In re Burdick's Estate
In re Burdick's Estate
Opinion of the Court
The executor of the above estate filed his final account with a petition for settlement and for a distribution of the estate, December 12, 1892. He reported that he had in his hands, after payment of debts and expenses, $1,855.41, from which he asked to be allowed attorney’s fees and accruing costs, and prayed that the balance be distributed to the parties entitled thereto; that the testator left one child, Arthur W. Burdick, and; a widow, Alice H. Bur-dick; that by his will his entire estate was left to his son. January 31, 1893, Alice H. Burdick filed her petition, claiming that there was other property belonging to the estate, and asked to have such property recovered for the estate. August 30, 1893, A. W. Burdick and A. M. Sutton asked to have the money in the hands of the executor distributed to them as surviving trustees of a trust, or that the entire estate be given to A. W. Burdick as sole legatee and devisee. The petitions were submitted, and taken under advisement. July 20, 1893, Burdick and Sutton filed a more elaborate petition, asking the court to distribute the money to them as trustees. October 9, 1893, the court denied the application of the widow to compel the executor to include other property, and ordered a distribution of the estate as community property. One-half of the money, at the special request of A. W. Bur-dick, was distributed t-o A. W. Burdick and A. M. Sutton, trustees, and the other one-half to the widow. At that time counsel for A. W. Burdick and A. M. Sutton, trustees, and for A. W. Burdick individually, asked the court to suspend entry of the order of distribution until the title of the fund could be determined by proper action in a court of general jurisdiction. This application was denied, and the court proceeded to settle the final account of the executor, and to distribute the property. Appeals are taken from this decree by the executor, by A. W. Burdick and A. M. Sutton as trustees, and by A. W. Burdick individually. The appeals are brought here together, and by stipulation all use the same transcript, and they have been argued and submitted as one appeal.
The executor states in his notice of appeal that he appeals from the whole decree, “except so much of said decree as settles the account of said executor, from which last-named
1. At first sight it would appear as though the court could not distribute property to the trustees. They are not named in the will, and could not, as such, be heirs. But the bill of exceptions does not profess to state all the evidence, and, in the absence of a contrary showing, we should presume that they made out a claim through some one legally entitled. If the statement that it was done at the special request of A. W. Burdick shows that there was no other warrant for the distribution, still I, think it is not void. It shows that A. W. Burdick was the person entitled to it, and, if the other direction be void, still the distribution complies with the code. It describes the property, and names the person entitled to it, viz., A. W. Burdick. No other person could complain of it, and he cannot, for it was done at his instance. The executor questions the jurisdiction of the probate court to determine the common property, or to distribute it to the widow. -He argues that the wife claims adversely to the estate, and not as heir, legatee or devisee. The estate can only be distributed to such persons, and those who have acquired title from them. He cites in support of his contention Estate of Rowland, 74 Cal. 525, 5 Am. St. Rep. 464, 16 Pac. 315. It was not decided in that case that the wife does not take one-half the community property upon the death of her husband as his heir, but that, when the community is dissolved by the death of the wife, the probate court, while administering the estate of the wife, has no jurisdiction of the community property. The Civil Code declares that in such case the community property goes to the husband without administration: Civ. Code, sec. 1401. Notwithstanding some unnecessary language in Estate of Rowland, it was only held that a controversy between the representative of the deceased
¡We concur: Henshaw, J.; McFarland, J.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- In re BURDICK'S ESTATE
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Executors—Appeal from Final Settlement.—An executor, who has appealed from all of a decree made in the final settlement and distribution of the estate, except that part settling such executor’s account with the estate, cannot, on such appeal, object that the funds in his hands were found to be community property, and distributed accordingly. Executors—Appeal.—A Distribution of a Part of a Devised Estate to trustees, at the special request of the sole devisee, will not be declared void on appeal because the record fails to show that such trustees established a legal claim to the property. Executors—Distribution.—The Probate Court has Jurisdiction to declare certain property devised to testator’s son to be community property, and to distribute it to the wife, who is not a legatee or devisee. Community Property—Succession.—The Additional Eight Acquired in community property by either the husband or the wife upon the death of the other is acquired by inheritance. Executors—Who may Appeal from Final Settlement.—Persons claiming to be trustees of a devised estate, but who are neither heirs, devisees, nor legatees, and who have presented no claim against the estate, cannot appeal from a decree rendered in the final settlement of the estate. Executors.—An Appeal cannot be Taken from an Order of the probate court refusing to postpone the final decree. Community Property.—A Surviving Wife cannot be Deprived of her rights in community property by an act of the husband subjecting such property to the control of trustees for the use of others.