Ehlers v. Lindekugel

27 N.W.2d 169, 148 Neb. 271, 1947 Neb. LEXIS 40
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedApril 18, 1947
DocketNo. 32216
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 27 N.W.2d 169 (Ehlers v. Lindekugel) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ehlers v. Lindekugel, 27 N.W.2d 169, 148 Neb. 271, 1947 Neb. LEXIS 40 (Neb. 1947).

Opinion

Messmore, J.

On May 13, 1943, one William A. Ehlers filed an application for order to show cause in the county court of Lincoln County against the executors of the estate of August Lindekugel, deceased. It appears from the application that the applicant is the assignee and owner of a certain claim filed by the Bank of Lincoln County, Hershey, Nebraska, against the estate, which was allowed on July 24, 1930; in the sum of $759.10 with interest at 10 percent per annum from January 13, 1930, until paid. Order barring claims was entered October 24, 1930. On July 7, 1931, the executors of the estate requested and obtained an order from the county court for an extension of time in which to sell and convert the assets of the estate, ■ particularly certain land and water rights in Larimer County, Colorado, into cash. The time was extended until December 26, 1931, for such purpose. The application sets forth a factual situation wherein the applicant claims the executors failed to comply with the order of the court, were negligent in their duties in not properly handling the estate, .and were guilty of waste and misappropriation of the funds of the estate by disobedience of orders of the county court. The prayer of the application is [273]*273to personally surcharge the executors with the amount due and unpaid on the allowed claim.

The executors filed an answer setting forth an explanation of their acts and doings in their official capacity in handling the estate; denying negligence on their part; and asserting the applicant had full and complete knowledge of all the transactions with reference to the subject matter set forth in his application. On August 15, 1944, the matter came on for hearing before the county court. On February 28, 1945, the county court entered judgment against the applicant. The applicant filed an appeal bond on March 12, 1945, to the district court, which was approved on the same day. Transcript ‘ of the proceedings in the county court was filed in the district court on March 26, 1945. On August 15, 1946, the executors of the estate filed a motion to dismiss the appeal for the reason that the applicant had failed to file his petition in the district court as provided for and required by section 30-1606, R. S. 1943. The matter was heard in the district court on September 28, 1946. On October 4, 1946, the district court entered an order dismissing the appeal. The applicant, William A. Ehlers, appeals from this order.

The applicant will hereinafter be referred to as the appellant, and the executors as the appellees.

The sole question presented for determination in this appeal is whether or not the district court erred in nonsuiting the appellant for' failure to file his .petition on appeal in the district court within 50 days from and after the date of the rendition of the judgment in the county court.

There is no bill of exceptions filed in this court.

Section 30-1606, R. S. 1943, provides, in substance, that in appeals in probate matters, upon the filing of the transcript the district court shall be possessed of the action, and shall proceed in like manner as upon appeals from the county court in civil actions.

In the case of Weideman v. Estate of Peterson, 129 [274]*274Neb. 74, 261 N. W. 150, this court held: “The rule announced in Estate of Fitzgerald v. Union Savings Bank, 65 Neb. 97, that, ‘on appeal to the district court from an order of the county court allowing or rejecting a claim against an estate, pleadings need not be filed unless directed by the court,’ held abrogated by statutory changes of legislative enactment on which such rule was based.” This court further held that the filing of a petition in the district court was now a requirement on appeal.

The appellant cites In re Estate of Jelinek, 146 Neb. 452, 20 N. W. 2d 325. In this case the appellees cross-appealed, contending that where several claimants file separate claims against the estate in the county court, which claims upon hearing are disallowed, it is necessary for each claimant to file a separate transcript with reference to their particular claim in order to confer jurisdiction in the district court, and citing sections 30-1601 to 30-1608, inclusive, R. S. 1943. This court held that the separate claims may be included in one transcript, and that the district court acquired jurisdiction to hear and determine the claims involved in the action. Other procedural steps were not in issue.

It appears from the brief of the appellees in the aforesaid case that the appellant and other claimants likewise had failed to file petitions in the district court. However; the plaintiff did file a‘petition in the district court on appeal after the expiration of 50 days from the date of rendition of the judgment in the county court. There was no contention made by the appellees that the plaintiff be nonsuited for failure to file a petition on áppeal in the district court within 50 days from the date of rendition of judgment in the county court. It will be observed that the case did not determine the issue here involved.

Section 24-544, R. S. 1943, provides in part: “In civil actions brought under the provisions of sections 24-501 to 24-553, either party may appeal from the judgment [275]*275of the county, court, in the manner as provided by law in cases tried and determined by justices of the peace.”

With reference to appeals from justice courts, section 27-1305, R. S. 1943, provides that the parties shall proceed, in all respects, in the same manner as though the action had been originally instituted in such court.

Section 27-1306, R. S. 1943, provides that the plaintiff in the court below shall, within 50 days after the rendition of the judgment in the court below, file his petition as required in civil cases in the district court.

In the instant case the appellant is the plaintiff in the district court. He seeks affirmative relief.

Section 30-1601, R. S. 1943, provides: “In all matters of probate jurisdiction, appeals shall be allowed from any final order, judgment or decree of the. county court to the district court by any person against whom any such order, judgment or decree may be made or by who may be affected thereby.”

In the case of In re Grblny’s Estate, 147 Neb. 117, 22 N. W. 2d 488, the defendant contended the trial court erred in refusing to nonsuit the plaintiff, or strike his petition on appeal from the files, for the reason that the plaintiff failed to get his petition on appeal filed within 50 days from the date of the judgment in the county court. The plaintiff had filed a motion asking leave to file the petition out of time, alleging that good and sufficient reasons existed for failure to sooner file the same. Evidence was adduced thereon, after which.the trial court found for the plaintiff and permitted the filing. The evidence was not preserved in the bill of exceptions. This court held that the rule should be that where the district court, in an appeal perfected by the' defendant from the county court permits the plaintiff upon application therefor to file his petition on appeal out of time, it will be presumed on appeal to this court, in the absence of a record to the contrary, that good cause was shown and the district court thereby exercised a sound judicial discretion. We followed Myers v. Hall [276]*276County, 130 Neb. 13, 263 N. W.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
27 N.W.2d 169, 148 Neb. 271, 1947 Neb. LEXIS 40, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ehlers-v-lindekugel-neb-1947.