B. A. LOTT, INC., A FLORIDA CORPORATION,
v.
EDGAR H. PADGETT AND GAYNELL M. PADGETT, HIS WIFE, SOMETIMES KNOWN AS GAYNELL M. PADGETT, AND HENRY J. BALDWIN AND VIRGINIA BALDWIN, HIS WIFE
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B.A. Lott, Inc., holder of a federal deficiency judgment against Dyer, seeks to partition real estate that Dyer acquired and then conveyed to the Baldwins. The Florida Supreme Court holds that the federal judgment became a lien on the property when Dyer acquired it, even though execution was not issued within three years, and reverses the lower court's dismissal of the partition suit.
The court holds that the federal judgment became a lien on the real estate when Dyer acquired it in 1941, and remained a lien for twenty years from rendition despite the failure to execute within three years. The right to enforce the lien was suspended after three years but could be restored by scire facias. The partition suit was an appropriate procedure to enforce the lien, and the bill was good.
“Judgments of a United States District Court shall become and cease to be liens under the same conditions as judgments of state courts.”
Establishes the fundamental principle that federal judgments are treated identically to state judgments for lien purposes under federal law.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceA deficiency decree was entered against Dyer in federal court on June 26, 1933, and recorded in federal court records. In October 1941, Dyer acquired …
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This is a suit for partition and other relief. A decree was entered holding the bill bad for want of equity and this appeal is to review that decree.
A deficiency decree was entered in the United States District Court at Miami, (Dade County) Florida, against one Dyer, dated June 26, 1933. On the same date the decree was entered of record in the court of records gnd recorded in Judgment Book 1, page 696, of the United States District Court at Miami. On December 1, 1941, a certified copy of the decree was recorded in Judgment Book 3, page 224, of the public records of Dade County, Florida. In October 1941, *306Dyer acquired a half interest in the real estate here sought to be partitioned. On December 15, 1941, Dyer conveyed the land to the defendants Baldwin. January 12, 1942, plaintiff being the owner of the deficiency decree filed a motion in the United States District Court to revive the decree, (the writ of scire facias having been abolished, Federal Civil Procedure, Rule No. 81) and have execution issue thereon. Defendant Baldwin was not a party in the original proceeding and had no notice to revive the judgment. The motion was granted execution issued on February 20, 1942, and pursuant to levy and sale, plaintiff, on April 6, 1942, acquired by marshall’s deed the interest in the real estate which Dyer had purported to sell to Baldwin. The real estate is located in Dade County, Florida.
The question is whether the deficiency judgment became a lien on the real estate while it was owned by Dyer in 1941. The effect of the decree appealed from is to hold that inasmuch as execution was not issued within three years as provided by Section 55.15, Fla. Stat., 1941, the judgment became dormant it did not constitute a lien.
Judgments of a United States District Court shall become and cease to be liens under the same conditions as judgments of state courts. Title 28, Sections 812-14, U.S. Code Ann. Rhea v. Smith, 274 U. S. 434, 71 L. Ed. 1139. State court judgments become liens on the debtor’s real estate, Section 4488, C.G.L.; Sections 55.08, 55.09 and 55.10 Fla. Stat. 1941.
The lien of the judgment was effective from rendition for a period of twenty, years. During this period, Dyer became the owner of the land and thereupon the lien attached. Harrison and wife v. Roberts, 6 Fla. 711. The right to enforce the lien only was suspended after the lapse of three years until such right was restored by scire facias. The plaintiff may have execution as of right upon request within three years from the rendition of judgment, Section 55.15, Fla. Stat. 1941. If not sued out within three years then it can be had by scire facias. Once the execution is sued out it is not necessary to renew same by scire facias. This was dispensed with by Chapter 17,904, Acts, 1937; Section 55.16, Fla. Stat., 1941. See Crandall’s Common Law Practice, 1940 Supp.*307Section 542. Scire facias was not a new action but was only a step already in existence. Massey v. Pineapple Orange Co., 87 Fla. 374, 100 So. 170; McCallum v. Gorto, 127 Fla. 792, 174 So. 24.
The scire facias proceeding, not being a new and independent action the seven year statute of limitation (95.11, Fla. Stat., 1941), did not apply as contended by appellee. An interesting phase of this case was discussed in an able opinion order in the case of Spurway v. Dyer, 48 F. Supp., 255.
The scire facias was not defective because Baldwin was not made a party. Once the judgment lien attached Baldwin purchased subject to same. Eppes v. Dade Developers, Inc., 126 Fla. 353, 170 So. 875; State ex rel. Lehman, 109 Fla. 331, 147 So. 907. It is insisted that since the decree was not recorded in the chancery order book of the circuit court of Dade County it did not constitute a lien. Cited for this assertion is Bay View Est. Corp., et al., v. Southerland, 114 Fla. 635, 154 So. 894. When the decree was entered in the United State District Court it became a lien on real estate belonging to the judgment debtor, in Dade County, Florida, as well as any thereafter acquired by him during the life of the judgment. This is so because such would have been the effect of a judgment of our circuit court. (A court of general jurisdiction.) It naturally follows that a contrary view would be to treat the federal judgment differently from our own. This we are enjoined from doing under Rhea v. Smith and U. S. Code, supra. Insofar as Bay View Est. Corp. v. Southerland, supra_, may be inconsistent with this opinion, the same is overruled.
The procedure taken by appellant to partition the property is not inappropriate. The bill was good and it was error to dismiss the same.
The decree is reversed.
BUFORD, C. J., TERRELL and SEBRING, JJ., concur.
CHAPMAN, J., concurs specially.
THOMAS,. J., agrees to conclusion.
BROWN, J., dissents.
concurring specially:
I agree to the order of reversal. The appellant should be permitted to file an amended bill of complaint consistent with the majority opinion.
[*308] CPIAPMAN, J.,
concurring specially:
I agree to the order of reversal. The appellant should be permitted to file an amended bill of complaint consistent with the majority opinion.
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Amjad Munim, M.D., P.A. v. George Azar, M.D., 648 So. 2d 145 (Fla. 4th DCA 1994)…presumptively fraudulent when attacked by a judgment creditor upon a debt existing at the time of the conveyance. Bay View Estates Corp. v. Southerland, 114 Fla. 635,154 So. 894 (1934), overruled in part on other grounds, B.A. Lott, Inc. v. Padgett, 14 So. 2d 667 (Fla.1943); United States v. Horton, 760 F. 2d 1225 (11th Cir.1985). The rule enunciated in Bay View prohibits transfers made which interfere with existing rights of creditors who have just, lawful and existing claims without a showing that the debt…
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Khalil Burshan, M.D. v. Nat'l Union Fire Ins. Co. OF Pittsburgh, 805 So. 2d 835 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001)…e the New York judgment the same effect as a judgment from the Southern District of Florida. A judgment of a federal court sitting in Florida is a lien on property to the same extent as a judgment of a Florida court. See B.A. Lott, Inc. v. Padgett, 153 Fla. 304, 306, 14 So. 2d 667, 668 (1943). 28 U.S.C.A. § 1962 (2000) provides: Every judgment rendered by a district court within a State shall be a lien on the property located in such State in the same manner, to the same extent and under the same conditio…1 / 2
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Dade Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass'n v. Miami Title & Abstract Div. OF Am. Title Ins. Co., 217 So. 2d 873 (Fla. 3d DCA 1969)…ourts being treated differently from State Court judgments, contrary to the holdings of the U. S. Supreme Court in Rhea v. Smith (1927), 274 U.S. 434, 47 S.Ct. 698, 71 L.Ed. 1139 and of the Florida Supreme Court in B. A. Lott, Inc. v. Padgett, 1943, 153 Fla. 304, 14 So. 2d 667. It follows, therefore, from such construction of § 55.10, as amended, that a judgment or decree entered by any of the State Courts of Florida, or by any Federal District Court in the State, Becomes a lien upon real estate in any giv…
Previewing 3 of 13 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Bay View Ests. Corp. v. Southerland, 114 Fla. 635 (Fla. 1934)
- Como D. Massey v. Pineapple Orange Co., 87 Fla. 374 (Fla. 1924)
- Warren-Huckins Co. v. Atkin, 109 Fla. 331 (Fla. 1933)
- Eppes v. Dade Developers, Inc., 126 Fla. 353 (Fla. 1936)
- Rhea v. Smith, 274 U.S. 434 (U.S. 1927)
- Ephraim L. Harrison and wife v. Hiram Roberts, 6 Fla. 711 (Fla. 1856)
- McCallum v. Gornto, 127 Fla. 792 (Fla. 1937)