Bankers Life Co. v. Ball

129 S.W.2d 805, 1939 Tex. App. LEXIS 1160
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 12, 1939
DocketNos. 13908, 13909.
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 129 S.W.2d 805 (Bankers Life Co. v. Ball) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bankers Life Co. v. Ball, 129 S.W.2d 805, 1939 Tex. App. LEXIS 1160 (Tex. Ct. App. 1939).

Opinions

BROWN, Justice.

This is the second appeal of the suit reported in Tex.Civ.App., 103 S.W.2d 1111, and we refer to our opinion disposing of the first appeal for a history-of the case and the issues disposed of on that appeal.

As shown in that opinion, the judgment of the trial court, in favor of the plaintiff, Bankers Life Company, for debt and foreclosure, was reversed, because of the showing made that the suit was instituted before the maturity of the debt. The case was then remanded, as shown in the opinion above cited.

This court refused to discuss some of the assignments of error presented in appellant’s briefs, wherein the question of res adjudicata was raised, for lack of a sufficient basis therefor in plaintiff’s pleadings in the trial court, but with the further observation that appellant would have the right to present that defense by proper pleadings on another trial.

An application for writ of error from that decision' was dismissed by our Supreme Court.

After the remand of the case, the defendants filed amended pleadings, in which they presented not only the defense of res adjudicata, but also challenged the jurisdiction of the District Court to determine the controversy.

As shown in the opinion, we held that W. T. Ball, as community administrator of the estate of himself and his deceased wife, Mrs. Luella Ball, was authorized to fix a valid lien upon the entire community estate for the $33,000 note on which the suit was instituted, even though the note and lien given to secure the same were in whole or in part' for his own individual benefit, and not for the purpose of discharging community debts against the estate. That conclusion is not only the law of this case and controlling in the trial court in the second trial, but was established by an unbroken line of decisions of this State, cited in the opinion.

The will of W. T. Ball was dated October 4, 1920, which was about four years before the death of Mrs. Luella Ball, his wife. It embodies these provisions:

“First: I direct that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid by my executors as soon after my decease as possible.
“Second: I direct that my executors pay the debts of my son-in-law, Charlie Brown, which he owes to C. H. Boedeker or the City National Bank of Bowie, Texas, I being responsible for the same but have not signed the-notes.
“Third: I give and bequeath to my son, W. D. Ball, One ($1.00) Dollar, and to each of my daughters, Etta Lee Ball Brown, Sallie Ball Harvey, Edith Ann Ball and Georgia Ella Ball, One ($1.00) Dollar each.
“Fourth: I give, devise and bequeath all the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, real and personal, of every kind whatsoever and wheresoever situated, to my wife, Luella Ball, absolutely and in fee simple.
*807 “Fifth: After all the above debts are paid, should my wife desire she can divide the property, that to be left entirely to her.
“Sixth: My one-half interest in the property of W. T. Ball and W. D. Ball, who have a partnership, I want W. D. Ball my son to have the privilege of buying, my one-half in preference to anyone else.
“Seventh: I request that each of my daughters join and help my wife and son W. D. Ball, in seeing that a success is made out of my estate.
“Eighth: At my wife’s death, I wish and want that all the property be equally divided between my five children above mentioned, share and share alike.
“Ninth: I nominate and appoint C. H. Boedeker and W. D. Ball, my son, executors of this will, without bond.”
The will was duly probated, and W. D. Ball alone qualified as executor. After his qualification, he filed an inventory and appraisement, which was duly approved on October 9, 1929.

The property inventory was as follows:

“Separate property of said Deceased. Cash on hand, $2317.00.
“Community Property. (Here follow descriptions of the different tracts ■of land which made up the 2555.5 acres described in the deed of trust executed by W. T. Ball, as community administrator, for the $33,000.00 on which the suit was instituted tiy the plaintiff.)
******
“List of Claims.
“Community Property. Amount due Loan Company, secured by mortgage on land $26,000.00
“Note due Elbridge Ball 5,000.00
“Note due W. A. Wells 5,000.00
“(The above debts are due by the community estate, and the estate of said W. T. Ball is only chargeable with one-half of same).
“I do solemnly swear that the foregoing inventory and List is a full and complete inventory and list of the property and claims of W. T. Ball, deceased, that have come to my knowledge. (Signed) W. D. Ball.”

After W. D. Ball had qualified as executor of the will and the inventory and appraisement had been approved by the Probate Court, plaintiff, Bankers Life Company, presented to him for allowance its claim for the balance due and owing on the $33,000 note theretofore executed by W. T. Ball, as community administrator, together with a claim of the mortgage lien given as security therefor, after allowing a credit thereon of $6,500, together with a claim of first mortgage lien on 2555.5 acres. The executor endorsed his allowance of the claim in full. The Bankers Life Company then presented the same to the Judge of the County Court, who, on January 28, 1931, endorsed his approval thereof in full as a claim of the first class. The holder then filed the same with the clerk of the court.

Thereafter, on May 6, 1932, the Bankers Life Company filed its application to the Judge of the County Court for an order directing 'the executor to sell the land described in the application, in its entirety, for the purpose of payment and discharge of the debt. The application embodied averments in substance that the claim had been duly allowed by the executor and approved by the County Judge; that it was for a balance of $27,500, due on the $33,000 note executed by W. T. Ball, as community administrator of the estate of himself and Mrs. Luella Ball, deceased, and secured by a first deed of trust lien executed by him, as such, and also individually on the 2555.5 acres in controversy.

After prior statutory notice given of the hearing of the application, the same was heard and an order was entered, on July 7, 1932, reciting that the claim was for a deed of trust lien on the property, which was described in the said deed of trust; that the same had been duly allowed and placed on the claim docket and approved by the county judge, followed by these provisions:

“And it appearing to the court that W. D.

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Bluebook (online)
129 S.W.2d 805, 1939 Tex. App. LEXIS 1160, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bankers-life-co-v-ball-texapp-1939.