and Annie N. Gibbons “assumed and agreed to'pay” the mortgage debt and that she “was liable to complainant for the mortgage debt.” Assignments of error are not fatally defective because not jointly made, as the point raised by one appellant may be based upon a distinct ruling from other appellants. J. M. & P. R. R. Co. v. Broughton, 38 Fla. 139, 20 So. R. 869; 8 Standard Procedure 633; Finley v. Foster 211, Ill. App. 609; Mote v. Morton, 46 Fla. 478, 35 So. R. 656.

As to the general assignment based upon the awarding of solicitor’s fees, a reading of the bill of complaint will disclose that there is no allegation nor proof that complainant had agreed with his solicitors, or was obligated to pay a fee in any amount. .Where the point has been properly presented this Court has held that the fee to be allowed the holders of the mortgage for the services of his solicitors *1107in a foreclosure of the mortgage debt is intended as an indemnity to the holder of the mortgage for expenditures necessarily made or incurred to protect his interest and that the burden is on complainant to prove his right to such recovery and establish the basis for computation or determination of the amount. U. S. Savings Bank v. Pittman, 80 Fla. 423, 86. So. R. 567; Brett v. First Nat. Bank of Marianna, 97, Fla. 284, 120 So. R. 554; Blount Bros. Realty Co. v. Eilenberger, 98 Fla. 779, 124 So. R. 284.

As to the contention of Annie N. Gibbons, it is noted that the bill of complaint alleges and her deed filed in evidence shows that she and her husband (now deceased) accepted a deed from a grantee of mortgagors in which they assumed and agreed to pay the said mortgage debt, and their immediate grantors had likewise accepted a deed with like provision.

In a very searching opinion of this Court prepared by Circuit Judge Koonce, in the case of Bronson v. Hannah, 93 Fla. 223, 111 So. R. 731, it was considered that the weight of authority is that:

“Where a grantee in a deed-poll knowingly accepted a deed in which the consideration is expressed as a certain amount and ‘other valuable consideration’ and such deed contains a clause that the grantee assumes the payment of a special mortgage debt upon the land conveyed, he is as effectually bound by said deed as though it was an indenture deed inter parties.” See also Ackley v. Noggle, 97 Fla. 640, 121 So. R. 882; 41 C. J. 725, Sec. 771; Slotto v. Hull Investment Co., decided this term.

A motion was filed in this Court to dismiss the appeal from final decree because (1) an appeal is also pending taken from that portion of the order of confirmation of *1108sale awarding a deficiency decree; (2) because the entry of appeal shows a joint appeal with one assignment of error while Annie N. Gibbons filed separate and distinct assignment not included in the complete assignment of errors. The record discloses that heretofore said motion was continued until final hearing.

“Appeals may be taken upon matters arising after a final appealable judgment or decree which require the judicial action of the court in relation to the rights litigated in the main suit making necessary a substantive and important order or decree, and such order or decree partakes of the nature of a final decision of those rights.” Theo Hirsch v. Scott, 87 Fla. 336, 100 So. R. 157.

A subsequent decree confirming sale and awarding a deficiency may be considered as a continuation of the final decree. Fla. Fert. Mfg. Co. v. Hodge, 64 Fla. 275, 60 So. R. 127. The deficiency decree was contained in the order confirming the sale (Mabson v. Christ, 96 Fla. 756, 119 So. R. 131) and an appeal may be taken from a final order awarding a deficiency decree. In J. M. & P. R. & N. Co. v. Broughton, 38 Fla. 139, 20 So. R. 826, it was held that:

“Any one of several parties against whom a decree is rendered, who is aggrieved as to his separate interest, may enter a separate appeal.”

See also Guarantee T. & S. D. Co. v. Buddington, 23 Fla. 514, 2 So. R. 885; Nail v. Browning, 74 Fla. 108, 76 So. R. 679.

There being no sufficient ground alleged authorizing a dismissal of the appeal the motion is therefore denied.

The appeal from the “deficiency decree” has been heretofore affirmed at this term; see Berns et al. v. Harrison, 100 Fla. 192, 129 So. R. 591.

*1109The final decree appealed from is reversed in so far as it awards attorney’s fees to the complainant. In all other respects the final decree is affirmed. The cause is remanded with directions to grant leave to the parties complainant and defendant, if applied for, to amend the pleadings and submit proof upon the matter of attorney’s fees, and with leave to the chancellor to make such further orders as may be necessary to accord with his findings upon the question of attorney’s fees, including leave to amend the final decree and deficiency decree if necessary.

The order of this Court’heretofore made at this term affirming the deficiency decree rendered in this cause and the mandate issued thereon, iso hereby modified to conform to the order now made.

Per Curiam.

The record in this cause having been considered by the Court, and the foregoing opinion prepared under Chapter 14553, Acts of 1929, adopted by the Court as its opinion, it is considered, ordered and decreed by the Court that the motion to dismiss the appeal herein be and the same is hereby denied; that the final decree entered by the court below be and the same is hereby reversed in so far as it awards attorney’s fees to the complainant; that in all other respects the said final decree is affirmed; and that the cause be remanded with directions to grant leave to the parties complainant and defendant, if applied for, to amend the pleadings and submit proof upon the matter of attorney’s fees, and with leave to the chancellor to make such further orders as may be necessary to accord with his findings upon the question of attorney’s fees, including leave to amend the final decree and deficiency decree if necessary. It is further ordered and decreed by the Court that the order of this Court heretofore made at this term affirming the deficiency decree rendered in this cause, and the *1110mandate issued thereon are hereby modified to conform to the order now made.

Terrell, C. J., and Whitfield, Ellis, Strum, Brown and Buford, J. J., concur.


Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus


Citator

Cited By (14 total)

  • Mallard v. Ewing, 121 Fla. 654 (Fla. 1935)
    …the recovery of solicitors’ fees by the mortgagee may in no case exceed the sum he has actually paid to his solicitor or by agreement express or implied obligated himself to his solicitor to pay for the service to be rendered. See Berns v. Harrison, 100 Fla. 1105, 131 South. Rep. 654; Jaudon v. Equitable Life Assur. Soc. of United States, 102 Fla. 782, 136 South. Rep. 517; U. S. Savings Bank v. Pittman, 80 Fla. 423, 86 South. Rep. 567 ; Hatch v. Trabue, 99 Fla. 1169, 128 South. Rep. 420; Blount Bros. Realty…
  • Alabama-Florida Co. v. Mays, 111 Fla. 100 (Fla. 1933)
    …ty, and he is as effectually bound as if it were a contract executed under his own hand and seal. Brownson v. Hannah, 93 Fla. 223, 111 So. 731; Ackley v. Noggle, 97 Fla. 640, 121 So. 882 ; 2 Jones on Mortgages (8th Ed.), Sec. 920; Berns v. Harrison, 100 Fla. 1105, 137 So. 238; Proctor v. Hearne, 100 Fla. 1180, 131 So. 173. But the relation thus created does not in itself involve the mortgagee in its legal effects. H'e may treat both the mortgagor and each successive grantee who assumes the payment of the mo…
  • …ity to pay his attorney on a quantum meruit basis upon the implied contract which arises from the employment by the plaintiff and the performance by the attorney and acceptance by the plaintiff of his services.” See Berns v. Harrison, 100 Fla. 1105, 131 So. 654. Now, as to the allegations and proofs in the instant case, we think that they were at least sufficient to show that complainant is liable to pay a reasonable fee to its solicitor on a quantum meruit based upon an implied contract which arose from…

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