Atkins v. Barnett

305 P.2d 920, 148 Cal. App. 2d 8, 1957 Cal. App. LEXIS 2327
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJanuary 25, 1957
DocketCiv. No. 22013
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 305 P.2d 920 (Atkins v. Barnett) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Atkins v. Barnett, 305 P.2d 920, 148 Cal. App. 2d 8, 1957 Cal. App. LEXIS 2327 (Cal. Ct. App. 1957).

Opinion

VALLÉE, J.

Appeal from an order approving and confirming the report of an inheritance tax appraiser and fixing the inheritance tax.

Mary Ethel Cunningham died testate on March 19, 1955. Appellant Rhoda Atkins, a sister of the deceased, is administratrix with the will annexed. The deceased was a sister of respondent Bezotra Barnett. Eva E. George, another sister, predeceased Mary Ethel. Estella Cooper was a stranger to the deceased. Appellant’s claim is that the order confirming the report of the inheritance tax appraiser and fixing the tax is predicated on an erroneous construction of the will of the deceased.

The material parts of the will read:

‘ ‘ Second. I give and bequeath to my sister, Eva E. George, all real estate in the City of Los Angeles, State of California; and in the County of Madera, State of California; and all other personal belongings.
“Third. If my sister, Eva E. George, precedes me in death, bequeath all of my real estate and personal belongings heretofore mentioned, to my sister Bezotra Barnett.
“Fourth. I also provide a shelter in my home for Estella Cooper, for the rest of her life, free of any charge whatsoever.
“Fifth. I have no children. If there are any bona fide relatives, I give and bequeath to them one ($1.00) dollar each.
“Lastly, I hereby nominate and appoint my sisters, Eva E. George and Bezotra Barnett of Los Angeles, State of California, to serve as my Executrices without bond, of this my Last Will and Testament, and I do hereby revoke all former Wills, bequests, or designations of beneficiaries whatsoever.”

[10]*10An inheritance tax appraiser filed a report in which he valued the property bequeathed and devised to Bezotra at $7,254.64 and computed the inheritance tax thereon at $262.73. Bezotra filed objections to the report. Rhoda, as administratrix with the will annexed, filed a “Reply” to the objections. After a hearing the court made findings,1 sustained the objections, and ordered the inheritance tax appraiser to prepare and file a new report and to apportion therein the inheritance tax liability in accordance with the findings. In the findings the court concluded that the interest devised to Estella Cooper by paragraph Fourth of the will constitutes an equitable charge or servitude on the realty and “nothing more”; and that paragraphs Second and Third constitute a residuary clause whereby the deceased gave to Bezotra all real and personal property not otherwise disposed of by the will.

Pursuant to the order the inheritance tax appraiser filed [11]*11a new report in which he valued the interest bequeathed and devised to Bezotra at $18,523.45 and computed the tax thereon at $826.17. Thereafter the court made an order approving and confirming the new report as presented and fixing the tax. The order recites “no objections thereto [the new report] having been filed herein.” Bhoda, as administratrix with the will annexed and as “an heir and legatee,” appeals from the latter order.

The first question is whether Bhoda has a right to appeal. Bespondent Bezotra says she has no such right since she is not aggrieved by the order either in her representative capacity or as an heir or legatee. We think the point is not tenable. The first report of the inheritance tax appraiser set the amount of the tax due and payable on all transfers (Rev. & Tax. Code, § 14506) as $389.77; the new report, as $865.66, a difference of $475.89.

It is the duty of Bhoda, as administratrix, to “ ‘ defend the estate from all unjust and illegal attacks made upon it which affect the interests of heirs, devisees, legatees, or creditors. ’ [Citations.] Consequently, if a claim ‘may diminish the estate to be finally distributed, or may make the fund from which the creditors are to be paid insufficient for that purpose, the administrator is interested, and in the event of an adverse ruling is a party aggrieved.’ [Citations.] ‘To say that an administrator is not aggrieved, and, therefore, has no right of appeal from a decree which he deems to be unjust, unwarranted, and detrimental to the estate which has been confided to his care, would be to deny him the performance of a plain duty devolving upon him through his appointment and his acceptance of the trust.’ [Citation.] It has accordingly been held that an executor or administrator may appeal from a decree of partial distribution, because the assets of the estate may not be sufficient to discharge the claims of creditors [citations] or because the status of the assets may be so highly uncertain that such an order may be embarrassing to the proper administration of the estate. [Citation.] An executor or administrator may appeal from an order awarding a family allowance to the widow or children of the decedent, since he is an aggrieved party by virtue of his duty to protect the estate from depletion from an extravagant family allowance [citations]; and an executor may also appeal from an order setting aside a probate homestead for the use of the surviving wife of the decedent.” (Estate of Kessler, 32 Cal.2d 367, 369 [196 P.2d 559].) [12]*12Applying this law it is patent that Rhoda, as administratrix, is a party aggrieved and has a right of appeal.

Respondent contends Rhoda waived her right to appeal by not filing objections to the new report. She did not waive her right to appeal. (Rev. & Tax. Code, § 14671.) The correct question is: Is she precluded on appeal from challenging the order by reason of her failure to file objections or object to the report in any fashion in the probate court?

On filing of the report of the inheritance tax appraiser the clerk must give notice of the filing by posting and by mailing a copy to the Controller and to each person chargeable with any tax who has appeared in the probate proceeding. (Rev. & Tax. Code, § 14508.)2 At any time prior to the making of the order on the report any person interested may file a “written objection” to the report. (Rev. & Tax. Code, § 14510.) If an objection is filed the clerk must fix a time “for a hearing on the objection” and give notice of the hearing by posting and by mailing a copy of the objection and of the notice to “the Controller, executor, administrator, and the inheritance tax appraiser.” (Rev. & Tax. Code, § 14511.)3 Section 14512 reads:

“For the purpose of the hearing the report of the inheritance tax appraiser is presumed to be correct, and at the hearing it is the duty of the objector to proceed in support of his objection.”

On the completion of the hearing the court may make such order as it may deem appropriate. (Rev. & Tax. Code, § 14513.) Section 14509 reads:

“If no objection to the report is filed prior to the expiration of 10 days from and after the posting and mailing of the notice, the superior court, a judge of the court, or, if the court is located in a county or city and county having a population of 900,000 or more, a court commissioner appointed by the [13]*13court may, without further notice, make an order confirming the report and fixing the tax in accordance therewith. ’ ’

An order fixing the inheritance tax has the force and effect of a judgment in a civil action. (Rev. & Tax. Code, § 14672.)

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Related

Estate of Cunningham
305 P.2d 920 (California Court of Appeal, 1957)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
305 P.2d 920, 148 Cal. App. 2d 8, 1957 Cal. App. LEXIS 2327, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/atkins-v-barnett-calctapp-1957.