Bishop v. Pettingill
Bishop v. Pettingill
Opinion of the Court
The following opinion was filed June 19, 1902:
The record shows that lot 3 was the homestead of Berdinand Schmidt at the time of his death, and descended unincumbered to his children. His personal estate not being sufficient to pay his debts, the executor asked permission to mortgage the homestead. That property was not liable for the debts of the deceased, and under sec. 3874, Stats. 1898, could not be mortgaged to pay them. To avoid this difficulty, the executor obtained the written consent of the plaintiff and the defendant August for the execution of such mortgage. At the same time he secured a written consent, signed by the guardian ad litem of the defendants Conrad and Georgina, who were minors. The executor failed to comply with the provisions of the statute in such cases, and it is now virtually conceded that the mortgage was void in so
Sale of lot 3. §5,000 00
Sale of other lands. 264 19
§5,264 19
The total costs of the proceedings were $190.25, of which amount $178.33 should be justly chargeable to lot 3. Add the taxes paid, $127.57, and we find total expenses chargeable to this lot to be- $305.90; leaving the net balance for division $4,694.10; the proceeds of the sale of othen lands, $264.19,
Georgina’s one-fourth, of §4,694.10 . $1,173 52
“ “ “ $252.27. 63 07
Total. $1,236 59
Less amount paid her guardian. 336 97
Balance due Georgina February 6, 1896 . $ 899 62
Turning to the original judgment, we find the court directed the payment of the Mosher mortgage, $3,598.49, and divided $1,347.88 equally between the four children; being $336.97 to each. Instead of so doing, the amount of Georgina’s interest, $1,173.52, should have been deducted from the net proceeds of the sale of lot 3, leaying $3',520.58 to be applied upon the mortgage. This was $77.91 less than the amount actually due, so that Mosher received from the share given to Georgina $77.91. She was therefore entitled to a share of the money'distributed to the other claimants, in order to malm her claim good, together with tire amount paid to Mosher. The order should have required restoration to be made as follows:
From Mosher estate. $ 77 91
“ Bertha Bishop. 273 91
“ August Schmidt. 273 90
“ Conrad Schmidt. 273 90
Total.§899 62
These sums, with interest from February 6, 1896, the date when it was paid over, would have secured to Georgina the full amount she was entitled to, and tire result would have been in accordance with the legal rights of the parties. The order of restoration entered by the court having been erroneous, and having been the foundation for all subsequent proceedings, tire several'orders appealed from must be reversed. The act of the defendant Georgina in applying for the order of restitution was equivalent to an election to affirm the former sale. If tire sale, for any reason, was irregular, it was her
By ihe Oouri. — The several orders appealed from axe reversed, and the cause is remanded for further proceedings as indicated in the opinion.
The respondent moved for a rehearing, arguing that the mortgage was invalid also as to the interest of Conrad Schmidt, and that restitution ox redistribution should be made on that basis.
The following opinion was filed September 23, 1902:
The only parties who have appeared in this court are the representatives of the Mosher estate and the defendant Georgina Grebner. The defendant Conrad Schmidt has made default in all the proceedings since the suit was be.gun. As against his interest in the property sought to be partitioned the decision of the trial court is res adjudícala. No issue having been raised as to the validity of the Mosher mortgage as affecting his interest, it must be treated as a valid obligation as to him. It was upon this basis that the former opinion was written, and to that conclusion we must adhere. The defendant Georgina is in no position to litigate the interests of her codefendants, and therefore her motion for a rehearing has no basis to_ rest upon.
By the Court. — The motion for rehearing is denied, with $25 costs. 1
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Bishop v. Pettingill, Administrator, and others, and Grebner
- Status
- Published