Adams v. Lay
Adams v. Lay
Opinion of the Court
Plaintiff introduced into evidence her mother’s will, item 8 of which provides as follows: “I appoint James William Lay and Harold Lay as guardian of the person and property of Elsie Lay to manage the same as they see fit, give her what money they think necessary; and in the event that it becomes necessary for her care, they may at their discretion sell the property at 1751 South Lumpkin Street and use it for her necessary expenses.”
The effectiveness of the provisions depends upon the answer to two questions: (1) May a mother appoint a testamentary guardian for the person and property of her daughter and, if so, (2) is there evidence in the record to show that an effective appointment was made?
The law in effect at the time of the mother’s death, the effective date of the will, determines whether or not she had the power to appoint plaintiff’s brothers testamentary guardians of plaintiff’s person and property. Sutton v. Chenault, 18 Ga. 1, 4; Blanchard v. Gilmore, 208 Ga. 846, 848 (69 SE2d 753). In 1956, the year of the mother’s death, Ga. L. 1943, pp. 396-97 (Code Ann. § 49-103), provided that every parent could by will appoint guardians for the property of his children, and that if one of the parents was dead, the surviving parent could appoint guardians for the person of his or her minor children. The act uses the word “children” in reference to the appointment of guardians for property and the words “minor children” in reference to the appointment of guardians for their persons. We do not think, however, that the General Assembly by the inclusion of the word “minor” at one, place and its exclusion at the other intended to say that a parent might by his will appoint a guardian for the property of his children who had reached their majority. Therefore, we construe the act as providing for the appointment of guardians for the persons and/or property of minor children.
Under the act, defendants’ authority as testamentary guardians of plaintiff’s property would have come into existence only if, on the effective date of the will, the mother’s death, plaintiff
Plaintiff introduced into evidence item 4 of her mother’s will giving plaintiff a house and lot for life, and the written agreement between plaintiff and defendants as to the rental of the house by defendants for plaintiff. The agreement fails to specify its duration. We cannot ascertain the period of time during which the parties intended for defendants to rent the house for plaintiff. The agreement is not sufficiently definite as to time to be enforceable against the parties. Pepsi-Cola Co. v. Wright, 187 Ga. 723, 727 (2 SE2d 73).
Plaintiff having introduced evidence supporting the allegations of her petition as to her right to restrain defendants from collecting the rents from the house, some of the relief sought, it was error for the trial court to grant a nonsuit. Smith v. Faulk, 171 Ga. 616 (2) (156 SE 185); Clark v. Bandy, 196 Ga. 546 (27 SE2d 17); McGruder v. McGruder, 215 Ga. 716 (113 SE2d 119).
Judgment reversed.
Reference
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- ADAMS v. LAY
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