Steuerer v. Richards
Annotate this CaseIn 1997, Plaintiff-Respondent Donald Steuerer needed money and asked his across-the-street neighbor N.E.M. Richards to loan him some. Richards agreed to loan Steuerer $5,000. Steuerer executed and recorded a warranty deed conveying a half interest in his property. Richards paid additional funds Steuerer's benefit, and Steuerer contemporaneously executed a quitclaim deed to the property in favor of Richards. The parties later disputed: (1) how much Richards had paid to or for the benefit of Steuerer and (2) whether the deeds were intended as absolute conveyances or mortgages to secure repayment of the loans. Steuerer filed suit against Richards seeking to quiet title to the property. The district court found: (1) the deeds executed by Steuerer to the Property were intended by the parties to be mortgages to secure loans made by Richards to Steuerer; (2) Steuerer owed Richards $9,285.11 plus prejudgment interest; and (3) upon payment of the monetary award, Richards had to re-convey the property to Steuerer. Richards appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing the district court's judgment was not "sustained by the facts found." Finding no error in the district court's judgment, the Supreme Court affirmed.
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