Peintner-Unruh v. Martin
Peintner-Unruh v. Martin
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
The plaintiff commenced this action to quiet her title to certain real property in Pawnee county. Judgment was rendered in favor of the defendants, and the plaintiff appeals.
Plaintiff claims title to the real property under the will of her former husband, Conrad Peintner, executed in 1914 and duly probated. The will contained the following provision:
“It is the purpose and intent of this will that whatever estate I may die seized of shall constitute a trust fund for the maintenance and support of my said wife as herein provided, but upon the condition that she shall continue to nurse and take care of me in my sickness until my death. I appoint my said wife executrix of my will, and after my estate has been administered, as trustee, to hold the said estate in trust for the purposes herein specified until the death of my wife, and no part of my estate shall be appropriated to the payment of any indebtedness of my said wife, May Peintner, which was accrued or existing at the time of my death, and may only be appropriated after my death for necessaries purchased or provided for her maintenance and support. My wife shall serve without bond. If my said wife desires, she may sell any or all of my property of which I shall die seized and for that purpose she may make all necessary deeds of conveyance. Out of the proceeds she may purchase her a home, not exceeding 160 acres of land, and take title in her own name and have the same absolutely, or she may take a home from any property I own at the time of my death and hold the same absolutely as her own to sell and convey or use as she pleases.”
After the will was probated, and on November 14,1921, judgment was rendered against the plaintiff in favor of the defendant, F. L. Martin, for $11,478.50. A part of that judgment was afterward
To defeat the action the defendants rely on the fact that the plaintiff is not the holder of the record title of the land and does not show any equitable title thereto. They also argue that the judgment in Moorehead v. Martin is res adjudicata as to the plaintiff in this action.
The following language is found in 32 Cyc. 1329:
“It is well settled that one in possession of realty, without having legal or equitable title thereto, may not sue to quiet title or remove a cloud thereon.”
That rule is supported by Northrop v. Andrews, 39 Kan. 567, 18 Pac. 510; 1 Merwine’s Trial of Title to Land, § 1181; 21 Standard Proc. 1012; City of San Diego v. Allison, 46 Cal. 162; West Coast Lumber Co. v. Griffin, 54 Fla. 621; Trustees of Louisville v. Gray, 11 Ky. 146; Jackson v. LaMoure County, 1 N. Dak. 238; Lewis et al. v. Clements, 21 Okla. 167; Moore v. Halliday, 43 Ore. 243; Hawkinberry v. Metz and Metz, 91 W. Va. 637.
Before the action of Moorehead v. Martin, supra, was begun, the plaintiff had, by warranty deed, placed her title to the land in her sister, Gertrude Moorehead, who with that title prosecuted the action against F. L. Martin to quiet her title in and to the real prop
The judgment is affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.