Tegart v. McCaleb
Tegart v. McCaleb
Opinion of the Court
The plaintiff sued his tutor, MeOaleb, for an account, and obtained a judgment against him for $1042 32, from which the plaintiff has appealed and contends he is entitled to a larger balance.
The main point urged by the appellant is his alleged right to hold the defendant responsible for not having obtained a larger judgment for his ward against the succession of Story, who preceded Me Caleb in his tutorship. The circumstances were as follows: Patricio Tegart, the father of plaintiff and Joseph Tegan't, died in 1836, and Edward Story was appointed tutor of the two minors. Story died in 1843, and McCaleb was appointed tutor in 1844. He instituted, with reasonable diligence and with the professional aid of Messrs. Bowman & Ma/yo, attorneys and counsellors at law, a suit against the adminis
This disposes of the main question in this cause, the reconsideration of which seems to have been the principal object of counsel in prosecuting this appeal. With respect to other objections made to details of the account, an examination of the evidence has not satisfied us there is error authorizing a reversal. Several items are disputed which were for expenses incurred in holding family meetings and like proceedings. It is not a sufficient reason for imposing upon the tutor these expenses (which appear to have been incurred in good faith, under advice of counsel) that they did not ultimately result to the benefit of- the minor.
There was a piece of land which appears to have been acquired by McOaleb for the benefit of the minors, in part settlement of the claims on Story’s estate. This acquisition the plaintiff repudiated. As the judgment below allowed him to do so, there should have been a provision in the judgment recognizing the title of this tract, quoad, the plaintiff’s share, to be in the defendant. The ap-pellee has, in his answer to the appeal, prayed an amendment to that effect, to which amendment he is entitled.
It is therefore decreed that the judgment of the District Court be so amended as to declare the interest of said plaintiff in the tract of land of 738 arpens, acquired in his behalf by said MoCaleb, in his capacity of tutor of said plaintiff, to have vested in said HoCaleb individually, and passed at his death to the said HoCaleb’s succession, and that so amended, the said judgment bo affirmed, and be binding upon the succession of said MoCaleb, represented herein by Mrs. Lucinda HoCaleb, administratrix thereof, and upon the said Mrs. HoCaleb, as surviving widow in community, and also as tutrix of the minor children of the said deceased. Costs of appeal to bo paid by appellant.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.