Hoffman v. Chapman
Maryland Court of Appeals
34 A.2d 438 (Md. 1943)
Relevant factsFree
The Chapmans (plaintiffs) sold part of a land parcel to the Hoffmans (defendants) through a real estate agent, but the agent mistakenly drafted the deed to convey the entire lot rather than just the intended portion; both parties had understood at the time of sale that only part of the parcel was being sold. When the mistake was discovered, the Hoffmans refused to deed back the excess portion, and the Chapmans sued for reformation; the trial court reformed the deed in the Chapmans' favor.
IssueFree
Whether a court may reform a mistake in a deed to reflect the buyer and seller's true intentions when the deed was drafted by an agent acting for both parties.