Headley v. Renner

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Headley v. Renner, 129 Pa. 542 (Pa. 1889)
18 A. 549; 1889 Pa. LEXIS 980
Clark, Cueiam, Green, McCollum, Mitchell, Paxson, Sterrett, Williams

Headley v. Renner

Opinion of the Court

Pee Cueiam:

We are asked to reverse this judgment for the reason, inter alia, that the question of law was not properly reserved. This *546point should have been made at the time of the reservation. It will not do to acquiesce in the action of the court below, and then come here to complain of it. “ When no exception is taken below to a point reserved, the presumption is that it was assented to as a true statement of the facts: ” Insurance Co. v. Insurance Co., 71 Pa. 31. As the court entered judgment on the verdict, there is nothing here to show that it was error.

The third assignment alleges that the court erred in not answering defendant’s points. This may be disposed of by the single remark that the assignment is not in accordance with the Rules of Court, and will not be considered. .

This leaves remaining only the question of jurisdiction. It was urged that, as the legacy was a charge on the land, the remedy of the plaintiffs was exclusively in the Orphans’ Court. This objection does not appear to have been taken in the court below, and will not avail here, for the • plain reason that the plaintiffs are not proceeding against the land. If they were, the law is plain that they must proceed in the Orphans’ Court. They are proceeding to enforce the personal liability of the defendant, resulting from his acceptance of the land. The law is thus stated in Etter v. Greenawalt, 98 Pa. 422: “Where a person accepts a devise which is coupled with a direction by the testator that a sum certain shall be paid by the devisee to a third party, he thereby becomes subject to a. personal liability to pay said sum, which may be enforced against him in an action of debt instituted by said third party.” To the same effect is Eyre’s App. 106 Pa. 184.

Judgment affirmed.

Reference

Full Case Name
DAVID HEADLEY v. BARNET RENNER
Cited By
6 cases
Status
Published
Syllabus
1. An objection that a question of law was not properly reserved must be made at the time of the reservation, and if no exception is then taken, the presumption is that the reservation was assented to by the parties. 2. An assignment of error which avers simply that the court erred in not answering the appellant’s points, but does not state the points, is not in accordance with the Rules of Court (Rule XXIII.), and will not be considered. 3. The acceptance of a devise which is coupled with a direction that a sum certain shall be paid by the devisee to a third party, ereates'a personal liability of the devisee which may be enforced against him by an action in debt.