Blevins v. Cook

348 P.2d 742, 66 N.M. 381
CourtNew Mexico Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 11, 1960
Docket6611
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 348 P.2d 742 (Blevins v. Cook) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Blevins v. Cook, 348 P.2d 742, 66 N.M. 381 (N.M. 1960).

Opinions

MOISE, Justice.

' This appeal arises out of a decree quieting title in plaintiff appellee and against defendant appellant in and to an interest in a certain piece of real estate situated in Curry County, New Mexico.

The pleadings disclose that appellee claimed to own the interest in the land by virtue of a guardian’s deed executed by one Ruby Looper, Guardian of the Estate of Hartsill T. Cook, incompetent, pursuant to an order of the district court of Curry County, New Mexico, in a proceeding denominated In the Matter of the Guardianship of Hartsill T. Cook a/k/a Heartsill Cook, Incompetent, and being cause No. 11047 on the docket of said court. It appears that all the proceedings in this cause from the filing of the petition, through the order appointing the guardian, the filing and approval of her bond, the order authorizing the sale and approving the same were all filed October 16, 1953.

Prior to this time and'on July 16, 1953, an Affidavit of Insanity was filed before the justice of the peace of precinct 1, Curry County, New Mexico, by Ruby Looper, followed on the same day by the issuance of a Warrant of Apprehension, together with proof that the same was served and the said Heartsill Cook brought before the district judge in a cause entitled In the Matter of Heartsill Cook, an Alleged Insane Person, being No. 10,9311/2 on the docket of the district court of Curry County, New Mexico. The record discloses that on the same day the district judge, by an order entered in the cause fixed July 16, 1953, “at the hour of 1:15 o’clock p. m. at Clovis, Curry County, New Mexico” as the “time and place for hearing and examination in open court of the insanity of the said Heartsill Cook.” The order further provided “that a copy of the warrant of apprehension of the said Heartsill Cook and the hearing of this charge, be served upon Ruby Looper, sister of the said alleged insane person.” Thereafter, but on the same day, the alleged insane person was examined by a doctor and his findings reduced to writing and at the time fixed in the order for the hearing, the same was held.

The record of the hearing discloses the presence of one George Murphy, a member of the bar who had been appointed to represent the “patient.” He announced he had conferred with Mr. Cook, and upon being asked by the court if he waived “statutory notice and jury trial” replied that “notice will be waived” and further that he was ready to proceed. Then followed the testimony of Ruby Looper, the examining doctor, and the patient, after which the court announced that “the patient will be committed” and an order of commitment was duly entered.

It should be noted that the forms used for the Affidavit of Insanity, for the Warrant of Apprehension, for the testimony of the medical examiner and for the Judgment and Order of Commitment, and the procedure followed throughout are as provided for in §§ 37-202 to 37-207, inch, N.M. S.A.1941. This is true, even though these particular sections had been repealed by Chapter 182, N.M.S.L.1953, ,and were no longer applicable.

Heartsill Cook was discharged from the New Mexico State Hospital on November 2, 1953, as non-psychotic, some two weeks after the sale by the guardian of the real estate in question, and is now deceased. The appellant is his son and only surviving heir and he was 24 years of age at the time of the trial herein. He was named as a defendant in the suit to quiet title, and answered therein claiming to own the interest of his father in the real estate in question, and asserted that the proceedings whereby Heartsill Cook was declared insane were void and that the court lacked jurisdiction to act because the statutory notice had not been given, and further that the notice could not be waived either in person or by attorney. Based upon the alleged void character of the proceedings, he claimed that no valid sale had been accomplished, and that he was the owner of all of the interest of his father in the real estate, and by cross-complaint asked that title be quieted in him.

The court found the issues in favor of plaintiff as to all the land not theretofore conveyed away by him. One piece of the land had been conveyed by plaintiff to one W. C. Watkins, and he had contracted to sell other portions to J. R. Stricklin and Joe L. Davis. These persons together with Bertha Blevins, wife of plaintiff, and Ruby Looper were added into the proceedings as third party defendants. The court excluded the land conveyed to W. C. Watkins from its decree and did not quiet title thereon, but decided all the issues against the defendant, and quieted title in plaintiff to all the rest.

Appellant, in his point I asserts that "jurisdiction to judicially adjudge a person insane is obtained only by providing the alleged incompetent with proper notice as required by statute.” He then states that the controlling statute is § 32-3-1, N.M. S.A.1953, which provides for adjudication of incompetency and reads as follows:

“Incompetency proceedings against any person shall be instituted in the district court of the county where the alleged incompetent person resides or may be found, by the filing of a verified petition. Such petition may be filed by any friend or relative of such person, or by any person interested in such person’s property, or any part thereof, either as donor or otherwise, and shall allege that the person is, by reason of mental disability (or habitual drunkenness, as the case may be), incapable of caring for himself properly, or of managing his property. Upon the filing of such petition, the district court shall issue its order commanding such person to appear before the court on a day specified, not earlier than five (5) days after the date on which said order is issued; and shall by said order appoint some attorney to represent the alleged incompetent at such hearing; Provided, however, that the alleged incompetent shall have the right if he so desires, to conduct his defense through counsel of his own selection. Said order shall forthwith be personally served upon the defendant. Upon the day fixed by the order the court shall, upon a hearing in open court, and after taking the testimony of witnesses, enter its decree, incorporating therein its findings as to the competency of such person. Such hearing shall be conducted without a jury, unless the alleged incompetent person demands a jury trial.”

As stated above, Chapter 182, N.M.S.L. 1953, repealed §§ 37-201 to 37-227, inclusive, and section 5 of said Chapter 182, compiled as § 34-2-5, N.M.S.A.1953, sets forth the judicial procedure to be followed to accomplish involuntary hospitalization of a mentally ill person. This statute provides as follows:

“a. Proceedings for the involuntary hospitalization of an individual may be commenced by the filing of a written application with the district court by a friend, relative, spouse, or guardian of the individual, or by a licensed physician, a health or public welfare officer, or the head of any public or private institution in which such individual may be. Any such application shall be accompanied by a certificate of a licensed physician that he has examined the individual and is of the opinion that he is mentally ill and should be hospitalized, or a written statement by the applicant that the individual has refused to submit to examination by a licensed physician.
“b.

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Blevins v. Cook
348 P.2d 742 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1960)

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Bluebook (online)
348 P.2d 742, 66 N.M. 381, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/blevins-v-cook-nm-1960.