Hendrix v. Rossiter
Hendrix v. Rossiter
Opinion of the Court
This cause is presently before the Court on defendant’s Motion to Dismiss the plaintiff’s action on the grounds that it does not state a claim against defendant upon which relief can be granted, in that the deceased Glenn E. Holm, defendant, a nonresident of the State of Georgia at the time of his death, left no assets in Chatham County, Georgia, and the denominated defendant Rossiter, the County Administrator appointed to administer the assets of the deceased Glenn E. Holm, is not legally the administrator of said estate, the liability insurance policy upon which such administration in Chatham County was predicated not having a situs in Chatham County, Georgia, but rather in Spokane, Washington, the domicile of the nonresident deceased Holm.
The issue as to the Court’s jurisdiction is involved, it having been raised when the defendant questioned whether the denominated defendant Rossiter (the Administrator) was properly before this Court so as to vest jurisdiction, when the deceased Holm was a nonresident leaving no assets in Chatham County to be administered.
The Motion to Dismiss poses two main questions: (1) Was the deceased Holm domiciled in Spokane, Washington and a nonresident of Georgia at the time of his death? (2) If he was a nonresident of the State of Georgia, domiciled in the State of Washington, would his ownership of a liability insurance policy issued to him by a foreign insurer at Spokane, and not having situs in Chatham County, constitute an asset in Chatham County such as to warrant the appointment of an administrator for such nonresident deceased ?
The record before the Court, including affidavits, shows: Howard Hendrix, the plaintiff, was riding as a passenger in the automobile of the deceased Glenn E. Holm on November 20, 1955, when they were involved in an accident in Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia, in which Holm received injuries and died, and Hendrix received injuries for which he instituted the present suit against the estate of the deceased Holm, charging gross negligence in the operation of the automobile. Hendrix and Holm were both stationed at Hunter Air Force Base at Savannah, Georgia and were members of the 49th Bomb Squadron. They were both lieutenants; shared an apartment together in Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia, a distance of approximately five miles from Hunter Air Force Base; both were bachelors and had been in the Air Force only a short time. The affidavit of Holm’s mother, Mrs. Lucille Holm, shows that Holm was raised and educated in Spokane, Washington, with a short stay in Seattle, Washington; his family lived at Spokane, Washington, where they maintain a permanent residence; he continuously considered Spokane, Washington as his permanent home, even during the time that he was attending the University of Idaho from 1949 through 1954; he maintained a room in his parents’ home in Spokane, first at 50 West 13th Avenue, and from 1950 to the date of his death at 30 West 15th Avenue; he kept his personal belongings at 30 West 15th Avenue in his room, including civilian clothes, radio,
The appointment of Rossiter as Administrator for the estate of the deceased Holm was predicated solely on the liability insurance policy issued to Holm as constituting assets in Chatham County, Georgia and having situs there. The plaintiff’s attorney’s affidavit of December 21, 1956 corroborates this as being the only claimed asset in Chatham County. The defendant contends that the insurance policy is not such an asset and has situs at the domicile of the deceased, which was Spokane, Washington and not Chatham County, Georgia, and that Rossiter is not legally the administrator for such reason. The defendant filed an affidavit of Mr. Walter Mercer, the local agent for Hartford Accident & Indemnity Company in Chatham County to show that a policy of insurance had never been issued or sold to the deceased Holm in Chatham County, Georgia, nor was any such policy in the hands or possession of the agent in Chatham County, and it had no situs in said county.
The Court having fully considered all of the evidence presented, the Record in said cause, the arguments and briefs of counsel, makes the following findings of fact and conclusions of law:
Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law
(1) That it was the intention of the deceased Glenn E. Holm to return to Spokane, Washington upon his
(2) Having found that the deceased Glenn E. Holm was a nonresident of the State of Georgia at the time of his death on November 20, 1955, being, domiciled in the State of Washington, this Court finds that a public liability insurance policy issued in Spokane, Washington by a foreign insurer to the deceased Holm did not have situs in Chat-ham County, Georgia, although Holm was temporarily residing in Chatham County, Georgia at the time of his death. In re Roche’s Estate, 1954, 16 N.J. 579, 109 A.2d 655, and In re Rogers’ Estate, 1948, 164 Kan. 492, 190 P.2d 857.
Wherefore, it is Ordered, Decreed and Adjudged that the defendant’s Motion to Dismiss the plaintiff’s complaint be, and the same is hereby granted.
In Open Court, this 11th day of September, 1957.
Now 10 U.S.C.A. § 101 et seq.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Howard E. HENDRIX v. Joseph A. ROSSITER, Jr., Administrator of the Estate of Glenn E. Holm
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published