Stevenson's Adm'r v. Phillips Ex'r of Dehart
Stevenson's Adm'r v. Phillips Ex'r of Dehart
Opinion of the Court
On the argument two questions were raised by the defendant in Certiorari. 1st. That the account is not final — and 2d. That a Certiorari does not lie in the Orphans’ Court on a mere matter of adjusting the amount or proportion of commissions.
1st. The account certainly does not upon its face express in so many words to be a final settlement, although from inspection it is manifest that it is such. Thus the whole amount of the inventory and of real estate sold is charged, and the estate is all disbursed, without praying allowance for any part as unsettled, except for a “ balance of $88.40 in accountant’s hands, to be distributed according to law.” The caption and the account itself is drawn according to the form in Griffith’s Treatise, p. 231-5, and I think that it is not usual to add the word final in the caption unless there has been a preceding settlement. So far as regards the present controversy the account is no doubt final, and that is sufficient to sustain the Certiorari on this point. State v. Hanford, 6 Halst. 73; Johnson v. Elite, 7 do. 316-17.
2d. As to the second point, there is no doubt that a Certiorari will not be sustained for the mere purpose of readjusting the amount or the proportion of commissions, that matter lying within the discretion of the Orphans’ Court Mathis’ Ex’r v. Mathis and al., 3 Harr. 63. But although this court will not look into that subject, and the readjustment may have been called for in strict justice to the parties in this case, yet in order
The order therefore opening the account was illegal and void and must be set aside, and of course the whole.subsequent proceedings go with it, leaving the account as it was originally allowed by the Orphan’s Court.
The mode of entering the order of the Orphan’s Court by
Note (a). — Vide Hyer’s Adm’x v. Morehouse &c. Spencer’s Rep. p. 125 accord.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- STEVENSON'S ADM'R v. PHILLIPS EX'R OF DEHART
- Status
- Published