Mette v. Mette
Mette v. Mette
Opinion of the Court
The bill of complaint in this case, though filed in the name of the administrator of John Mette, deceased, is in fact filed in the interest of Joseph Kremer. It is a continuation of the litigation in the case of Kremer v. Mette, 148 Mich. 376. A reference to the opinion in that case will aid in the understanding of this case. After the decree was handed down by this court in that case, this bill was filed for the purpose of having the con
The solicitor for the defendant interposed the following objections:
“Mr. Look: I want to enter the following exceptions to the proposed decree.
“(1) Because the court is without jurisdiction and legal authority to make any decree in said cause, under the pleadings and proof, excepting one dismissing the bill of complaint.
“(2) Because the court is without jurisdiction and legal authority to make the decree as proposed by the complainant.
“ (3) Because the court is without jurisdiction to decree a sale of the premises mentioned in said bill of complaint, as contemplated and provided for in the proposed decree.
“ (4) Because the court is without jurisdiction to decree a sale of said premises at the time, and in the manner proposed by said decree.
“ (5) Because the proposed decree does not comply with the provisions of Act No. 326 of the Public Acts of Michigan for the year 1905.”
The decree was signed and an appeal was taken. We have not set out the contents of the plea or of the answer for the reason that the exceptions raise all the important questions.
It is claimed that the bill of complaint is prematurely filed, for the reason that the administrator was not given a reasonable time in which to decide whether he would bring the suit as requested by Mr. Kremer. It is nowhere suggested that he had intended to bring the proceeding in chancery, or that he was willing to do so. Indeed, the subsequent proceedings show very clearly that he had no intention of doing so, for reasons which are obvious. On the trial the solicitor for the complainant testified, among other things:
“On August 15, 1907, last year, before bringing this suit, I made a demand in writing upon Frederick Mette as administrator of the estate to bring this suit, and I offered him, or handed him, a written bond for*665 costs, approved by the judge of probate, which is now in his possession, and asked him to bring suit, and his answer was that he could not say ‘ Yes’ or ‘No,’ but would let me know during the afternoon. I told him I would take his answer as ‘No,’ unless I heard to the contrary, and I waited until the next day, and did not hear from him, and started this suit.”
As before stated, defendant put in no testimony. It is now objected that John Mette had a right to deed his homestead to his daughter, and that to do so would not be a fraud upon his creditors, and that the decree makes no reference to a homestead. We cannot resist the impression that this claim is an afterthought, for the attention of the court was not in terms called to it, either in the plea, the answer, or the objections to the decree itself. The testimony of Mr. Look was, in part, as follows:
“ I know the value of the greater part of the property named in these deeds. The outlying property down in Fort tract I do not know, but I know the property on Monroe avenue, the homestead, lots 28 and 29 on St. Aubin avenue. The St. Aubin property is worth at least $6,000. I would not say the Monroe avenue property was worth more than $1,200, old buildings. And. the rest of the property is worth approximately $2,500.”
This is the only reference to the homestead we have been able to find in the record. From Mr. Look’s statement as to the value of the property, it is evident there will be no trouble about taking care of the decree in favor of Mr. Kremer, and at the same time preserve any homestead right which may exist.
The decree is affirmed, with costs.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- METTE v. METTE
- Status
- Published