Leavitt v. Hunnicutt
Leavitt v. Hunnicutt
Opinion of the Court
This suit originated in an action by W. E. Prescott as surviving executor of the last will and testament of Calvin W. Hunnicutt, deceased, for a construction of said will, and for direction by the superior court. Several questions were raised by the petition, but only one is now before this court for decision. The second paragraph of item 8 of the will is in the following language: “In the event either of my said named executors should die, resign, or fail to qualify, the ordinary of said county shall immediately appoint his successor, who shall be invested with all the powers, rights, and discretions enumerated in this will.” The will nominated as executors W. E. Prescott and J. Edgar Hunnicutt. Hunnicutt died on September 9, 1926, and one of the questions for determination was whether the paragraph giving the ordinary the power to appoint another executor was valid. Another question arising under the allegations of the petition and the prayer for construction was whether or not the surviving executor could exercise all the rights, powers and privileges conferred upon the two executors named; and there was a prayer “that a judgment and a decree be entered by the court, carrying into force and effect all of the findings and rulings in connection with the foregoing matters” (set forth in the petition). No evidence was “Submitted upon the hearing, as the allegations of the petition were admitted by the answer of the defendants. The court rendered the following judgment: “The second paragraph of item 8 of the will of Calvin W. Hunnicutt, deceased, as quoted in paragraph 5 of the petition in
Upon application of the law as stated in the Civil Code, § 6138, we do not think that this case and the judgment rendered therein could be brought to this court for review by direct bill of exceptions. Manifestly no decision or judgment is excepted to which terminated the case in the court below, or which “would have been a final disposition of the cause, of final as to some material party thereto,” if it had been rendered “as claimed by the plaintiff in error.” The judgment excepted to does not direct that the ordinary shall appoint a successor to J. Edgar Hunnicutt, the deceased coexecutor. The court did hold that the power of appointment given to the ordinary was valid, and then stated that “inasmuch as an appointment by him [the ordinary] of a successor to fill the place left vacant by J. Edgar Hunnicutt’s death would obviate the present determination of the other questions involved in this suit, and inasmuch as it does not appear that the ordinary will refuse to exercise the power and appoint a successor executor, the other points raised by the prayers of the petition are not now decided;” and then provided that if the ordinary refused to make the appointment, the plaintiff might bring this case again before
Dismissed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.