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5 F. Cas. 174

Carson v. Boudinot

U.S. District Court

Decided April 15, 1807

U.S. District Court · decided 1807-04-15

The defendant entered into a contract with one Bartlet, for building three houses on lots belonging to the defendant in Philadelphia; during the building of which the defendant was to advance a certain sum. One of the houses was to be the defendant’s, and the other two Bartlet’s, upon a certain ground rent; and after the buildings were completed, the defendant was to convey to Bartlet.

Decided 1807-04-15

¶1BY

THE COURT.

¶2Bartlet was entitled to the equitable estate under the agreement with the defendant, and might be as much the owner as if he had been the legal owner. If not the equitable owner, he was authorized to make the building, and might bind the defendant, who was owner.

¶3To this last observation Wallace replied, that if Bartlet was the agent only, then the suit of the plaintiff to establish his demand should have been brought against defendant, instead of Bartlet.

¶4THE COURT, however, on the first point, refused to nonsuit the plaintiff.

¶5Wallace then moved for a nonsuit upon another point; viz. that Bartlet having only an equitable estate, the plaintiff could buy no other kind of estate under the sheriff's sale; and on such a title he could not maintain ejectment in this court.

¶6BY THE COURT. Upon this ground the plaintiff must be called. Cpon the lien alone it is admitted an ejectment will not lie. The plaintiff then must rely on the sheriff’s deed. But that deed could convey no other or greater estate than Bartlet had, which was merely an equitable one; and such an estate is not sufficient to maintain an ejectment in this court.

¶7The plaintiff suffered a nonsuit.

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