AI Generated Opinion Summaries

This summary was computer-generated without any editorial revision. It is not official, has not been checked for accuracy, and is NOT citable.

Facts

• The case involves a dispute over the ownership of a property. The Defendants claimed they acquired the subject property from the "property Tax Division" in 1986, asserting that records concerning property taxes on the subject property proved their ownership. However, a final decree had previously quieted title in favor of the Plaintiffs in 1997. The Defendants attempted to challenge this by filing a quitclaim deed to convey an interest in the subject property, despite the established quiet title in favor of the Plaintiffs.

Procedural History

• [Not applicable or not found]

Parties' Submissions

• Plaintiffs: Argued that the Defendants' attempt to relitigate the ownership of the property was barred by the doctrine of res judicata, given the final decree quieting title in their favor from 1997. They also contended that the Defendants' actions constituted slander of title since the Defendants knew the title had been quieted in the Plaintiffs' favor, failed to appeal, and then filed a quitclaim deed.
• Defendants: Asserted that they acquired the subject property from the "property Tax Division" in 1986 and that the records from that division concerning property taxes on the subject property proved their ownership. They attempted to challenge the 1997 quiet title action.

Legal Issues

• Whether the doctrine of res judicata barred the Defendants from relitigating the 1997 quiet title action.
• Whether the evidence supported the district court’s determination of slander of title and for damages.

Disposition

• The district court’s order granting summary judgment in favor of the Plaintiffs was affirmed.

Reasons

• Per Cynthia A. Fry, J. (Jonathan B. Sutin, J., and J. Miles Hanisee, J., concurring): The Court affirmed the district court's summary judgment in favor of the Plaintiffs based on several grounds. Firstly, the Defendants' attempt to relitigate the 1997 final decree quieting the Plaintiffs' title was barred by the doctrine of res judicata. Secondly, the Court found that slander of title was supported by the evidence, noting that the Defendants were aware that the quiet title had been established in favor of the Plaintiffs, did not appeal, and then filed a quitclaim deed. Lastly, the Defendants failed to submit evidence in response to the Plaintiffs' summary judgment motion to controvert the Plaintiffs' claim for damages, nor did they point out any error in fact or law regarding the determinations made by the district court.