Loftin v. Carden
Loftin v. Carden
Opinion of the Court
The real contest' in the court below was as to which one of two applicants or petitioners should be appointed guardian of the person and estate of appellant, an infant about two years of age.
These contestants in the court below were appellee and the now named next friend of appellant. Both of these parties filed applications or petitions in the probate court of Dale county, seeking and praying that letters of guardianship issue to her, respectively, as prayed. The petitions were pending at the same time, and each alleged practically the same state of facts. The trial court properly heard both of these petitions at the same time, and the evidence as to each was practically the same as to the jurisdiction of the court and the necessity of appointment; the only difference being as to the proper choice or selection of one of the two parties.
The court granted the petition of appellee and dismissed that of the now next friend of appellant, and entered all appropriate orders. The now next friend of appellant did not appeal from the order denying her petition and granting that of appellee, as she could have done; but as next friend of the infant applied to the court that the infant be made a party thereto. The court on this application allowed a bill of exceptions setting out the entire proceedings above referred to, and thereafter this appeal was prosecuted by the infant through and by its next friend.
As we view the record, and hold in this case, it is unnecessary to pass on the motion to dismiss the appeal because the probate court unquestionably acquired jurisdiction of the parties and subject-matter as to the appointment of a guardian for the infant. The decree or order of the court granting letters .to one petitioner and denying them to the other was unquestionably a judgment or order which would support an appeal. The infant was unquestionably interested in the proceedings and the decree or order, and whether the appeal should have been prosecuted therefrom in its name by next friend (as was done), or by this now next friend in her own name, as petitioner for like letters (whose petition was denied), it is unnecessary to decide, because the same persons will be liable for the costs of appeal, no matter in whose name the appeal should be prosecuted.
So whether the appeal should be in the name of the next friend, or of the infant by such next friend, it is not necessary to decide. The record in this case shows no error whatever of the trial court in appointing appellee as the guardian. There is nothing to show that she is not a proper party in all respects to act as such guardian. If it should ever in the future be made to appear that she is not a proper person to act as such guardian, the statutes- provide for her removal and the appointment of a suitable person.
Affirmed.
Addendum
Response to Application for Rehearing.
Counsel in his application for rehearing has evidently misinterpreted the opinion and decision in this case. It was not decided in this case that the residence of an infant was not that of its parents, or that the infant could change its residence without the consent of the parents pending minority; nor was it decided that the mother is not the natural custodian and guardian of an infant after the death of the father.
We have carefully examined and reviewed all of the authorities cited by counsel for appellant in his brief, and we cannot agree with counsel that any one of the cases holds anything different to what we have decided in this case.
We are wholly unable to see that there is any conflict whatever in the holding in the cases cited by counsel for appellant and the holding in this case, for the reason that the facts are entirely different.
It results that the application for rehearing must be .overruled.
Reference
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- Loftin v. Carden.
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