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13 Tex. 322

Williams v. McDonald

Texas Supreme Court

Decided July 1, 1855

Texas Supreme Court · decided 1855-07-01

This was a suit brought by an administrator upon a note given for the purchase money for land, located and surveyed by virtue of a headright certificate, sold at the administrator’s sale. The defence was failure of consideration, in consequence of failure of title. It appeared in evidence that the sale was made in 1848, and that the failure of the title of the purchaser was occasioned by the failure to return the field notes of the survey by the 31st day of August, 1853.

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently October 1883

1 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1855-07-01

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Wheeler, J.

¶1It is well settled that a sale of land by an administrator, under an order of the Probate Court, 'is a judicial sale, to which the rule of caveat emptor applies; and mere defect of title is no defence to an action to recover the purchase money. In such sales there is no warranty express or implied. (4 Tex. R. 431; 3 Watts & Serj. 444.)

¶2But it appears that the failure of title complained of in this case, arose from the defendant’s own negligence and fault. After the sale, whatever remained to perfect the title and obtain the patent, it devolved on the purchaser to do. By his purchase he acquired such right as the estate then had. He took the title in its inchoate state, and whatever was necessary to render his title complete, it was for him, not the administrator, to perform.

¶3The sale imposed no condition or obligation on the administrator or the estate to perfect and make good the title to the purchaser.

¶4The judgment is reversed and the cause remanded.

¶5Reversed and remanded.

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