M. J. ZMISTOWSKI, AND HIS WIFE, DORIS L. ZMISTOWSKI, ZMISTOWSKI CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, A FLORIDA CORPORATION, AND DORMANINE HOLDING CORPORATION, A FLORIDA CORPORATION, APPELLANTS,
v.
JOHN T. OXLEY AND HIS WIFE, MARY K. OXLEY, APPELLEES
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Property owners appealed a final decree dismissing their complaint to void a transaction as usurious and quieting title in defendants. The trial court found the transaction was a deed absolute with an option back to plaintiffs, not a mortgage loan, and plaintiffs failed to establish their burden of proof. The appellate court affirmed, holding that the chancellor's findings of fact based on conflicting testimony would not be disturbed on appeal.
The transaction was a deed absolute with an option back, not a mortgage loan. The chancellor's finding that the intent of the parties was to effect a deed absolute with option back was supported by competent and substantial evidence and would not be disturbed on appeal. Where a relationship of seller and purchaser is established, the percentage of profit or loss has no relation to usury law.
“The plaintiffs have failed to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the transaction between the [parties] was in reality a mortgage loan, rather than a deed absolute from Dormanine Holding Corporation to Oxley, with option back to Zmistowski Construction Company, as expressed in the plain terms of the written instrument.”
The chancellor's finding that plaintiffs did not meet their burden of proving the transaction was a mortgage loan rather than a deed absolute with option back as written.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceZmistowski and his wife, along with their construction company and a holding corporation, entered into a transaction with the Oxleys involving propert…
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Plaintiffs appeal a final decree in favor of the defendants in a suit by which the plaintiffs sought to void an alleged mortgage loan transaction as being usurious.1
The defendants by answer and counterclaim denied that the involved transaction was a mortgage loan and alleged that on the contrary it concerned a deed absolute with option back to plaintiffs and that plaintiffs breached the option agreement; and defendants sought to quiet title to the subject property. Consequent upon evidence adduced at final hearing the chancellor found against the plaintiffs, dismissed their complaint and found for the defendants on the counterclaim. The decree reads in pertinent part:
“2. The plaintiffs have failed to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the transaction between the *707parties was in reality a mortgage loan, rather than a deed absolute from Dor-manine Holding Corporation to Oxley, with option back to Zmistowski Construction Company, as expressed in the plain terms of the written instrument. The Court finds that the intent of the parties, with reference to the nature of the transaction, was as asserted by the defendant OXLEY, and that the contentions of the plaintiffs, M. J. Zmis-towski, et al-, with respect thereto are not supported by credible testimony.
“3. The plaintiff Construction Company has failed to carry out its obligations under the Agreement of Purchase and Sale dated March 14, 1958, and the Supplement thereto dated October 21, 1958, wherefore such Agreement and such Supplement are of no further force and effect.
“4. The defendant Oxley has title to all lands heretofore conveyed to him by Dormanine, * * * free and clear of any and all claims by or on behalf of the plaintiffs, M. J. ZMISTOWSKI and his wife, DORIS L. ZMISTOWSKI, ZMISTOWSKI CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, a Florida corporation, and DORMANINE HOLDING CORPORATION, a Florida corporation, or persons claiming under, by or through said plaintiffs.” (emphasis added)
The parties differed in their versions of the facts, and accordingly the chancellor’s findings were based upon conflicting testimony. There was, however, competent and substantial evidence to support the defendants’ version. In this situation the findings of the chancellor, the witnesses having testified before him, will not be disturbed on appeal. On such a record the reviewing court will not substitute independent findings of its own.
Where the relationship of seller and purchaser is established between parties the percentage of profit or loss obviously has no relation to the usury law. Indian Lake Estates, Inc. v. Special Investments, Inc., Fla. App.1963, 154 So.2d 883, 888. The instant plaintiffs undertook to prove that the deed to the defendants, which deed was absolute on its face, was intended to operate as a mortgage to secure a loan. The burden was on the plaintiffs. Markell v. Hilpert, 1939, 140 Fla. 842, 192 So. 392. The chancellor found that the intent of the parties was to effect a deed absolute with option back and that the plaintiffs therefore had failed to establish that the transaction was in reality a mortgage loan. With this conclusion we cannot disagree, so the decree will not be disturbed.
Affirmed.
KANNER, Acting C. J., and BARKER, ROGER, A., Associate Judge, concur.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By
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Zmitowski v. Oxley, 166 So. 2d 755 (Fla. 1964)…Certiorari denied without opinion. 161 So. 2d 706.…
Authorities Cited
- Markell v. Hilpert, 140 Fla. 842 (Fla. 1939)
- John T. Oxley and his wife v. Zmistowski, 128 So. 2d 186 (Fla. 2d DCA 1961)
- Indian Lake Ests., Inc. v. Special Invs., Inc., 154 So. 2d 883 (Fla. 2d DCA 1963)
- Gandy v. State Rd. Dep't of Fla., 140 So. 2d 890 (Fla. 2d DCA 1962)
- John T. Oxley and his wife v. M. J. Zmistowski and his wife, 140 So. 2d 890 (Fla. 2d DCA 1962)