Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2100838
Steven Chess
v.
Wade Burt
BRYAN, J u d g e .
j u d g m e n t m o t i o n o f Wade B u r t . 1
We r e v e r s e a n d remand.
C h e s s a l s o p u r p o r t s t o a p p e a l f r o m an o r d e r d e n y i n g h i s
1
summary-judgment m o t i o n . "However, s u b j e c t t o e x c e p t i o n s n o t
h e r e a p p l i c a b l e , a p p e l l a t e c o u r t s do n o t r e v i e w t h e d e n i a l o f
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F a c t u a l Background and P r o c e d u r a l H i s t o r y
P e a c h t r e e Bank p u b l i s h e d a n o t i c e t h a t t h e p r o p e r t y w o u l d be
s o l d a t a f o r e c l o s u r e s a l e on F e b r u a r y 18, 2010.
"RECITALS
"WHEREAS, [ t h e p r o p e r t y ] i s e n c u m b e r e d b y a
m o r t g a g e a n d i s now s u b j e c t t o f o r e c l o s u r e , a n d
[Diane] d e s i r e s t o a s s i g n t h e i r [sic] statutory
r i g h t o f redemption t o [Chess].
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deed c o n v e y i n g t h e p r o p e r t y to Burt.
r i g h t t o redeem t h e p r o p e r t y u n d e r § 6 - 5 - 2 4 8 ( a ) ( 5 ) , A l a . Code
1975. 2
C h e s s ' s c o m p l a i n t f u r t h e r a l l e g e d t h a t he h a d demanded
2
Section 6-5-248(a)(5) provides:
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t o redeem t h e p r o p e r t y and t h a t B u r t h a d f a i l e d t o r e s p o n d t o
property within 10 d a y s h a d r e l i e v e d C h e s s o f t h e o b l i g a t i o n
i m p r o v e m e n t s made t o t h e p r o p e r t y s i n c e t h e f o r e c l o s u r e sale. 3
m a k i n g t h e demand w i t h a w r i t t e n , i t e m i z e d s t a t e m e n t
o f a l l l a w f u l c h a r g e s c l a i m e d b y h i m o r h e r . The
r e d e e m i n g p a r t y must t h e n t e n d e r a l l l a w f u l c h a r g e s
to the purchaser or h i s or her t r a n s f e r e e . I f the
purchaser or h i s or her transferee f a i l s to f u r n i s h
a w r i t t e n , i t e m i z e d statement of a l l l a w f u l charges
w i t h i n 10 d a y s a f t e r demand, he o r she s h a l l f o r f e i t
all claims or right to compensation for
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a l l e g e t h a t B u r t was c l a i m i n g t h a t c e r t a i n charges c o n s t i t u t e d
d e t e r m i n i n g t h a t he was e n t i t l e d t o redeem t h e p r o p e r t y f o r a
i m p r o v e m e n t s , and t h e p a r t y so e n t i t l e d t o redeem
may, on t h e e x p i r a t i o n o f t h e 10 d a y s , f i l e h i s o r
her complaint without a tender to enforce h i s or her
r i g h t s u n d e r t h i s a r t i c l e and f i l e a l i s p e n d e n s
w i t h the probate c o u r t . "
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foreclosure s a l e by f a i l i n g t o p r o v i d e Chess w i t h a w r i t t e n
h i s summary-judgment m o t i o n w i t h h i s a f f i d a v i t a n d an e x c e r p t
" I am t h e P l a i n t i f f , S t e v e n C h e s s , i n t h e above
s t y l e d case. T h i s matter i s a redemption o f r e a l
e s t a t e . I have p u r c h a s e d a n d o b t a i n e d t h e r i g h t o f
redemption from former owner D i a n e Grammer. I
e m a i l e d t o Wade B u r t on M a r c h 2 a n d h a n d - d e l i v e r e d
t o h i s home ( a c c e p t e d b y a l a d y t h a t a n s w e r e d t h e
d o o r ) t h e demand f o r l a w f u l c h a r g e s . F u r t h e r , I s e n t
by c e r t i f i e d mailed [ s i c ] a demand f o r l a w f u l
c h a r g e s t o Wade B u r t w h i c h was s i g n e d f o r on M a r c h
3, 2 0 1 0 . 4
" I d i d n o t r e c e i v e a r e s p o n s e u n t i l M a r c h 18
w h i c h i s more t h a n 10 d a y s a f t e r my d e l i v e r y .
4
The certified-mail receipt indicates that Burt's
s e c r e t a r y s i g n e d f o r Chess's l e t t e r on M a r c h 2, 2010, r a t h e r
t h a n M a r c h 3, 2010.
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t h a t I d i d n o t r e c e i v e a r e s p o n s e t o my demand f o r
l a w f u l c h a r g e s i n t e n ( 1 0 ) d a y s as p r o v i d e d b y l a w . "
receive a l e t t e r f r o m C h e s s a t h i s h o u s e a n d t h a t , b e c a u s e he
t h a t h i s s e c r e t a r y had s i g n e d f o r a l e t t e r f r o m C h e s s t h a t was
d e l i v e r e d t o B u r t ' s b u s i n e s s a d d r e s s , t h a t he t o o k t h e l e t t e r
saw C h e s s a t a r e s t a u r a n t a n d a s k e d h i m i f he w o u l d s e l l h i s
d e p o s i t i o n does n o t c o n t a i n any t e s t i m o n y i n d i c a t i n g t h e d a t e
assignment.
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he h a d r e s p o n d e d t o C h e s s ' s demand f o r a w r i t t e n s t a t e m e n t o f
m a t e r i a l f a c t e x i s t e d r e g a r d i n g w h e t h e r C h e s s had a right to
redeem t h e property.
c o u r t d i d not r u l e on t h e m o t i o n a t t h a t time.
Chess. I n h i s c o u n t e r c l a i m , B u r t ( 1 ) a l l e g e d t h a t R i c h a r d had
a s s i g n e d h i s s t a t u t o r y r i g h t t o redeem t h e p r o p e r t y t o B u r t on
r e s p e c t t o b o t h C h e s s ' s c l a i m a g a i n s t h i m and h i s c o u n t e r c l a i m
a g a i n s t C h e s s . F i r s t , B u r t a s s e r t e d t h a t he was e n t i t l e d to a
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f o r e c l o s u r e had a c t u a t e d h e r s t a t u t o r y r i g h t o f r e d e m p t i o n on
redemption o f t h e p r o p e r t y . T h i r d , B u r t a s s e r t e d t h a t he was
seeking redemption o f t h e p r o p e r t y b e c a u s e , he s a i d , ( 1 ) C h e s s
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redemption of the p r o p e r t y .
amended c o m p l a i n t a c c o m p a n i e d b y a p r o p o s e d amended c o m p l a i n t .
D i a n e h a d e x e c u t e d a s e c o n d a s s i g n m e n t o f h e r r i g h t t o redeem
assignment"), a n d ( 2 ) c l a i m e d t h a t he h a d a r i g h t t o redeem
motion.
e x e c u t e d t h e F e b r u a r y 16, 2010, a s s i g n m e n t ; h o w e v e r , he a r g u e d
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e q u i t y o f r e d e m p t i o n he h a d a c q u i r e d f r o m D i a n e b y v i r t u e o f
s t a t u t o r y r i g h t o f r e d e m p t i o n t o w h i c h he was e n t i t l e d as t h e
t r a n s f e r e e of Diane's e q u i t y of redemption.
Burt's summary-judgment m o t i o n i n w h i c h he i n c o r p o r a t e d t h e
motion.
judgment m o t i o n .
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i n d i c a t e t h a t the t r i a l c o u r t r u l e d on t h a t m o t i o n .
On M a r c h 20, 2011, t h e t r i a l c o u r t e n t e r e d o r d e r s d e n y i n g
a p p e a l e d t o t h e supreme c o u r t , w h i c h t r a n s f e r r e d t h e a p p e a l t o
S t a n d a r d of Review
"'We a p p l y t h e same s t a n d a r d o f r e v i e w t h e
t r i a l c o u r t used i n d e t e r m i n i n g whether the
evidence p r e s e n t e d to the t r i a l court
c r e a t e d a genuine i s s u e of m a t e r i a l f a c t .
Once a p a r t y m o v i n g f o r a summary judgment
establishes that no genuine issue of
m a t e r i a l f a c t e x i s t s , the burden s h i f t s t o
the nonmovant to present substantial
evidence creating a genuine issue of
material fact. "Substantial evidence" i s
" e v i d e n c e o f s u c h w e i g h t and q u a l i t y t h a t
f a i r - m i n d e d persons i n the e x e r c i s e of
i m p a r t i a l judgment can r e a s o n a b l y i n f e r t h e
e x i s t e n c e o f t h e f a c t s o u g h t t o be p r o v e d . "
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I n r e v i e w i n g a summary j u d g m e n t , we v i e w
t h e e v i d e n c e i n t h e l i g h t most f a v o r a b l e t o
t h e nonmovant and e n t e r t a i n s u c h r e a s o n a b l e
i n f e r e n c e s as t h e j u r y w o u l d have b e e n f r e e
t o draw.'
2002).
Analysis
s e e k i n g t o redeem t h e p r o p e r t y b a s e d on h i s argument t h a t t h e
t h e p r o p e r t y t o C h e s s . B u r t a r g u e d t h a t t h e F e b r u a r y 16, 2010,
Chess f o r two r e a s o n s . F i r s t , he a r g u e d t h a t t h e l a n g u a g e o f
e x i s t b e f o r e t h e f o r e c l o s u r e and, t h e r e f o r e , t h a t t h e F e b r u a r y
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B u r t was e n t i t l e d t o a summary j u d g m e n t b a s e d on h i s a r g u m e n t
D i a n e ' s e q u i t y o f r e d e m p t i o n , w h i c h d i d e x i s t on F e b r u a r y 16,
t h e F e b r u a r y 16, 2010, a s s i g n m e n t n o t o n l y p u r p o r t e d t o a s s i g n
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o m i t t e d ; emphasis added).
r e t a i n e d an e q u i t y o f r e d e m p t i o n . See T r a u n e r v. L o w r e y . "The
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r e d e m p t i o n u n d e r § 6 - 5 - 2 4 8 ( a ) ( 5 ) by v i r t u e o f t h e F e b r u a r y 16,
2010.
C h e s s a r g u e s t h a t i t was s u p p o r t e d by c o n s i d e r a t i o n b e c a u s e i t
s u p p o r t e d by consideration.
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to Chess.
t h a t C h e s s f a i l e d t o t e n d e r t h e amount n e c e s s a r y t o redeem t h e
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"'Upon t h e f i l i n g o f any c o m p l a i n t as
p r o v i d e d i n t h e s e s e c t i o n s and p a y i n g i n t o
c o u r t t h e amount o f p u r c h a s e money a n d t h e
i n t e r e s t n e c e s s a r y f o r r e d e m p t i o n and a l l
l a w f u l charges, i f the w r i t t e n statement
thereof has been f u r n i s h e d or, i f not
f u r n i s h e d , o f f e r i n g t o pay such debt o r
p u r c h a s e p r i c e and a l l l a w f u l c h a r g e s , t h e
circuit court shall take jurisdiction
thereof and s e t t l e and a d j u s t a l l the
r i g h t s a n d e q u i t i e s o f t h e p a r t i e s , as
provided i n t h i s a r t i c l e . ' "
( F o o t n o t e o m i t t e d . ) However,
" [ u ] n d e r t h e p l a i n l a n g u a g e o f § 6-5-252 a n d §
6-5-256, [ A l a . Code 1 9 7 5 , ] i t i s c l e a r t h a t a
r e d e m p t i o n e r i s e x c u s e d f r o m t e n d e r a t t h e t i m e he
f i l e s t h e c o m p l a i n t t o redeem where he h a s t i m e l y
furnished the purchaser with a demand for a
s t a t e m e n t o f l a w f u l c h a r g e s a n d t h e 10-day s t a t u t o r y
period f o r response has expired without the
purchaser f u r n i s h i n g the redemptioner the statement
o f l a w f u l c h a r g e s . Our supreme c o u r t h a s so h e l d i n
S h e a l y v. G o l d e n , 897 So. 2d 268 ( A l a . 2004) (as
m o d i f i e d on d e n i a l o f r e h e a r i n g ) , a n d P u r c e l l v.
S m i t h , 388 So. 2d 525 ( A l a . 1980) ( b o t h r e c o g n i z i n g
t h a t , upon t i m e l y demand made b y t h e r e d e m p t i o n e r ,
the purchaser's f a i l u r e to timely f u r n i s h the
redemptioner w i t h the statement of l a w f u l charges
e x c u s e s t e n d e r and f o r f e i t s t h e p u r c h a s e r ' s r i g h t t o
payment f o r improvements); see a l s o Harris v.
Bradford, 245 A l a . 434, 17 So. 2d 145 (1944)
( f a i l u r e of the purchaser t o f u r n i s h the statement
o f d e b t a n d l a w f u l c h a r g e s upon demand made b y t h e
redemptioner relieves the redemptioner of the
n e c e s s i t y o f m a k i n g t e n d e r o f t h e p u r c h a s e p r i c e and
l a w f u l c h a r g e s as a c o n d i t i o n p r e c e d e n t t o t h e
m a i n t e n a n c e o f an a c t i o n t o e x e r c i s e t h e s t a t u t o r y
r i g h t o f r e d e m p t i o n ) ; Lee v. Macon C o u n t y Bank, 233
A l a . 522, 172 So. 662 (1937) ( t h e f a i l u r e o f t h e
purchaser to timely f u r n i s h the redemptioner, w i t h i n
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10 d a y s a f t e r s u c h w r i t t e n demand i s made on t h e
purchaser, a w r i t t e n i t e m i z e d statement of the debt
and l a w f u l c h a r g e s c l a i m e d b y t h e p u r c h a s e r a n d
r e q u i r e d f o r redemption r e s u l t s i n the purchaser's
f o r f e i t i n g a l l c l a i m s or r i g h t t o compensation f o r
improvements; a l s o the redemptioner i s e n t i t l e d t o
file a bill t o enforce the s t a t u t o r y r i g h t of
redemption w i t h o u t a t e n d e r by s i m p l y o f f e r i n g t o
pay p u r c h a s e r ' s debt and a l l l a w f u l c h a r g e s ) . "
filed h i s c o m p l a i n t s e e k i n g r e d e m p t i o n , we must r e s o l v e t h e
i s s u e whether B u r t p r o v i d e d Chess w i t h a w r i t t e n s t a t e m e n t o f
l a w f u l charges w i t h i n 10 d a y s a f t e r demand.
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"'[A] demand f o r a s t a t e m e n t o f l a w f u l
c h a r g e s , s e n t b y m a i l , i s deemed made when
r e c e i v e d b y t h e p u r c h a s e r . The b u r d e n o f
c o m p l i a n c e r e s t s upon t h e r e d e m p t i o n e r a n d
any d e l a y i n t h e m a k i n g o f t h e demand must,
s i m i l a r l y , a f f e c t h i s r i g h t r a t h e r than
t h a t o f t h e p u r c h a s e r upon whom t h e demand
i s made. S i n c e t h e f o r f e i t u r e o f i m p o r t a n t
r i g h t s depends upon t h e t i m e l i n e s s o f a
r e s p o n s e , t h e p u r c h a s e r c a n n o t be p e n a l i z e d
by t h e u n c e r t a i n t i e s o f t h e m a i l s a n d t h e
b u r d e n r e s t s on t h e r e d e m p t i o n e r t o make a
w r i t t e n demand, b y w h a t e v e r mode, w i t h i n
t h e s t a t u t o r y t i m e l i m i t . Of c o u r s e , t h e
p u r c h a s e r may n o t i n t e n t i o n a l l y d e f e a t t h e
p r i v i l e g e t o redeem. See Hudson v. M o r t o n ,
231 A l a . 392, 165 So. 227 ( 1 9 3 6 ) . '
T h u s , t h e 10-day p e r i o d f o r B u r t t o p r o v i d e C h e s s w i t h a
w r i t t e n statement o f l a w f u l c h a r g e s b e g a n r u n n i n g on t h e d a t e
statement o f l a w f u l c h a r g e s . C h e s s ' s a f f i d a v i t s t a t e d t h a t he
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Chess's a f f i d a v i t s t a t e d t h a t he h a d e - m a i l e d a c o p y o f h i s
record contains a c e r t i f i e d - m a i l r e c e i p t i n d i c a t i n g t h a t , on
secretary. C o n s e q u e n t l y , we c o n c l u d e t h a t a g e n u i n e i s s u e o f
lawful charges.
r e q u i r e d t o t e n d e r t h e amount n e c e s s a r y t o redeem t h e p r o p e r t y
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r e v e r s e t h e summary j u d g m e n t i n f a v o r o f B u r t w i t h r e s p e c t t o
Chess's c l a i m s e e k i n g redemption. 5
t h a t B u r t was n o t e n t i t l e d t o a summary j u d g m e n t w i t h r e s p e c t
to redeem t h e p r o p e r t y , B u r t w o u l d n o t be e n t i t l e d t o redeem
it u n d e r § 6 - 5 - 2 4 8 ( d ) . S e c t i o n 6-5-248(d) p r o v i d e s :
5
We n o t e t h a t , b e c a u s e , as d i s c u s s e d a b o v e , a g e n u i n e
i s s u e o f m a t e r i a l f a c t e x i s t s r e g a r d i n g w h e t h e r C h e s s was
r e q u i r e d t o t e n d e r t h e amount n e c e s s a r y t o redeem t h e p r o p e r t y
when he f i l e d h i s c o m p l a i n t s e e k i n g r e d e m p t i o n t h e t r i a l c o u r t
p r o p e r l y d e n i e d C h e s s ' s summary-judgment m o t i o n .
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r e c o r d e d mortgages, and r e c o r d e d l i e n s i n e x i s t e n c e
at the time of the s a l e , are r e v i v e d a g a i n s t the
r e a l e s t a t e redeemed a n d a g a i n s t t h e r e d e e m i n g p a r t y
and f u r t h e r r e d e m p t i o n b y some p a r t y o t h e r t h a n t h e
mortgagor or debtor under this article is
precluded."
(Emphasis added.)
redeem t h e p r o p e r t y , B u r t w o u l d n o t be e n t i t l e d t o redeem t h e
p r o p e r t y i f Chess i s e n t i t l e d t o redeem t h e p r o p e r t y a n d ( 2 ) ,
as d i s c u s s e d a b o v e , a genuine i s s u e of m a t e r i a l f a c t exists
property.
Conclusion
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Our r e s o l u t i o n o f t h i s a p p e a l b a s e d on t h e i s s u e s discussed
Chess.
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