Kittson v. Boville
Kittson v. Boville
Opinion of the Court
On July 6, 1946, the decedent was living on a farm west of the city of Marinette with a daughter and son-in-law. On that date a neighbor drove the claimant and her three children to the farm to visit the decedent. This
The decedent became ill in February, 1950, and was taken to a hospital. Upon her release from the hospital it was deemed necessary that she stay at some home where someone would be in constant attendance, as claimant worked in a factory and was away from home nearly every day. Accordingly, arrangements were made that she should live with one of her sons.
About three months thereafter an attorney residing at Marinette was appointed as her guardian. As such guardian he made an agreement with the son to pay for her board, room, and care. After her death the guardian was attorney for the executrix. He testified to three conversations with the claimant in which claimant stated that she did not have a written agreement with her mother, that she did not have an oral agreement with her mother, and that there were no promises. The claimant testified that she misunderstood the attorney in their conversations and it was her impression therefrom that she had been told she could not recover unless
Testimony was introduced as to the value of the board, room, and personal services furnished. Several small checks drawn by the decedent payable to the claimant were also introduced. Claimant testified that these checks, with some other payments totaling about $200, had been received by her from her mother in partial payment under the agreement. No other explanation was given as to the checks.
Although the hearing was concluded in August, 1952, it was not decided until February 10, 1954, when the trial court filed a memorandum opinion, of which the following is a part:
“The legal question involved here, of course, is the presumption of services furnished by a daughter to her mother are gratuitous. In order to recover reasonable value of board, room, and services furnished by a daughter to her mother, the daughter must. prove an express contract by direct and positive evidence or equivalent thereof to overcome the presumption that the services were not gratuitous. Ghents’ Estate, 241 Wis. 514.
“Claimant in the instant case has failed to prove such express contract by direct and positive evidence, and she, therefore, cannot maintain her claim on a quantum meruit basis.
“I must, therefore, disallow her claim in toto.”
Since no specific findings were made, we do not clearly understand the basis for the trial court’s action. It appears to us the court felt that the presumption of gratuity had not been overcome. His doubt, that it took eighteen months to resolve, apparently was about the law rather than the facts to be gleaned from a relatively short record. However, when the neighbor and the brother and sister of the claimant testified to the conversations had and the statements made by the decedent, the presumption disappeared. Their testimony was direct and positive, and not in any way incredible.
We give full credit and great weight to the statements by the attorney, but a careful study of his testimony demonstrates that the claimant may well have misunderstood him and that her answers were a result of that misunderstanding. Therefore, since the presumption of gratuity had been overcome, the conclusion of the trial court is against the great weight and clear preponderance of the evidence.
No finding was made as to the reasonable value of the board, room, and services furnished by the claimant. It is, therefore, necessary that the record be remanded for such a finding, and for the entry of judgment in favor of the claimant for the amount so found, less the sum of $200 admittedly paid on account.
By the Court. — Judgment reversed. Cause remanded for further proceedings in conformity with this decision.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Estate of Pearce: Kittson v. Boville
- Status
- Published