Way v. Gest
Way v. Gest
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
As the counsel agree that judgment must be entered for the defendants, I-shall confine mysélf to a statement of the principles that result from the authorities which they have adduced. But it is first necessary to know what estate Judith would have taken had she survived the devisor. The devise is to her expressly for life, “ and then after her decease to her lawful issue, provided she hath issue, who are, or shall live to be, twenty-one years old, or to have lawful issue, to hold to them, their heirs or assigns for ever.” In the first place- then, the word issue, even without superadded words of limitation, is often a word of purchase where the word heirs, or evén the word heir in the singular number is not. .But here there are engrafted on the limitation to Judith’s issue, words of limitation to them in fee, on their living to the age of twenty-one or having issue. It is indisputable then, that the devise to Judith was of an estate for life, with a contingent remainder to her issue in fee. But on the death of any of the testa-' tor’s daughters without issue, or having issue who should die in their minority without leaving lawful issue, there was a further limitation over to his other child or children in fee as tenants in common. It will'therefore be perceived, that here was a contingency, with a double aspect, to wit: Judith’s leaving or not leaving issue, who should live to twenty-one, or dying in their minority, leave lawful issue ; on which depended concurrent remainders to two sets of devisees, either of which was to take in exclusion of the other, as the event should happen. In other words, the limitation over was to the issue of Judith, if she should leave any who should answer the description in the will; and if not, then to the issue of her sisters. The limitation to the issue of her sisters, therefore, was also a contingent remainder.
Judgment for the defendants.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- WAY and another, Administrators of WAY, against GEST and Wife
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published