RUBY M. BROWN, AS ADMINISTRATRIX CUM TESTAMENTO ANNEXO OF THE ESTATE OF W. L. INGALLS, DECEASED, AND WILLIAM L. INGALLS AND LEILA BILLINGER CAVANAUGH, AS EXECUTORS AND HEIRS OF THE ESTATE OF ANNA INGALLS, DECEASED, APPELLANTS,
v.
BRYAN GRIFFIN AND MRS. J. O. YOUNG, APPELLEES

Fla. | 1954-10-22
ROBERTS, O. J., and TERRELL and SEBRING, JJ., concur.
75 So. 2d 781 Florida Supreme Court (1954) Positive Treatment
Cited by 8 cases

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Synopsis

The Florida Supreme Court affirmed a decree granting specific performance of a real estate contract involving a hardware business, even though complete performance was impossible due to the wife's undivided interest in one lot. The court held that equity courts may grant partial specific performance with appropriate alternative relief when peculiar equities are involved.


Holding

The court held that specific performance was proper and could be partially enforced. The legal representatives were ordered to convey Lot 1 and the wife's undivided one-half interest in Lot 2, with the vendees receiving an abatement of $3,750 in the purchase price to account for the inability to convey the wife's interest. The vendees were also granted reimbursement for improvements made with the wife's consent.


Key Quotes

“Where a court of equity properly acquires jurisdiction of a cause to enforce specific performance of a contract, the court will proceed to administer complete justice by granting appropriate process and by adjudicating all matters properly presented and involved in the case.”

Establishes the foundational equitable principle that courts may go beyond strict specific performance to achieve complete justice when they have jurisdiction.

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Facts & Procedural History

The deceased husband and wife contracted to sell a hardware business and real property consisting of Lots 1 and 2 in Spring Hill Subdivision. The husb…

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Opinion of the Court
MATHEWS, Justice.

MATHEWS, Justice.

This is an appeal from a final decree in a suit for specific performance of a contract containing an option to sell. The contract had reference to a going concern (a hardware business) and an option to sell Lots 1 and 2, Block K, Spring Hill Subdivision, and all equipment now or heretofore located on said location. The contract was signed by the husband alone and it developed that the husband owned Lot 1 and and an undivided one-half interest in Lot 2, and the wife owned an undivided interest in Lot 2. After both parties had died, the lessees tendered to the legal representatives of the deceased parties all money due under the contract and requested specific performance. It was alleged that valuable improvements had been made upon the property with the full knowledge, consent and approval of the deceased husband and wife. It developed that specific performance cannot be enforced as to the undivided one-half interest of Lot 2 owned 'by the wife. In the bill of complaint specific performance was prayed for as to Lot 1 and the undivided one-half interest in Lot 2, and other relief as to the undivided one-half interest in Lot 2 owned by the deceased wife.

The case was heard and all testimony taken before the Chancellor personally. In the final decree the Court made findings of fact which included a finding that the reasonable value of improvements on the undivided one-half interest of the deceased wife amounted to $1,253.73 and that such improvements were made with the consent, approval, acquiescence and full knowledge of the deceased wife and that the then vendees should be reimbursed in the said amount. The decree then ordered the legal representatives of the deceased to execute deeds to the appellees for Lot 1 and the undivided one-half interest in and to Lot 2, and the personal property thereon, together with the business located thereon. The appellees were allowed an abatement of the purchase price in the sum of $3,750 because of the inability of the legal representatives to convey the title to the undivided one-half interest of the deceased wife.

We have examined the record, briefs and heard argument of counsel. It is a case where peculiar equities are involved. In such a case a suit for specific performance was proper, even though complete specific performance could not be enforced.

In the case of Taylor v. Florida East Coast R. Co., 54 Fla. 635, 45 So. 574, 579, 16 L.R.A.,N.S., 307, this Court said:

“Where a court of equity properly acquires jurisdiction of a cause to enforce specific performance of a contract, the court will proceed to administer' complete justice by granting appropriate process and by adjudicating all matters properly presented and involved in the case. Injunctions may be granted upon proper showing, and damages awarded, when necessary to complete justice in the case. See Lyle v. Addicks, 62 N.J.Eq. 123, 49 A. 1121; Worrall v. Munn, 38 N.Y. 137; Schmidtz v. Louisville & N. R. Co., 101 Ky. 441, 41 S.W. 1015, 38 L.R.A. 809; 2 High on Injunctions (7th Ed.) § 1120 et seq.”

See also La Mar v. Lechlider, 135 Fla. 703, 185 So. 833.

Reversible error has not been made to appear, and the decree of the Chancellor appealed from, be and the same is hereby

Affirmed.

ROBERTS, O. J., and TERRELL and SEBRING, JJ., concur.


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Citator

Cited By

  • Black v. Clifton, 284 So. 2d 465 (Fla. 4th DCA 1973)
    …he property as the vendor can convey or of the quality of title that he possesses, subject to an abatement in the purchase price because of such default or deficiency. Rose v. Henderson, Fla.1912, 63 Fla. 564, 59 So. 138; Brown v. Griffin, Fla.1954, 75 So. 2d 781. The contract in question was complete, clear and unambiguous on its face and was not a proper subject for the admission of parol evidence to explain or vary it. Rothstein v. Forty-Five, Twenty-Five, Inc., Fla.App.1962, 145 So. 2d 565. In short the…
  • Thomas v. Delbert E. Thomas, 737 So. 2d 1129 (Fla. 5th DCA 1999)
    …PER CURIAM. AFFIRMED. See Brown v. Griffin, 75 So. 2d 781, 783 (Fla.1954); Cain & Bultman, Inc. v. Miss Sam, Inc., 409 So. 2d 114 (Fla. 5th DCA 1982). DAUKSCH, W. SHARP, and THOMPSON, JJ„ concur.…
  • Am. Realequities, Ltd. v. ALM Inv. Corp., 406 So. 2d 507 (Fla. 3d DCA 1981)
    …nce with the terms and conditions of the contract. The purchaser has a right, under the circumstances, to seek specific performance of a land contract and to seek damages for the material misrepresentation. Black v. Clifton, supra; Brown v. Griffin, 75 So. 2d 781 (Fla.1954); Firstbrook v. Buzbee, supra; Williams v. McFadden, 23 Fla. 143, 1 So. 618 (1887). The contract provided that any party having to bring an action to enforce its provisions should be entitled to attorney’s fees and costs.1 [*509] Upon rema…

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