Opinion

Scott v. . McMillan

  • 76 N.Y. 141
  • 1879 N.Y. LEXIS 472
Court
New York Court of Appeals
Filed
Jan 28, 1879
Status
Published
Author
Danforth
On the bench
Danforth
Cited by
21 cases
Authority
More cited than 94.4%

The opinion

Danforth, J.

I think the judgment should be affirmed. I am unable to distinguish this case from

Cole

v.

Hughes

( 54 N. Y., 444 ), where, upon an agreement similar to the one above referred to, it ivas held that the covenant to contribute for the construction of a party-wall did not run with the land and was not enforceable against a grantee of premises, whose former owner had entered into the covenant “ for himself his heirs or assigns.” The learned counsel for the appellant however claims that in deciding

Cole

v.

Hughes

the court overlooked the earlier case of

Brown

v.

Pentz

( 1 Abb. Ct. App. Dec., 227 ), and refused to follow it in the case

oí Brown

v.

McKee

( 57 N. Y., 684 ) afterwards decided. It will be seen however, first, that the former case was decided by an equally divided court and the judgment below affirmed under the statute; and second, that by the deed under which the defendant then held, it ivas provided

that one-half of the wall should be paid for by him.

This ivas a promise which the grantor had an undoubted right to make, and to its performance the grantee became liable when he accepted the deed, but shell promise is not to be found in the conveyance under which the respondent in this case makes title. In the latter case

(Brown

v.

McKee)

the plaintiff’s rights were not considered, the court ‘holding that Avhatevcr they might be, no cause of action had accrued.

In the case before us the defendant accepted a deed of the McMillan lot, “ subject to the aforesaid agreement,” but it is Avell settled that such a stipulation imposes no personal liability on the grantee, and that in the absence of an express

*145

agreement to assume, or pay, or perform, no agreement will be implied and no action involving a personal liability can be maintained against him.

The judgment should be affirmed, with costs.

All concur.

Judgment affirmed.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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