Farris v. Berry
Farris v. Berry
Opinion of the Court
This suit was instituted in the court below, by the defendant in error, as administrator de bonis non on the estate of David Wetsel, deceased, against H. Bright, on a note payable to Peter Wetsel, administrator, and Sarah M. Wetsel, administratrix, of D. Wetsel, and against Peter Wetsel as principal, and plaintiffs in error and James Wetsel, sureties upon the bond as administrator of D. Wetsel, deceased; and he claimed in his peti
We do not deem it necessary to notice all the assignments of error, as one or two will suffice to dispose of the cause. We are not satisfied from an examination of the statute, and the decisions on the same, that an administrator de bonis non may not maintain a suit on the bond of a former administrator for a failure to deliver up property belonging to the estate he represented, or for any other malfeasance or misfeasance of which he may have been guilty in his fiduciary capacity, and before a final settlement with the probate court.
But we are of the opinion that this suit must be dismissed because of the error in bringing the same, as well as for the errors committed on the trial. The suit was instituted against one of the administrators, without noticing the other, and against the securities on their joint bond, for damages in failing to perform his duties as administrator. This was error, of which the sureties had a right to complain. Peter Wetsel and Sarah M. Wetsel were joint obligors and principals on the bonds, and plaintiffs in error and James Wetsel were the security, and they had the right to have both of their principals sued at the same time with themselves, and, if necessary, that the property of their principals should first be exhausted to satisfy any judgment obtained against them on the
Reversed and dismissed.’
Reference
- Full Case Name
- John Farris and another v. A. Berry, Administrator de bonis non
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. When there had been joint administrators on an estate, snit could not be maintained against one of them and tho sureties on the joint bond, no legal cause being shown for not joining tho other administrator; and in the present case, brought against one only of joint administrators, this eour'i not only reverses the judgment by default in favor of the plaintiff, hut dismisses the suit. (Paschal’s Digest, Art. 1449.) 3. When an administrator and the sureties on his bond have been jointly sued, it is error to permit the plaintiff to dismiss as to the administrator and take judgment by default against the sureties.