Estate of Fitzgerald v. Union Savings Bank

90 N.W. 994, 65 Neb. 97, 1902 Neb. LEXIS 288
Nebraska Supreme Court·Decided June 4, 1902·No. No. 11,658·Published·Cited by 6 cases

Opinion

Pound, C.

In 1886, John Fitzgerald» subscribed for $10,000 of the capital stock of the Union Savings Bank, then newly organized, paying ten per cent, down and agreeing to pay the remainder “upon call of the proper officers.” He died in December, 1894, before any call was made, .and on September 30, 1895, the county court entered an order in the matter of his estate barring all claims not theretofore exhibited. Afterwards, on January 13, 1896, the directors made a call for 25 per cent, of all subscriptions. A claim against the estate, based upon this call, was filed in the county court on March 2, 1896. A second call, also for 25 per cent., was made on April 15,1897; and a claim against the estate was filed accordingly on January 26, 1898. The administratrix filed written objections to these claims, alleging that they were barred by the order of September 30, 1895, that they had not been filed seasonably, and that the court had no jurisdiction to entertain them. The county court allowed each claim. Each was taken to the district court on appeal, and judgments were rendered against the estate, from Avhich error is prosecuted; this proceeding involving the claim upon the first call, and No. 11,659, argued and submitted at the same time and upon the same briefs, involving the claim on the second call.

We are Avell satisfied that the claims Avere filed in due time under the provisions of section 262, chapter 23, Compiled Statutes, and that the general order barring claims did not affect them in any Avay. The portion of that section material to this case reads as folloAvs: “If the claim of any person shall accrue or become absolute at any time after the time limited for creditors to present their claims, the person having such claim may present it to the probate court, and prove the same at any time within one year after it shall accrue or become absolute.” The claims upon these calls did not accrue till the several calls were made.' There was no claim upon the subscription which [100] could be maintained in any sort of judicial proceeding until the directors or other proper authority called for a further payment. Even then, no claim accrued for anything beyond the amount of the call. It is well settled and self evident that no action may be maintained upon a subscription payable in instalments on call of the directors unless or until there has been a proper call, Chandler v. Siddle, 3 Dill. [U. S. C.C.], 477; Grosse Isle Hotel Co. v. I’Anson, 43 N. J. Law, 442; Braddock v. Philadelphia M. & M. R. Co., 45 N. J. Law, 363; Banet v. Alton & S. R. Co., 13 Ill., 504; Lamar Ins. Co., v. Moore, 84 Ill., 575; Bouton v. Dry Dock Co., 4 E. D. Smith [N. Y.], 420. If the stockholder dies, the estate takes the stock burdened with the contract to pay the amount subscribed therefor, as called; and calls, When made, are proper to be allowed as claims. Davis v. Weed, 44 Conn., 569. But no claim accrues against the estate until a call is made, and until that time the statutes of limitation and non-claim do not begin to run. Priest v. Glenn, 4 U. S. App., 478, 51 Fed. Rep., 400, 405; Great Western Telegraph Co. v. Gray, 122 Ill., 630, 14 N. E. Rep., 214; Kilbreath v. Gaylord, 34 Ohio St., 305; Marr v. Bank of West Tennessee, 4 Lea [Tenn.], 578; Western R. Co. v. Avery, 64 N. Car., 491; Baltimore & Havre-de-Grace Turnpike Co. v. Barnes, 6 Harr. & J. [Md.], 58; Glenn v. Williams, 60 Md., 93. Moreover, each call is a separate cause of action, and the statutes run against it from its date only, not from the date of prior calls.

Errors are assigned, also, because the claims filed in the county court are not in the form of pleadings, setting forth the facts constituting the claimant’s causes of action with particularity and in detail, and because no pleadings were filed in the district court on appeal. These objections are without merit. The statute, sections 214-226, chapter 23, Compiled Statutes, provides only that the claimant “present” or “exhibit” his “claim or demand” to the court or commissioners. Creditors of an estate are hot required [101] to present their claims in the first instance by formal pleadings. A statement of the nature and amount of the claim in the ordinary form of an account or claim bill is sufficient. Nor were pleadings necessary in the district court unless that court saw fit to require them. Section 238, chapter 23, Compiled Statutes, provides that in case of appeal from the judgment of the county court upon a claim, “the district court shall proceed to a trial and determination of the case in like manner as upon appeals brought from the judgments of justices of the peace; and such court may direct ah issue to be made up between the parties when it shall be deemed necessary.” Construing these two provisions together, we see no room for doubt that while the trial procedure is to be the same as upon appeal from a justice of the peace, whether there shall be pleadings is left to the discretion of the court. It is well known that the expense incident to administration of estates is always large. The evident purpose of the statute is to dispense with formalities wherever reasonably possible, in order to keep down the costs.

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Estate of Fitzgerald v. Union Savings Bank, 90 N.W. 994, 65 Neb. 97, 1902 Neb. LEXIS 288 (Neb. 1902).

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