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16 Del. 219

Baker v. Johnson

Superior Court of Delaware

Decided June 15, 1896

Superior Court of Delaware · decided 1896-06-15

This was an action for waste. At the trial it appeared that the plaintiff had purchased the farm owned by the defendant and upon which he lived, at Sheriff’s sale, and that before confirmation of the sale by the Court, the defendant had cut down a ■number of peach and apple trees. This action of waste was brought to recover the value of the trees cut.

Decided 1896-06-15

Marvel, J.,

¶1delivered the opinion of the Court.

¶2We are of the opinion that a nonsuit should be granted in this case.

¶3The plaintiff has failed to sustain the allegations in his narr ; and the evidence has shown that there is not such privity between the parties to this cause that there can be a recovery in this form ■of action.

¶4It is alleged in the narr that the defendant was a tenant. That has not been sustained by the evidence adduced on the part ■of the plaintiff; on the other hand, it appears that the plaintiff was at the time of the commission of this act of cutting the trees, the equitable owner of the land. Under the decisions in this State, the title of the purchaser at a Sheriff’s sale begins on the day of purchase. He then has an equitable title, his legal title not being •complete until the confirmation, and the delivery of the deed by the Sheriff. The defendant was not the legal owner of the land, and there was no such privity between the parties, plaintiff and defendant, as that the plaintiff could recover in this action; because the plaintiff simply possessed the equitable title and could not recover under the statute. Rev. Code, 665.

¶5*221As such privity does not exist between the parties as will enable the plaintiff to recover in this form of action, let a nonsuit be entered.

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