Tannehill v. Tannehill
Tannehill v. Tannehill
Opinion of the Court
This was an action for partition brought by appellees against appellants, seeking to partition a number of blocks of land in the city of Comanche, wherein appellant Della Tannehill claimed, in addition to her one-third interest as heir, a fee-simple title to the E. % of the S. E. % of block No. 39 by virtue of a parol gift from her deceased brother, Milo Wright, the common source of title. After the evidence was in, the trial court instructed a verdict for the plaintiffs, and the defendant Della Tannehill has appealed.
“The husband and wife shall also be jointly sued for all separate debts and demands against the wife, but, in such case, no personal judgment shall be rendered against the husband.”
In all suits against the wife,- it is necessary that the husband be sued with her, and it would be error to dismiss as to him and proceed against the wife alone. Speer’s Law of Married Women, § 296; Taylor v. Bonnett, 38 Tex. 521. Besides, if the husband were not a formal party to the action, he would yet have such interest in the subject-matter of the litigation as to preclude his testifying to a transaction with the deceased by which his wife became owner of the property. While the recent amendment already referred to gives the wife control over her separate property and over the rents from her separate real estate, it nevertheless does not change the character of such rents so as to make them the wife’s separate property. They continue to belong to the community estate, and the husband, therefore, is the owner of a one-half interest therein. It'follows he has a very substantial interest in the wife’s separate lands, and such an interest as to make him a party, within the meaning of the statute forbidding one to testify to transactions with the. deceased in suits by or against the heirs.
“Della Tannehill was introduced in evidence; letter from Milo Wright to Della Tannehill. Facts, p. 11. Witness Jacobs Facts p. 13; *1052 appellant Della Tannehill’s testimony as admitted reasons for gift and capacity of donor, facts page '12; J. A. Tannehill’s testimony, facts page 9; Evidence of completed gift witness Jack Tannehill’s testimony facts pages 16 and 17; Testimony of permanent and valuable improvements with separate means of defendant, J. A. Tannehill’s testimony, facts pp. 9 and 10. Della TannehiU’s page 12 ; _ and knowledge and acquiescence of donor until his death two years after delivery of the property and execution of gift already cited. Jack Tannehill and Jacob’s testimony before cited.”
This very clearly is a violation of the rules according to the decisions of this court. Gibson v. Oberfelder, 148 S. W. 829.
The seventh, eighth, and ninth assignments are overruled, for the reason immediately above given; the only statement under these assignments being a mere reference to ilie preceding statement, which we have held to be insufficient.
We find no error in the judgment, and it is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- TANNEHILL Et Al. v. TANNEHILL Et Al.
- Cited By
- 26 cases
- Status
- Published