Leahy v. Simpson
Leahy v. Simpson
Opinion of the Court
This is a cross appeal from a judgment of the circuit court providing for the payment by the administrator of a certain per cent of two judgments against him as such, which judgments had been certified to the probate court for allowance and classification in the fifth class of demands after the administrator under the orders of that court had paid the same per cent, to wit, 38 1-2 per cent, of the demands previously allowed in that class. The judgments in question were $11,096.04 in favor of J. N. Straat, trustee, dated April 9, 1898, and $4,595.14 in favor of Jane Leahy, dated April 12, 1898. Both had been certified to the probate court April 20, 1898. On an appeal from an order of that court as to equalization of payment of said judgments with the payments theretofore ordered on previously allowed demands in the same class, the learned circuit judge adopted a method of ascertaining two sums which at the rate of interest borne by the said judgments, calculated from the date of the second order made by the probate court for the partial payment of allowed demands in that class, would have amounted to fho respective judgments on the date of their rendition. The learned judge thereupon adjudged that the same per cent of the two sums thus ascertained should be paid by the administrator as that which had been paid by him under the orders of the probate court for the payment of other previously allowed demands of the same class.
We have been unable to find any statute or decision which justifies the adoption of this plan. The demands merged in the two judgments were not in a condition to be allowed against the estate until the just amount of each was fixed by a final judgment. After the obtention of such judgments all that either the probate or circuit court could do in the matter would be to direct the same per cent of the face value of said judgments to be paid which had been paid under the previous orders of the court upon previously allowed demands of the same
The judgment in this case is reversed and the cause remanded, to be tried in conformity with the views expressed in this opinion. It is so ordered.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.