Dent v. Foy

98 So. 390, 210 Ala. 475, 1923 Ala. LEXIS 66
Supreme Court of Alabama·Decided October 11, 1923·No. 4 Div. 76, 76A.·Published·Cited by 15 cases

Opinion

*477 MILLER, J.

George H. Dent died intestate on the 2Sth of February, 1918, leaving his widow, four children, and two grandsons, who are sons of a deceased daughter.

Administration of his estate was begun in the probate court of Barbour county; before final settlement, Levy W. Foy and Fred H. Foy, the two grandsons of the decedent, filed this bill of complaint against the widow, Helen A. Dent, individually and as administratrix of the estate, and the four children, Warren Y. Dent, George H. Dent, Jr., Louie H. Dent, and Helen Dent Williams. They seek by the bill to have the administration of the estate removed from the probate court to the circuit court in equity; they seek a sale of the real estate for division among the joint owners, on the ground that it cannot be equitably partitioned among them; and they also seek by the bill to charge the defendants George H. Dent, Jr., Louie H. Dent, and Warren Y. Dent with advancements of money or other property given them by the decedent in his lifetime, and to charge them with indebtedness due by them to the estate contracted by each of them with the intestate during his life.

Demurrers were interposed to the bill; they were overruled by the court; from this decree the defendants appealed, and it was affirmed by this court. Dent v. Foy, 204 Ala. 404, 85 South. 709.

The administratrix of the estate by petition sought to sell the real and personal property for division under petition instead of by this bill filed by the complainants, the grandsons of the decedent. This petition on pleading was dismissed by the trial court; and from it the defendants appealed to this court; and this decree was affirmed. Dent v. Foy, 206 Ala. 454, 90 South. 317. This is the third appeal to this court.

The court by decree refused motion to suppress deposition of Helen A. Dent, sustained motion of complainants to suppress the testimony of Warren Dent, George Dent, and Louie Dent offered in their own behalf; the decree charges Warren Dent with $4,000 received by him from decedent as an advancement, charges George Dent 'with $2,-000 advancement, and Louie Dent with $6,-500 advancement; and the court decreed that the real estate be sold for division among the joint owners.

From this decree the defendants Warren Y. Dent, George H. Dent, Jr., and Louie H. Dent appeal, and assign separately and severally as error that part of the decree which suppresses their testimony, and which fixes an amount received by each as advancements from the decedent.

The complainants take cross-appeal from the decree, and assign as error the decree of the court fixing the amount of the advancements obtained, by the defendants from the intestate; amj for overruling their motion to suppress deposition of Helen A. Dent.

Helen A. Dent, the widow of the decedent, is a competent witness to testify in this 'controversy between the distributees of the estate, in which is involved advancements made by the intestate to his children. She had no interest in the result which could be affected by her testimony, and which would render her incompetent under section 4007 of the Code of 1907. If advancements were made to the distributees by the intestate, the distributive share of the widow in the estate would not be increased thereby, unless real estate was advanced in which she claimed dower, which is not the case here. Her distributive share must be carved alone out of the estate of which the decedent died possessed, without reference to the advancements. The court did not err in overruling the motion to suppress her deposition because of incompetency to testify on account of interest in the estate. Andrews v. Hall, 15 Ala. 85, headnote 4; Code 1907, § 3764.

The motion of complainants to suppress the testimony of Warren Dent, George Dent, and Louie Dent, offered in their own behalf, was granted by the court. The court states:

“I have not considered the testimony which the respondents offer in their own behalf, for it is manifestly clear to me that the estate is interested in the effort to charge the heirs with advancements, and hence section 4007 applies. They cannot testify as I see the situation. If advancements are charged, the body of the estate is increased so much, in each instance, and these respondents cannot be heard to speak with regard to any transaction or conversation had with their deceased father.”

Did the court err in suppressing the testimony of the respondents named? Yes. Were they competent to testify in the controversy between them and the other distributees involving the question of advance *478 inents made to each of them respectively by the decedent during his lifetime? Yes.

“No person having a pecuniary interest in the result of the suit or proceeding shall .be allowed to testify against the party to whom his interest is opposed, as to any transaction with, or statement by, the deceased person whose estate is interested in the result of the suit or proceeding.” Code 1907, § 4007.

Is the estate of George H. Dent, deceased, interested in the result of this suit or proceeding between the distributees, involving questions of advancements alleged to have been made by the decedent during his lifetime to the respondents, who are some of the distributees of his estate? We do not think so. If the estate of the decedent is not interested in the result of this controversy between the distributees as to advancements, then the distributees are not rendered incompetent as witnesses by section 4007 of the Code in this part of the suit or proceeding.

It is true in Hodges v. Denny, 86 Ala. 228, 5 South. 493, this court, in referring to and discussing this section 4007, correctly said, and which has been frequently quoted with approval, this:

“Its provisions exclude the living from testifying to any transaction between himself and the dead, in all cases where the effect of 'the evidence is to diminish the rights of the deceased, or those claiming under him, and where the presumption exists that the dead, if living, could explain, qualify, or contradict.”

It is true the decedent, George H. Dent, could, if living, explain, qualify, or contradict the testimony of the distributees -as to the alleged advancements made them-by him; but the effect of their evidence will not diminish the rights of the deceased, and it will not diminish the rights of all those claiming under him. It may increase the rights of some, and diminish the rights of others, who claim under the decedent; but it will not operate on all alike who claim under him. The body of his estate will not be increased or diminished thereby.

The estate of the decedent is not interested in the result of this proceeding. The result will neither increase nor diminish the estate of the decedent. This is not a creditors’ bill. The creditors are not interested in the result of this proceeding. The assets of the estate will not be increased or decreased by this proceeding; and it will not add to or take anything from the liabilities of the estate. The result of this proceeding simply affects the distribution as between the heirs.

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Dent v. Foy, 98 So. 390, 210 Ala. 475, 1923 Ala. LEXIS 66 (Ala. 1923).

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