Bramblett v. Trust Co.

185 S.E. 72, 182 Ga. 87, 1936 Ga. LEXIS 288
CourtSupreme Court of Georgia
DecidedMarch 11, 1936
DocketNo. 10693
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 185 S.E. 72 (Bramblett v. Trust Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bramblett v. Trust Co., 185 S.E. 72, 182 Ga. 87, 1936 Ga. LEXIS 288 (Ga. 1936).

Opinion

Atkinson, J.

Mrs. Dosia Head Brooks died leaving a will. B. P. Brooks, her husband, was her sole heir at law. Subsequently B. P. Brooks died leaving a will. On application for probate of this will the heirs at law of B. P. Brooks interposed a caveat which finally resulted in refusal to set up the paper as a will, and the estate was ordered to be distributed as in case of intestacy. In item 52 of the will of Mrs. Brooks the testatrix devised the residue of her estate “to the Trustees of the Dosia Head Brooks. Home for Gentlewomen.” The heirs at law of B. P. Brooks asserted a contention that this item of the will was void, and consequently there was an intestacy as to the said residue, and it descended to B. P. Brooks as sole heir at law, and to his heirs at law upon his death without having left a valid will. The qualified executor of the Will of Mrs. Brooks filed suit for construction of the will and direction in relation to the residue of the estate. The trustees filed their answer to the petition, contending (1) that the title to the property devised for said “Home,” vested in them upon the death of Mrs. Brooks, that the executor of her will is bound to assent to the devise, that the will creates a public charity, and that they are ready and willing to take the title conveyed. (2) That the executor of B. P. Brooks has no legal claim to the,residuum of Mrs. Brooks’ estate, as her heir at law, and there is no intestacy as to said resh due. (3) That without a petition to the court by the trustees, for [88]*88direction in the event it is impossible to carry out the will of the devisor, this court has no authority to assume jurisdiction of the trust property. The heirs at law of E. P: Brooks filed answer contending: (1) It is impossible to carry out those provisions of the will and codicil in which Mrs. Brooks attempted to dispose of the residue of her estate for the purposes stated, because of the judgment sustaining the caveat to those portions of the will of Mr. Brooks which provided funds for the maintenance of the “Home for Gentlewomen.” (2) The proposed creation of the Home for Gentlewomen “is not the proper subject of a charitable devise under the law of Georgia; and each and all of said items of said will and of said codicils are therefore invalid and void under the laws of the State' of Georgia ;r and there is therefore an intestacy as to all of the property both real and personal embraced in said items or any of them,” and “that the object of said purported trust and beneficiaries thereof are not such as the law of Georgia permits such a trust to be executed for.” Also, that said will attempts to create a perpetuity, in violation of the Code of 1933, § 85-707, the same not coming within any of the objects of charity as set forth in § 108-203. (3) That said provisions of the will should be decreed null and void, and that the property sought to be devised be decreed to pass under the law of descent and distribution to the heirs at law of E. P. Brooks.

The case was submitted to the judge for a decision upon the pleadings alone. He rendered an opinion which concluded: “It is therefore the judgment of the court, and it is so ordered, that the items of Mrs. Brooks’ will and the codicil thereto set out in the petition, devising the residuum of her estate for the purpose of establishing and maintaining the ‘Dosia Head Brooks Home for Gentlewomen,’ is void for uncertainty as not constituting a public charity within the meaning of the law, and that as to such residuum she died intestate; and Mr. Brooks having survived her as her only heir at law, that he took said residuum by inheritance, and that his heirs at law are entitled to the proceeds thereof under the laws of inheritance and distribution. It is further ordered that the petitioner, as the executor of the will of Mrs. Dosia Head Brooks, do administer said intestacy, and, after complying with all of the legacies bequeathed in said will, distribute the proceeds of said property among the heirs at law of E. P. Brooks, under the laws [89]*89of inheritance and distribution.” To this judgment the trustees excepted, assigning error on the following grounds: (1) “Because the same is contrary to law.” (2) “Because the same is contrary to the principles of justice and equity.” (3) “In holding, deciding, and decreeing that the items of the will of Dosia Head Brooks and the codicil thereto set out in plaintiff’s petition, devising the residuum of her estate for the purpose of establishing and maintaining the ‘Dosia Head Brooks Home for Gentlewomen,’ were void for uncertainty as not constituting a public charity within the meaning of the law. Plaintiffs in error say that this was error, because the devise to these trustees of the Dosia Head Brooks Home for Gentlewomen was definite and certain, and said provisions were a valid charitable devise and bequest.” (4) “In holding and deciding that as to the residuum of her estate- Dosia Head Brooks died intestate. Plaintiffs in error say that this was error, because the will of Dosia Head Brooks made a legal and valid disposition of said residuum.” (5) “In holding and deciding that the heirs at law of Bichard P. Brooks are entitled to the proceeds of the residuum under the laws of inheritance and distribution. Plaintiffs in error say that this was error, because the residuum was legally and validly disposed of under said will.” (6) “In ordering and decreeing that the plaintiff, as the executor of the will of Mrs. Dosia Head Brooks, administer said intestacy, - and, after complying with all of the legacies bequeathed in said will, distribute the proceeds of said property among the heirs at law of B. P. Brooks under the laws of inheritance and distribution. Plaintiffs in error say that this was error, because there is no property of Mrs. Dosia Head Brooks not validly devised and bequeathed by the will of Mrs. Dosia Head Brooks, and the heirs at law of B. P. Brooks have no interest in any of the property of Mrs. Dosia Head Brooks and are not entitled to have any of that property or its proceeds distributed among them.” (7) “In failing and refusing to decide and decree that the devises and bequests to the trustees for the maintenance, erection, and equipment of a home for gentlewomen known as the ‘Dosia Head Brooks Home for Gentlewomen’ were a legal and valid testamentary disposition of the property so devised and bequeathed in the will of Mrs. Dosia Head Brooks and the codicils thereto.” (8) “In failing and refusing to order and decree that [90]*90the Trust Company of Georgia, as executor of the will of Mrs. Dosia Head Brooks, assent to the legacy to the plaintiffs in error as ‘Trustees of the Dosia Head Brooks Home for Gentlewomen/ and turn over the residue of the estate of Mrs. Dosia Head Brooks in its hands to said trustees to be administered in accordance with the terms of the will of Mrs. Dosia Head Brooks.”

In the opinion the judge set forth substantially the features of the case as above indicated, and the following in relation to pertinent provisions of the will: “Item 51 of the will of Mrs. Dosia Head Brooks is as follows: ‘I give and bequeath to my beloved husband B. P.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Evans v. Newton
382 U.S. 296 (Supreme Court, 1966)
Sawyer v. Huff
386 P.2d 563 (Idaho Supreme Court, 1963)
In Re Eggan's Estate
386 P.2d 563 (Idaho Supreme Court, 1963)
FIRST NATIONAL BANK &C. v. Robinson
74 S.E.2d 875 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1953)
Houston v. Mills Memorial Home Inc.
43 S.E.2d 680 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1947)
Taylor v. Trustees of Jesse Parker Williams Hospital
9 S.E.2d 165 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1940)
Perkins v. Citizens & Southern National Bank
8 S.E.2d 28 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1940)
Goree v. Georgia Industrial Home
200 S.E. 684 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1938)
Trust Co. v. Williams
192 S.E. 913 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1937)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
185 S.E. 72, 182 Ga. 87, 1936 Ga. LEXIS 288, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bramblett-v-trust-co-ga-1936.