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56 Me. 45

Egery v. Woodard

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine

Decided July 1, 1868

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine · decided 1868-07-01

On Report. Action for breach of covenant. Plea, general issue. The plaintiff introduced a deed to himself, signed by the defendant, bearing date March 20, 1865, acknowledged April 25, 1865, and proof aliunde of its actual delivery on the day of the acknowledgment. He also proved payment by him, May 19, 1866, of the city, county and State taxes assessed upon the property described in the deed and wTrit, for the year 1865, to the amount of $157,50.

Cited by 2 later decisions — most recently April 1978

2 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1868-07-01

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Appleton, C. J.

¶1—Taxes on realestate are to be assessed in the town, where the estate lies, to the person who is the owner, or in possession thereof, on the first day of April, of each year. R. S., 1857, c. 6, § 8.

¶2The assessment must necessarily be made, the warrant for collection issued and the taxes collected, after that date. The liability of the estate to taxation relates back to that time.

¶3No exception is taken to the legality of the assessment of the taxes, which the plaintiff has paid and now seeks to recover back.

¶4A deed, though duly executed while under the dominion of the grantor, and before its delivery, transfers no title. It takes effect from' and by delivery, and not from its date. The defendant’s deed was first effectual after the land conveyed • became liable for taxes assessed or to be assessed thereon for the then current year.

¶5Parol evidence is not admissible to vary or control the effect of a deed. If it were, the evidence offered, that a false date was inserted for the purpose of affecting the legal construction of the deed and changing the rights of the parties, could not have such effect, as the date of the delivery is the time when the deed first becomes effectual as an instrument of conveyance.

¶6Defendant defaulted for $157,50,

¶7with interest from May 19, 1866.

Kent, Walton, Dickerson, Barrows and Daneorth, JJ., concurred.
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