Norton v. Estate of Norton
Norton v. Estate of Norton
Opinion of the Court
Frances E.. Norton, the surviving widow of G. N. Norton, appeals from a judgment entered upon an order sustaining a demurrer to her complaint in a suit against the estate of G. N. Norton, upon a claim rejected tiy the judge sitting in probate.
The essential allegations of the complaint are summarized as follows: On July 4, 1915, leaving an estate in excess of ten thousand dollars, G. N. Norton died testate and indebted to the plaintiff in the sum of one thousand dollars *616 per year, in monthly installments of $83.33, commencing July 4, 1915, under a contract set forth as an exhibit to the claim, which by proper reference is made part of thé complaint. July 21, 1915, the plaintiff was appointed and qualified as special administratrix of the estate, and served as such until September 17, 1915, when she was appointed, and since which time she was and continued to be at the time of filing suit,-the administratrix of the estate with the will annexed. On March 16, 1916, within the time required by and in accordance with sections 1493, 1494, and 1510 of the Code of Civil Procedure, the plaintiff filed her verified claim with the clerk of the court in which the probate proceedings on the estate were pending. No payments jvere made on the claim, allowance of which was opposed by the children of the decedent, and the claim was rejected. In the claim appended to the complaint it was averred that the contract on which the claim is based was written and signed by Norton in December, 1911, and thereupon delivered to the claimant; that it was executed because the claimant had obtained, after the appearance of her husband, and trial, an interlocutory decree of divorce against him, for cruelty, and he desired a reconciliation, and to induce her thereafter to live with him as his wife" until his death, and in reliance upon the writing she did live with him as his wife until his death, and had her interlocutory decree of divorce set aside; that the writing was- in her possession until December 30, 1912, when at Norton’s request she gave it to him for the purpose of rewriting it; that he did rewrite it, after which he destroyed the original; that the rewritten document was continuously thereafter in her possession until it was filed by her as the will of the decedent; and that it has been admitted to probate as a will, and as such is on file in the office of the clerk of the court in which probate proceedings on the estate are pending.
The document is in the words and figures following:
“This instrument made and dated at San Francisco, Qalifornia, on the thirtieth day of December in. the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and twelve by me the undersigned is intended to be not only a contract but also an irrevocable olographic will (the same t being an instrument that is entirely written, dated and signed by the hand of myself) to the extent of the provisions thereof, it being *617 my purpose by virtue of the provisions of this instrument to 'secure to my wife, Frances E. Norton, the payments hereinafter specified out of my estate for and during her natural life if she shall continue to be my wife and be living with me as such at the time of my death. Making reference to the foregoing I hereby promise, agree, undertake and guarantee that after my decease my personal representatives shall and will pay out of my estate to my wife, Frances E. Norton, for and during her natural life the sum of one thousand dollars ($1000.00) per year in monthly installments of eighty three dollars and thirty three cents ($83.33) each if she shall continue to be my wife and be living with me as such at the time of my death, but not otherwise. I hereby expressly provide that upon my death all of my estate of every name, nature, character and description and wheresoever situated shall stand charged for the payments aforesaid if my said wife shall then be entitled to such payments according to the provisions aforesaid.
“In witness whereof I have written, dated and signed the foregoing by my own hand as above stated.
“G-. N. Norton.”
Since the demurrer was sustained without leave to amend, the grounds of ambiguity and uncertainty may be disregarded. The other three grounds of demurrer were that the court had no jurisdiction of the subject matter of the action, that there was a defect of the party defendant, and that facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action were not stated.
In the brief on behalf of the respondent the demurrer is sought to be sustained. No consideration can be given to statements of fact not shown by the complaint, but made in the brief. They may be pertinent, if proved, on a trial of the case, but upon the demurrer ruling the court is confined to the facts stated in the complaint.
The question of jurisdiction of the subject matter and the sufficiency of 'the statement of facts appear to be merged in the respondent’s brief.
The judgment is reversed, with directions to the trial court to enter an order overruling the demurrer to the complaint, and for such further proceedings as are not inconsistent herewith.
Langdon, P. J., and Haven, J., concurred.
A petition to have the cause heard in the supreme court, after judgment in the district court of appeal, was denied by the supreme court on August 14, 1919.
All the Justices concurred, except Wilbur, J., who was absent.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- FRANCES E. NORTON, Appellant, v. ESTATE OF G. N. NORTON, Deceased, Respondent
- Cited By
- 5 cases
- Status
- Published