McDonald v. McDonald
McDonald v. McDonald
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
James M. Cockins, the appellant in Appeal No. 187, held a life interest in an undivided 30/72 part of certain real estate, of which part Horace J. Miller and Adelaide M. Blick, two of the defendants, owned the remainder in fee. Plaintiff and two other defendants were each entitled to a 14/72 part of the same property. Proceedings in partition of the property were begun by plaintiff, to
Before discussing the merits of this appeal' by Cochins, we should first consider the appeal taken by Horace J. Miller and Adelaide M. Blick (No. 9). The master filed his report May 12, 1915, and, on May 21, 1915, it
In view of the apparent misapprehension and dispute
A consideration of appeal No. 187 on its merits fails to disclose reasons for reversal. The Act of April 11, 1835, P.L. 199, giving the right to partition notwithstanding the existence of a life estate in the property, contains a proviso that “those in remainder shall have the right to take such part as shall be awarded to them, on giving sufficient security, to be approved by the court, for the payment of the annual interest of such part to the tenant for life, unless it shall appear to the court that such tenant for life is entitled to the exclusive possession of any part of the premises described in the writ o'f partition ; in which case the proceedings shall not. interfere with the right of possession of such tenant, without his consent, but may be had subject to such possession; or such part of the premises may remain undivided during the existence of the life estate, unless otherwise disposed of by the agreement of the parties interested.” Appellant’s contention is that under this act partition is not allowable without his consent, except on condition that security be given for the payment to him of the interest on the value of the part of the estate in which he was entitled to a life interest, as he was not entitled to exclusive possession of the whole or any part of the estate. Although this may have been true previous to partition of the property, after a division into purparts, in a man
Appeal No. 9 is dismissed and the judgment of the court below in appeal No. 187 is affirmed.
Reference
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- Partition — Bights of life tenant and remainderman — Partition against consent of life tenant — Act of April 11, 1885, P. L. 199. 1. The purpose of partition is not to sell the purparts but to divide the land if that can be done without prejudice to the whole. 2. Under the Act of April 11, 1835, P. L. 199, giving the right to partition notwithstanding a life interest in the property, and providing “Those in remainder shall have the right to take such part as shall be awarded to them, on giving sufficient security, to be approved by the court, for the payment of the annual interest of such part to the tenant for life, unless it shall appear to the court that such tenant for life is entitled to the exclusive possession of any part of the premises described in the writ of partition; in which case the proceedings shall not interfere with the right of possession of such tenant, without his consent, but may be had subject to such possession; or such part of the premises may remain undivided during the existence of the life estate, unless otherwise disposed of by the agreement of the parties interested” the court may on petition of a remainderman set apart to a life -tenant of a part interest, a part of the property representing his interest for life, against his consent, and without making provision in the decree for payment to him of interest on the value of the part of the estate in which he was entitled to a life interest. 3. In such case, the fact that the greater part of the purpart subject to such life interest is timber land and consequently unproductive is not sufficient ground for the reversal of a decree -of partition. 4. After a division of property into purparts, in a manner definitely fixing the portion included in the life tenant’s estate, he becomes entitled to the exclusive possession of such portion during the remainder of his life; and the remaindermen of such purpart, under the Act of 1835, are without right to partition, except subject to his right of possession. So long as his possession is not disturbed, he cannot deny others interested in the property the right to partition, nor can he insist, upon a sale of the premises if the remaindermen are satisfied to accept the purpart at the stipulated value. Practice, Supreme Court — Exceptions nunc pro tunc after appeal ■ — Practice, C. P. 5. Where there has been an apparent misapprehension and a dispute between counsel as to the effect to be given to a decree of the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court will, under certain circumstances, review the case on its merits and treat the action of the court below in permitting exceptions to its order nunc pro tunc after appeal and entering formal decree thereon, as a proper exercise of its discretion and power to amend its records. 6. Where an appeal to the Supreme Court has been quashed, the subsequent action of the lower court should be based upon the record as set forth in the reasons for quashing given by the appellee rather than upon a verbally expressed understanding of counsel as to the reason for quashing the appeal.