{
  "id": 2773454,
  "name": "John Traynor v. Potter Palmer",
  "name_abbreviation": "Traynor v. Palmer",
  "decision_date": "1877-09",
  "docket_number": "",
  "first_page": "477",
  "last_page": "478",
  "citations": [
    {
      "type": "official",
      "cite": "86 Ill. 477"
    }
  ],
  "court": {
    "name_abbreviation": "Ill.",
    "id": 8772,
    "name": "Illinois Supreme Court"
  },
  "jurisdiction": {
    "id": 29,
    "name_long": "Illinois",
    "name": "Ill."
  },
  "cites_to": [
    {
      "cite": "14 Ill. 168",
      "category": "reporters:state",
      "reporter": "Ill.",
      "case_ids": [
        2586019
      ],
      "opinion_index": 0,
      "case_paths": [
        "/ill/14/0168-01"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "analysis": {
    "cardinality": 179,
    "char_count": 2478,
    "ocr_confidence": 0.49,
    "pagerank": {
      "raw": 2.4275083284563495e-07,
      "percentile": 0.801662181849212
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    "sha256": "2dc1819a9ca73f0c588284f3c4f32edaa7711e1e0071f190a4fc643e5cc59944",
    "simhash": "1:6735c2629f05d49f",
    "word_count": 427
  },
  "last_updated": "2023-07-14T19:46:10.056426+00:00",
  "provenance": {
    "date_added": "2019-08-29",
    "source": "Harvard",
    "batch": "2018"
  },
  "casebody": {
    "judges": [],
    "parties": [
      "John Traynor v. Potter Palmer."
    ],
    "opinions": [
      {
        "text": "Mr. Justice Scott\ndelivered the opinion of the Court:\nThis case falls within the principle of Rufner v. McConnel, 14 Ill. 168. The covenant in this as in that case was made by the grantor \u201cfor his heirs, executors, and administrators,\u201d and is that the property conveyed is \u201cfree and clear from all former and other grants, bargains, sales, liens, taxes, assessments, and incumbrances of what kind and nature soever.\u201d This action was brought on the covenant of warranty against incumbrances created by a sale of the property for taxes, which the grantee was compelled to, and did, discharge. It was held in the case cited there could be no recovery against the grantor on such a covenant. One reason assigned for the decision in that case is, the grantor may have been unwilling- to become personally responsible, but was willing to charge his estate in the hands of his legal representatives, and the grantee may have been content with such a covenant rather than none at all.\nWhen parties have deliberately, as in instruments of the dignity of deeds, given expression tc their contracts, courts can do nothing else than enforce them as they find them. Neither can a court of law reform such instruments so as to make them conform to the agreement of the parties. That can only be done in chancery. When the deed in this case is reformed, if it ever shall be done, so that the covenant it contains shall be binding on the grantor, the grantee may have his action.\nThe judgment will be reversed and the cause remanded.\nJudgment reversed.",
        "type": "majority",
        "author": "Mr. Justice Scott"
      }
    ],
    "attorneys": [
      "Mr. Edward Eoby, for the appellant.",
      "Mr. Winchester Hall, for the appellee."
    ],
    "corrections": "",
    "head_matter": "John Traynor v. Potter Palmer.\n1. Covenant\u2014when binding on estate only. Where a grantor, in a deed, covenants \u201cfor his heirs, executors, and administrators,\u201d no recovery can be had against him on such covenant in a court of law. It charges his estate only in the hands of his legal representatives.\n2. Reforming contracts \u2014 only in chancery. Where parties deliberately give expression to their contracts, courts can do nothing else than enforce them as they find them, and a court of law can not reform such instalments so as to make them conform to the agreement of the parties. That can only be done in chancery.\nAppeal from the Circuit Court of Cook County; the Hon. Henry Booth, Judge, presiding.\nThis was an action of covenant, brought by Potter Palmer against John Traynor. On a trial below the plaintiff recovered judgment, from which the defendant appealed.\nMr. Edward Eoby, for the appellant.\nMr. Winchester Hall, for the appellee."
  },
  "file_name": "0477-01",
  "first_page_order": 487,
  "last_page_order": 488
}