ADKINS v REDEYE
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NO. 81-152 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA 1981 DAVE A. ADKINS, Plaintiff, Respondent and Counterclaimant and Defendant, GERALDINE V. REDEYE and MARLIN DUANE HUEY, Defendants, Appellants and Counterclaimants and Plaintiffs. Appeal from: District Court of the Nineteenth Judicial District, In and for the County of Lincoln Honorable Robert M. Holter, Judge presiding. Counsel of Record: For Appellants: Oleson Law Firm, Kalispell, Montana Fennessy, Crocker & Fennessy, Libby, Montana For Respondent: Williams & Sverdrup, Libby, Montana Submitted on briefs: September 18, 1981 Decided: December 23, 1981 Filed:. 2 3 I981 # @ Clerk J u s t i c e Frank B. M o r r i s o n , J r . , d e l i v e r e d t h e O p i n i o n of t h e Court. Mr. M a r l i n Duane Huey and G e r a l d i n e V . Redeye, a p p e l l a n t s , a p p e a l from judgment e n t e r e d by t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t o f t h e N i n e t e e n t h J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t on J a n u a r y 8, 1981, and from a n o r d e r d e n y i n g a p p e l l a n t s ' m o t i o n t o amend t h e f i n d i n g s of f a c t , c o n c l u s i o n s o f law and judgment e n t e r e d on March 1 0 , The judgment d e c r e e d Dave A . A d k i n s , r e s p o n d e n t , t h e 1981. owner i n f e e s i m p l e of t h e f o l l o w i n g l a n d i n L i n c o l n County, Montana : The S o u t h w e s t Q u a r t e r o f t h e S o u t h e a s t Q u a r t e r of S e c t i o n 4 , Township 30 N o r t h , Range 33 W e s t , M.P.M. T h i s a p p e a l i n v o l v e s a d i s p u t e o v e r t i t l e t o t h e aboved e s c r i b e d 40 a c r e t r a c t o f t i m b e r l a n d , o r i g i n a l l y owned by P h i l l i p Redeye. P h i l l i p d i e d i n a n a c c i d e n t i n 1955. H i s e s t a t e was p r o b a t e d and a f i n a l d e c r e e and o r d e r was e n t e r e d i n L i n c o l n County, Montana, on November 23, 1956. T h i s d e c r e e and o r d e r d i s t r i b u t e d t h e 40 a c r e t r a c t t o P h i l l i p ' s w i f e , G e r a l d i n e V. Redeye ( a / k / a G e r a l d i n e Huey) and t o P h i l l i p ' s two y e a r o l d s o n M a r l i n Duane Redeye ( a / k / a M a r l i n Duane Huey) a s t e n a n t s i n common. The November 2 3 , 1956 o r d e r and d e c r e e was f i l e d i n t h e c o u r t p r o b a t e r e c o r d ; however, no copy was e v e r c e r t i f i e d and f i l e d i n t h e o f f i c e o f t h e L i n c o l n County C l e r k and R e c o r d e r . G u a r d i a n s h i p o v e r t h e e s t a t e and p e r s o n o f M a r l i n Duane was g r a n t e d t o G e r a l d i n e by t h e Montana c o u r t . Geraldine and M a r l i n moved t o Washington s h o r t l y a f t e r P h i l l i p ' s death. S u b s e q u e n t l y , G e r a l d i n e p e t i t i o n e d and was g r a n t e d g u a r d i a n s h i p o f M a r l i n Duane i n t h e S t a t e o f Washington. I n 1961, G e r a l d i n e p e t i t i o n e d t h e Montana c o u r t t o remove t h e p e r s o n a l p r o p e r t y s u b j e c t t o t h e Montana g u a r d i a n ship. Removal of p e r s o n a l p r o p e r t y t o t h e S t a t e of Washington was a u t h o r i z e d by a c o u r t o r d e r d a t e d December 8 , 1961. T h i s o r d e r d i d n o t t e r m i n a t e t h e Montana g u a r d i a n s h i p . Tax r e c e i p t s f o r t h e p r o p e r t y w e r e m a i l e d by t h e L i n c o l n County T r e a s u r e r ' s o f f i c e t o t h e r e c o r d t i t l e - o w n e r , Phillip Redeye f o r t h e y e a r s 1956 t o 1959 a s f o l l o w s : Redeye, P h i l l i p Troy, Montana Redeye, P h i l l i p c/o G e r a l d i n e V. Troy, Montana Redeye Redeye, P h i l l i p c / o J a c o b Redeye Troy, Montana Redeye, P h i l l i p c / o M r s . G e r a l d i n e Huey 2400 Donovan, Bellingham, Washington The r e c o r d i s somewhat u n c l e a r a s t o who made payment of t h e t a x e s . P h i l l i p ' s f a t h e r , J a c o b Redeye, p a i d t h e t a x e s f o r t h e y e a r 1957 and r e c e i v e d a n a s s i g n m e n t of t a x sale certificate. A p p a r e n t l y , payment of t h e s e t a x e s was s u b s e q u e n t l y redeemed f o r J a c o b n e v e r o b t a i n e d a t a x deed f o r the property. Geraldine t e s t i f i e d t h a t she d i d n o t know who had made t h e t a x payments b u t had assumed t h a t t h e a t t o r n e y who had p r o b a t e d P h i l l i p ' s e s t a t e and handled t h e g u a r d i a n s h i p p r o c e e d i n g s was t a k i n g c a r e of such m a t t e r s . I n 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, and 1 9 6 4 no t a x payments w e r e made on t h e 4 0 a c r e p a r c e l . On August 1 0 , 1965, M r s . Dave A. Adkins p a i d t h e d e f a u l t e d t a x e s and o b t a i n e d a n a s s i g n m e n t of t a x s a l e s c e r t i f i c a t e from t h e T r e a s u r e r of L i n c o l n County. T h e r e a f t e r , Dave A. Adkins undertook p r o c e e d i n g s t o o b t a i n a t a x deed. Adkins, v i a r e g i s t e r e d m a i l , s e n t n o t i c e of h i s a p p l i c a t i o n f o r t a x deed t o t h e r e c o r d t i t l e - o w n e r , P h i l l i p Redeye, and a l s o t o M r s . G e r a l d i n e Huey. Adkins m a i l e d t h e s e n o t i c e s t o t h e o n l y a d d r e s s a v a i l a b l e from t h e County T r e a s u r e r ' s r e c o r d s , Washington. 2400 Donovan, Bellingham, T h i s n o t i c e was r e t u r n e d by t h e p o s t a l s e r v i c e marked "Moved -- Not Forwardable." Adkins t h e n p u b l i s h e d n o t i c e of h i s a p p l i c a t i o n f o r t a x deed i n t h e "Western News," a newspaper of g e n e r a l c i r c u l a t i o n i n L i n c o l n County, Montana. This p u b l i c a t i o n appeared f o r two c o n s e c u t i v e weeks on t h e 1 0 t h and 1 7 t h of F e b r u a r y , 1966. Adkins s u b s e q u e n t l y a p p l i e d f o r and r e c e i v e d a t a x deed t o t h e 40 a c r e s on May 4 , 1966. T h e r e a f t e r , Adkins used t h e l a n d . He h a r v e s t e d C h r i s t m a s t r e e s on o c c a s i o n and had i t s e l e c t i v e l y logged i n 1969. He a l s o pruned and t h i n n e d on t h e p r o p e r t y . Adkins c o n t i n u e d t o pay a l l t a x e s on t h e p r o p e r t y a s t h e y came due. On A p r i l 5 , 1979, Dave Adkins commenced an a c t i o n t o q u i e t t i t l e t o the property. G e r a l d i n e and M a r l i n responded and c o u n t e r - c l a i m e d a l l e g i n g t h a t t h e t a x deed r e l i e d on by Adkins was i n v a l i d f o r f a i l u r e t o comply w i t h s t a t u t o r y requirements. G e r a l d i n e and M a r l i n t e n d e r e d a l l t a x e s , p e n a l t i e s , and i n t e r e s t a c c r u e d from 1960 t o t h e p r e s e n t . A t r i a l was h e l d on October 9, 1980. The D i s t r i c t Court, s i t t i n g without jury, quieted t i t l e t o t h e property i n Dave A. Adkins. The p a r t i e s p r e s e n t t h e f o l l o w i n g i s s u e s : 1) Whether Dave A. Adkins complied w i t h t h e s t a t u t o r y r e q u i r e m e n t s n e c e s s a r y t o o b t a i n a v a l i d t a x deed? 2) Whether Dave A. Adkins a c q u i r e d t i t l e by a d v e r s e possession? 3) Whether t h e a l l e g e d n e g l i g e n c e of t h e a t t o r n e y who p r o b a t e d t h e e s t a t e of P h i l l i p Redeye and handled t h e Montana g u a r d i a n s h i p p r o c e e d i n g s p r e c l u d e s Dave A. Adkins from obtaining t i t l e t o t h e property? W e f i n d t h e f i r s t i s s u e t o be d i s p o s i t i v e . Appellants contend t h a t Adkin's procedure i n o b t a i n i n g a t a x deed t o t h e d i s p u t e d p r o p e r t y i s d e f i c i e n t f o r two r e a s o n s : F i r s t , t h e r e was a d e f e c t i n t h e t a x t i t l e c h a i n and, s e c o n d l y t h e r e was i n s u f f i c i e n t n o t i c e t o G e r a l d i n e and M a r l i n a t t h e t i m e of a p p l i c a t i o n f o r t a x t i t l e . A p p e l l a n t s a r g u e t h a t t h e p a r t y who p a i d t h e d e f i c i e n t t a x a s s e s s m e n t s and r e c e i v e d a n a s s i g n m e n t of t a x s a l e c e r t i f i c a t e on August 1 0 , 1965, was a M r s . Dave A . Adkins, whereas t h e p a r t y who undertook a c t i o n c u l m i n a t i n g i n t h e r e c e i p t of a t a x deed on May 4 , 1966, was Dave A. Adkins. A p p e l l a n t s a s s e r t t h a t no e v i d e n c e was e v e r p r e s e n t e d i n t h i s m a t t e r e s t a b l i s h i n g a l e g a l r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e two p a r t i e s . Thus, a p p e l l a n t s a l l e g e a d e f e c t i n t h e c h a i n o f t a x t i t l e which n e c e s s a r i l y i n v a l i d a t e s t h e t i t l e u l t i m a t e l y o b t a i n e d by Dave A. Adkins. A f t e r reviewing t h e record i n t h i s m a t t e r , it i s c l e a r t h a t t h i s c o n t e n t i o n was never r a i s e d a s a n i s s u e i n t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t and c a n n o t now be r a i s e d h e r e . McIntyre Const. Co. ( 1 9 7 7 ) , 173 Mont. 239, Kearns v . 567 P.2d 433. I n f a c t , appellants' pleadings a s s e r t t h a t ". . . on t h e 1 0 t h of August, 1965, Minnie T r e a s u r e r of L i n c o l n County, Montana, a s s i g n e d t o c o u n t e r c l a i m a n t d e f e n d a n t (Dave A . Adkins) a n a s s i g n m e n t of t a x s a l e s c e r t i f i c a t e f o r unpaid p r o p e r t y t a x e s owed t o s a i d County of L i n c o l n f o r t h e y e a r 1960; t h a t on t h e 4 t h of May, 1966, s a i d 0 . Anderson, Minnie 0. Anderson, L i n c o l n County T r e a s u r e r , e x e c u t e d and d e l i v e r e d a t a x deed f o r s a i d p r o p e r t y t o c o u n t e r c l a i m a n t d e f e n d a n t (Dave A. Adkins) ." Having a d m i t t e d t h e s e f a c t s , a p p e l l a n t s c a n n o t c l a i m on a p p e a l t h a t t h e c h a i n of t i t l e r e l i e d upon by Dave A. Adkins i n o b t a i n i n g h i s t a x deed was n o t s u f f i c i e n t l y proven. A p p e l l a n t s a l s o c o n t e n d t h a t Adkins f a i l e d t o comply with t h e s t a t u t o r y requirements, f o r obtaining a valid tax deed b e c a u s e Adkins d i d n o t g i v e a p p e l l a n t s p r o p e r n o t i c e a s r e q u i r e d i n 1966 by S e c t i o n 84-4151, c o d i f i e d a s S e c t i o n 15-18-202, R.C.M., MCA). 1947 ( p r e s e n t l y Therefore, appellants c l a i m t h a t Adkins' t a x deed i s i n v a l i d and t h a t t h e y a r e e n t i t l e d t o redeem t h e p r o p e r t y by p a y i n g a l l t a x e s , p e n a l t i e s , and i n t e r e s t a c c r u e d from 1960 t o p r e s e n t . S e c t i o n 84-4151, R.C.M., 1947, p r o v i d e s i n p e r t i n e n t part: "The p u r c h a s e r of p r o p e r t y s o l d f o r d e l i n quent taxes must, a t l e a s t s i x t y ( 6 0 ) days previous t o t h e e x p i r a t i o n of t h e t i m e f o r redemption, o r a t l e a s t s i x t y (60) days b e f o r e h e a p p l i e s f o r a deed, s e r v e upon t h e i f known owner of t h e p r o p e r t y p u r c h a s e d , -a written notice and t h e owner h a s t h e r i g h t of reof t h e p r o p e r t y demption i n d e f i n i t e l y u n t i l such n o t i c e h a s I n a l l c a s e s where t h e p o s t been g i v e n o f f i c e a d d r e s s of t h e owner i s unknown, t h e a p p l i c a n t s h a l l p u b l i s h once a week f o r two ( 2 ) s u c c e s s i v e weeks i n a newspaper publ i s h e d i n t h e county where t h e p r o p e r t y i s s i t u a t e d , a n o t i c e s u b s t a n t i a l l y i n t h e followi n g form ... ... . .. . . . ... . . . . . ." This Court has c o n s i s t e n t l y held t h a t t h e s t a t u t o r y r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r o b t a i n i n g a t a x deed must be f u l l y s a t i s f i e d . Lowery v. G a r f i e l d County ( 1 9 4 9 ) , 1 2 2 Mont. 478. 571, 208 P.2d The c o u r t i n Lowery a l s o s t a t e d t h a t : "The g i v i n g of t h e n o t i c e i s j u r i s d i c t i o n a l and u n l e s s t h e r e q u i r e m e n t of t h e law i n r e s p e c t t o s u c h n o t i c e i s complied w i t h and t h a t f a c t e s t a b l i s h e d by t h e a f f i d a v i t f i l e d w i t h t h e c o u n t y t r e a s u r e r t h e t a x deed may not legally issue." 1 2 2 Mont. a t 580, 208 P.2d a t 483. With t h i s i n mind w e t u r n t o t h e n o t i c e g i v e n i n t h i s c a s e . Adkins f i r s t a t t e m p t e d s e r v i c e o f h i s n o t i c e of a p p l i c a t i o n f o r t a x deed by m a i l i n g r e g i s t e r e d l e t t e r s c o n t a i n i n g such n o t i c e t o t h e a d d r e s s and names l i s t e d on t h e 1959 t a x r e c e i p t r e c o r d s of t h e County T r e a s u r e r . This t a x r e c e i p t f o r 1959, t h e y e a r i n which t a x e s had l a s t been p a i d upon t h e p r o p e r t y , l i s t e d P h i l l i p Redeye a s t h e r e c o r d t i t l e owner and n o t e d t h e m a i l i n g a d d r e s s t o be: c/o M r s . Geraldine Huey, 2 4 0 0 Donovan, Bellingham, Washington. These n o t i c e s w e r e r e t u r n e d t o Adkins marked "Moved Not Forwardable." -- Adkins t h e n p u b l i s h e d t h e s t a t u t o r y n o t i c e r e q u i r e d by S e c t i o n 84-4151, R.C.M., 1947 i n t h e "Western News" on F e b r u a r y 1 0 t h and 1 7 t h , 1966. Adkins t h e n proceeded t o o b t a i n a t a x deed t o t h e p r o p e r t y on May 4 , 1966. A p p e l l a n t s a r g u e t h a t , a l t h o u g h P h i l l i p Redeye was s t i l l l i s t e d a s t h e r e c o r d t i t l e - o w n e r on t h e t r e a s u r e r ' s t a x r o l l s , n e v e r t h e l e s s Adkins c o u l d e a s i l y have s e a r c h e d t h e p r o b a t e judgment book, found t h e o r d e r and d e c r e e , and t h u s d e t e r m i n e d t h e t r u e owners of t h e p r o p e r t y . Appellants c l a i m t h a t Adkins' f a i l u r e t o c o n d u c t such a s e a r c h r e s u l t e d i n d e f e c t i v e n o t i c e b e c a u s e Adkins' e f f o r t s a t g i v i n g n o t i c e c o m p l e t e l y e x c l u d e d t h e minor, M a r l i n Duane Huey, from t h e notice process. The d u t y owed by a t a x deed a p p l i c a n t f o r d i s c o v e r i n g a l l t r u e owners of p r o p e r t y and t h e i r c o r r e c t a d d r e s s e s was r e c e n t l y d i s c u s s e d by t h i s C o u r t i n Madden v . ( 1 9 7 5 ) , 166 Mont. 285, 532 P. 2d 4 1 4 . Zimmerman I n Madden w e s t a t e d that: "The s t a t u t e (884-4151, R.C.M. 1947) s e t s f o r t h t h e n o t i c e r e q u i r e d by a p e t i t i o n e r f o r a t a x deed, t o r e q u i r e more i s n o t w i t h i n t h e power of t h i s C o u r t . To r e q u i r e t h e p e t i t i o n e r t o s e a r c h o t h e r o r a l l l e g a l r e c o r d s and t o be on n o t i c e of a l l l e g a l p u b l i c a t i o n s which may a f f e c t t i t l e t o t h e p r o p e r t y would be o n e r o u s . " T h e r e f o r e t h e burden must f a l l t o t h e t a x p a y e r t o keep t h e t a x i n g a u t h o r i t i e s informed of h i s i n t e r e s t i n t h e l a n d and h i s c u r r e n t address. " ( c i t a t i o n o m i t t e d ) 166 Mont. a t 289-290, 532 P.2d a t 417. Applying t h i s h o l d i n g t o t h e i n s t a n t c a s e , i t i s c l e a r t h a t a p p e l l a n t s had a d u t y t o keep t h e L i n c o l n County t a x i n g a u t h o r i t i e s a p p r i s e d of t h e i r c o r r e c t a d d r e s s . was n e v e r t a k e n . Such a c t i o n Adkins conducted t h e s e a r c h r e q u i r e d of him t o a s c e r t a i n t h e owners of t h e p r o p e r t y . H e then complied w i t h t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s of S e c t i o n 84-4151, 1947, r e l a t i n g t o t h e g i v i n g of n o t i c e . R.C.M., Adkins a t t e m p t e d t o g i v e n o t i c e by r e g i s t e r e d m a i l ; once t h i s f a i l e d h e r e s o r t e d t o t h e s t a t u t o r i l y p e r m i s s i b l e mode of n o t i c e by p u b l i c a t i o n . W e h o l d t h a t Adkins' R.C.M., compliance w i t h S e c t i o n 84-4151, 1947, a f f o r d e d G e r a l d i n e , p e r s o n a l l y , and M a r l i n Duane, t h r o u g h G e r a l d i n e , h i s g u a r d i a n of b o t h p e r s o n and e s t a t e , p r o p e r n o t i c e of t h e a p p l i c a t i o n f o r t a x deed. Although t h e q u e s t i o n h a s n o t a r i s e n o f t e n o r r e c e n t l y , o t h e r j u r i s d i c t i o n s have h e l d t h a t n o t i c e by p u b l i c a t i o n i s s u f f i c i e n t a s t o a minor's i n t e r e s t i n r e a l property. v . Beaty ( 1 8 9 2 ) , 84 Tex. 562, 19 S.W. e t al. (1872. C t . of App.), 50 N.Y. Hardy 778; Wheeler v . S c u l l y , 666. 4 2 Am.Jur.2dI I n f a n t s , S197, p r o v i d e s i n p a r t : "Moreover, t h e r u l e s t h a t unknown c l a i m a n t s of p r o p e r t y may be s e r v e d by p u b l i c a t i o n and t h a t a judgment r e n d e r e d a g a i n s t them i s v a l i d a t l e a s t t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t i t i s i n rem o r quasi i n r e m apply t o i n f a n t defendants." T h e r e f o r e , w e h o l d Dave A. Adkins p r o p e r l y complied with a l l necessary s t a t u t o r y requirements f o r obtaining a t a x deed and t h e deed i s s u e d by t h e L i n c o l n County T r e a s u r e r on May 4 , 1966 i s v a l i d . The i s s u e of a d v e r s e p o s s e s s i o n i s moot. A p p e l l a n t s ' a l l e g a t i o n r e g a r d i n g t h e n e g l i g e n c e of t h e a t t o r n e y who p r o b a t e d P h i l l i p Redeye's e s t a t e and who handled t h e g u a r d i a n s h i p p r o c e e d i n g s f o r G e r a l d i n e Redeye was n e v e r r a i s e d i n t h e pleadings nor presented t o t h e D i s t r i c t Court. A s p r e v i o u s l y s t a t e d , i s s u e s must be p r e s e n t e d b e f o r e t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t and may n o t be r a i s e d f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e on appeal. Kearns v . McIntyre Const. Co. (1977), supra. T h e r e f o r e , t h i s C o u r t d e c l i n e s t o r e v i e w a p p e l l a n t s ' second issue. The judgment of t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t i s a f f i r m e d . W Concur: e
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