Brittain v. Ingram

209 So. 2d 653, 282 Ala. 158, 1968 Ala. LEXIS 1102
CourtSupreme Court of Alabama
DecidedApril 11, 1968
Docket7 Div. 753
StatusPublished
Cited by33 cases

This text of 209 So. 2d 653 (Brittain v. Ingram) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brittain v. Ingram, 209 So. 2d 653, 282 Ala. 158, 1968 Ala. LEXIS 1102 (Ala. 1968).

Opinion

*160 PER CURIAM.

This case involves an interpretation of the last will and testament of John H. Ingram, Sr., deceased, and from a final decree with respect thereto this appeal was taken.

The suit originated in the Circuit Court of Clay County, in Equity, wherein the verified complaint of appellees sought removal of the administration of the estate of John H. Ingram, Sr., from the Probate Court of Qay County into the Circuit Court of said county, in Equity, and a construction of the will of said decedent. A copy of the will was attached to the complaint, along with copies of correspondence between ap-pellees and the executor.

The will had been admitted to probate in the Probate Court of Clay County in 1961 and the administration of said estate was pending in said court when the executor, H. Maddox Brittain, filed his accounts and vouchers for a final settlement of the estate. The accounts were filed July 20, 1965.

Upon the filing of said verified petition or complaint, an order was made and entered by the Circuit Court, August 10, 1965, removing said administration to said Circuit Court, in Equity. Respondents (appellants) filed a motion to re-transfer said cause to the Probate Court, and also filed a demurrer to the bill of complaint. At a hearing on the motion to re-transfer, testimony (not incorporated in the transcript) was offered. The trial court denied the motion to re-transfer and also overruled the demurrer to the complaint. Demurrer was overruled after the complaint was amended by offering to do equity. Respondents filed an answer to the amended bill of complaint.

The -cause was subsequently set for trial and when it came on to be heard, was argued and submitted. The case was taken under advisement and on August 5, 1966, a final decree was rendered from which, as we have noted, respondents have taken this appeal.

It appears from the evidence that the deceased testator had been married three times and had three daughters, all living, by his first wife. They were Mrs. Wilian I. Brittain, wife of one of the executors; Ivilyn I. Lowery and Eloree I. Dominey. These three daughters, together with Mrs. Hettie B. Ingram McCray (widow of testator), H. Maddox Brittain, and John H. Ingram, executors under the will, are the appellants. Decedent had two children by his second wife. These two children, James C. Ingram and Isabelle I. Wilbur, are appel-lees. He had no children by his third wife, who is now Mrs. McCray.

Decedent owned his home in the town of Lineville, Alabama, and, among other things, he undertook to dispose of his home by the terms of his last will and testament. This disposition of the home is the subject of this litigation. Without dispute, Mr. Ingram was the author and drafter of his own will without the aid of legal advice.

*161 . When the petition for final settlement of ■the estate was filed, appellees questioned by correspondence' with the executors the disposition of the home place. It was the contention of the executors that the three daughters by the first marriage were willed the home place to be theirs absolutely and in fee simple. The two children by the second marriage (appellees) disagreed with this contention. Correspondence indicating the disagreement was attached to the verified amended complaint.

Primarily, the dispute concerns itself with the interpretation .of Sections 8 and 11 of the will. We quote these two sections:

“Sec. 8. My will is that, in case my wife is not living at the time of my death, the un-paid and un-used benefit gifts bequeathed to her, and all other un-paid benefit gifts, named herein shall remain and revert to the proceeds of my estate and shall be paid equally only to my then living children at the -time of final settlement of my estate. This division of gift benefits to my children is in addition-to the gifts to them already made herein and only to the children living at final settlement of my estate.”
“Sec. 11. My will is that I give and devise my said home, lot and house thereon, in Lineville, Ala., to own and hold in fee simple, to my three daughters by my first wife, namely Wilian Ingram Brittain, Ivilyn Ingram Lowry and Eloree Ingram Dominey, this devise to become and to operate only after the tenure and hold of said home by my widow is terminated and or released by my widow, Hettie B. Ingram, for a valuable consideration of about $2000.00 dollars; my said three daughters, or either two or one of them,when living, may keep, use and own said home, as they or she may think best, for their own benefit, or place proceeds of sale to the credit of my estate for division as directed in Section #8 herein.
“This gift and devise is made to my said three daughters 'for love and to keep said, home for the use and the kin of my family; and if any of said daughters is not living át time of the final settlement of my estate, then my executors are authorized to sell and dispose of said home, lot and house thereon, according to law and pay the proceeds of sale equally to my living children per Section #8herein; and provided further if said home is not already disposed of before my death.”

Following the death of testator, in accordance with the terms of the will the three daughters by the first marriage paid Mrs. Hettie B. Ingram, the widow, the sum of $2,000 for a release of her claim on said home.

It was the contention of appellees that the de'cedent intended to provide by the terms of the will for a division of the proceeds from the sale of the home between “his then living children at the time of final settlement” of his estate, and that the three daughters by the first marriage, so long as any. of them lived, would have the use and management and control of' the same, '-with the discretion-to determine whether or not they would continue to keep same, or- let it be sold and the proceeds divided between his “then living- children,” and in' the event none of .his children were living at the time of final settlement, then the executors were to sell the property and divide the proceeds between his “then living children.”

. It was the contention of respondents that Section 8 of the will was conditioned in the event of John Ingram’s wife being deceased at the time of his death; that as she was living at such time Section 8 is without force and effect. Appellants further argue that Section 8 refers only to “monetary gifts,” and was not intended to refer to the home place in the event it was sold. Their main contention both in the lower court and on this appeal is to the effect that under the terms of the will the home place, upon the death of testator, vested in the three daughters by the first marriage in fee simple.

The transcript reveals that appellants listed thirty assignments'of;error for rever *162 sal of the decree rendered by the lower court. In appellants’ brief, however, only Assignments 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 are specifically mentioned. Indirect reference is made to Assignment 11 where it is contended by appellants that the Circuit Court erred in overruling Ground 3 of the motion to re-transfer the administration of the estate to the Probate Court.

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

Related

Jovon Dwayne Gaston v. State of Alabama
Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, 2025
Caplan v. Benator
262 So. 3d 672 (Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama, 2018)
Alonso v. State
228 So. 3d 1093 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, 2016)
Smith v. Smith
143 So. 3d 805 (Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama, 2013)
White v. State
179 So. 3d 170 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, 2013)
Kendrick v. Lewis
88 So. 3d 899 (Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama, 2012)
McKnight v. Way
58 So. 3d 810 (Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama, 2010)
Wehle v. Bradley
49 So. 3d 1203 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2010)
Scholl v. Stacy
981 So. 2d 1116 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2007)
Egbuonu v. State
993 So. 2d 35 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, 2007)
Barnett v. Estate of Anderson
966 So. 2d 915 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2007)
Dm v. Walker County Dhr
919 So. 2d 1197 (Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama, 2005)
Hodges v. State
926 So. 2d 1060 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, 2005)
Smith v. Ann Muchia
854 So. 2d 85 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2003)
At Stephens Enterprises, Inc. v. Johns
757 So. 2d 416 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2000)
Born v. Clark
662 So. 2d 669 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1995)
Foremost Ins. Co. v. Indies House, Inc.
602 So. 2d 380 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1992)
Spradlin v. Spradlin
601 So. 2d 76 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 1992)
Holliman v. Holliman
539 So. 2d 310 (Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama, 1988)
Save Our Streams, Inc. v. Pegues
541 So. 2d 546 (Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama, 1988)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
209 So. 2d 653, 282 Ala. 158, 1968 Ala. LEXIS 1102, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brittain-v-ingram-ala-1968.