Soderman v. Bell

Kirby, J., (after stating the facts). The reformation of deeds and other instruments. of writing upon allegations of fraud or mistake is a matter for the exclusive exercise of equity jurisdiction, and the court committed no error in transferring the cause to equity. The testimony was virtually undisputed that the land sold to appellant by appellee was, by mistake, not correctly described in the deed to him and also disclosed a correct description of the land intended to be conveyed as set out in the amendment to the complaint, and the motion to transfer the cause and the court erred in not reforming the deed accordingly. Appellee, Alice Bell, recognized appellant’s right to the possession of the lands conveyed to him, and immediately brought suit against her codefendants, the other appellees, who are not affected by this appéal, for such possession, that she might deliver it to him. He relied upon her doing so, and refrained from proceeding until after she recovered judgment for the possession of the lands and damages for the detention and accepted payment thereof and agreed to thq further continuance of possession by said codefendants, and refused to execute the judgment for possession for his benefit. The relief granted to her should have inured to his benefit, and she was bound to him for the payment of the damages recovered and other moneys, for rent of the lands, received from her said codefendants for unlawfully holding over and depriving her grantee of the possession of the premises. The decree is reversed and the case is remanded with directions to reform the deed in accordance with the opinion and to ascertain, by permitting the introduction of additional testimony if necessary for that purpose, the amount of damages recovered by appellee against said codefendants for the detention of the possession of these lands, as well as any money paid her by them for a further holding until possession was delivered to appellant under his writ of possession, and render judgment therefor for appellant against appellee, Alice Bell. It is so ordered.