Anderson v. Shaw
Anderson v. Shaw
Opinion of the Court
Joseph Shaw, Sr., the grandfather of the plaintiffs, was twice married. He had issue by his first marriage three children, now dead, the parents of the plaintiffs and of Jodie Shaw, one of the defendants. He had issue by his second marriage seven children. One of the latter, named Kittie, died in childhood, but after her father. The six others and their mother and Jodie Shaw are the defendants in the case. The suit is for a partition by licitation of the property belonging to the community of acquets and gains that existed between Joseph Shaw, Sr., and his first, wife, the grandfather and grandmother of plaintiffs and of Jodie Shaw. This property consists of a farm. Joseph Shaw, Sr., grandfather of plaintiffs, continued in possession of this farm after the death of his first wife, the grandmother of plaintiffs. After his death, which occurred some 20 years before the filing of this suit, his second wife, the stepmother of the parents of the plaintiffs, Mrs. Mollie Hamilton Shaw, continued in possession, and enjoyed all the fruits and revenues of the property. The present suit includes a demand against the principal defendant, Mrs. Shaw, the stepmother of the parents of the plaintiffs, for the share of the plaintiffs in these fruits and revenues. The plaintiffs claim as heirs of their grandparents, and also as heirs of their deceased half-sister, Kittie. Jodie Shaw’s interests are the same as those of plaintiffs. She was made a defendant merely because this form of proceeding simplified matters; she being a minor. Her tutrix filed answer, joining plaintiffs in their demand against the other defendants. The latter aver in their answer that Joseph Shaw, Sr., the grandfather of plaintiffs and of Jodie Shaw, settled in full with the parents of plaintiffs and of Jodie Shaw for their interest in the succession of his first wife, the grandmother of plaintiffs and of Jodie Shaw; and that the second community paid $200 of the debts of the first community. They make no other defense, except that in part offset of the demand for fruits and revenues Mrs. Shaw pleads the taxes paid by her on the property and claims compensation for improvements.
There is no dispute that each of the children of Joseph Shaw, Sr., inherited one-tenth of his estate, the three deceased children of the first marriage being now represented by their children; and that the latter inherited in equal parts the estate of their respective parents; and that the interest of Kittie Shaw, deceased, passed to her heirs, and is now held by them in the following proportions: (1)One-fourth thereof to her mother, Mrs. Mollie Hamilton Shaw; (2) one half of the remaining three-fóurths to her sisters and brothers of the full blood; and (3) the other half of the remaining three-fourths in equal parts to her brothers and sisters, both of the full and of the half blood.
The sisters and brothers of the full blood are Bird Shaw, Fred Shaw, Leila Shaw Reeves, Nina Shaw Powell, Ellen Shaw Lewis, and Alma Shaw Tabor.
In fixing the amount of the estate of Joseph Shaw, Sr., there must t be deducted therefrom the one-half of the $200 paid by the second community in satisfaction <of the debts of the first community.
For convenience in recasting, we set aside entirely the judgment appealed from.
It is ordered, adjudged, and decreed that the judgment appealed from be set aside, and that this case be remanded for further trial in accordance with the views herein above expressed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- ANDERSON v. SHAW
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- (Syllabus by Editorial Staff.) 1. Evidence (§ 318*) — Hearsay. In partition of community property of plaintiffs’ grandparents, a written acknowledgment that their grandfather had settled with two children of his first marriage, and testimony that the grandfather stated he had settled with the third child, Being hearsay, were inadmissible. [Ed. Note. — Eor other cases, see Evidence, Cent. Dig. §§ 1193-1200; Dec. Dig. § 318.*] 2. Partition (§ 86*) — Restitution of Fruits —Interest. In a partition by licitation of the community property of plaintiffs’ deceased grandparents, and for the fruits thereof, against the stepmother of their parents, the plaintiffs were entitled, under Civ. Code, art. 1944, authraizing interest on sums due for the restitution of fruits, to interest on the fruits and revenues from the date that the stepmother wrongfully took possession. [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Partition, Cent. Dig. §§ 247-249, 252; Dee. Dig. § 86.*] 3. Partition (§ 87*) — Allowance for Payment of Taxes — Proof. In partition by licitation against a party wrongfully in possession, she was entitled to recover only the taxes paid on the property in controversy, where the payment was,established with reasonable certainty. [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Partition, Cent. Dig. § 253; Dec. Dig. § 87.*] 4. Partition (§ 85*) — Possessor in Bad Faith — Pay for Improvements. The plaintiffs in suit for partition by licitation of property wrongfully in possession of another were not bound to keep the possessor’s improvements which were removable, but could require her to demolish and take them away. [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Partition, Cent. Dig. §§ 236-245; Dec. Dig. § 85.*] 5. Partition (§ 85*) — Possessor in Bad Faith —Pay for Improvements — Deductions. A possessor in bad faith of property for which partition by licitation was sought was entitled to recover the cost of improvements made by her for the preservation of the property, and for nonremovable improvements, to the extent that they increased the value of the property, though they were not necessary to its preservation; deduction being made therefrom for the benefits she received. [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Partition, Cent. Dig. §§ 236-245; Dec. Dig. § 85.*] 6. Partition (§ 85*) — Possessor in Bad Faith — Improvements. Where, in partition against a possessor in bad faith, the plaintiffs elect to keep removable improvements, they may elect to pay either the value of the material and the price of the workmanship, or a sum equal to the enhanced value of the soil. [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Partition, Cent. Dig. §§ 236-245; Dec. Dig. § 85.*]