Fletcher v. Fletcher

7 Ohio Cir. Dec. 607
Lucas Circuit Court·Decided October 2, 1897·Published

Opinion

King, J.

(Orally.)

Three different petitions were filed in the court below by the plaintiff below, Jennie C. Fletcher, who is here the plaintiff in error, to each of which demurrers were severally sustained, and the action of the court on those demurrers is assigned for error; also the action of the court in dissolving an injunction granted at one time in the action; and the action of the court in removing or discharging a receiver appointed. As [608] to tbe latter ground, it is sufficient to say that there is no bill of exceptions setting out the evidence, and it appears that the motions were heard upon evidence, and therefore the action of the court cannot be heard at this time and in this proceeding.

Plaintiff filed her petitón on the 24th of September, 1896, alleging several grounds for divorce as existing, and in her petition she describes certain tracts of real estate, alleging that certain real estate —describing it by metes and bounds, and its situs — situate, one tract in Michigan and another tract in Toledo, had been conveyed to defendant, Henricks, for the purpose of putting it beyond her reach, so that it might not be made subject to the payment of any judgment for alimony; and she wound up with the prayer that that conveyance be set aside, and she be allowed reasonable alimony. She also asks for an injunction, alleging that her husband was threatening to convey certain property, and also that Henricks would convey the piece to which he had the legal title, if not prevented by an injunction. A temporary injunction was allowed by a judge of the court of common pleas. That stood until some months later, when, upon motion, it was dissolved. On the 13th of January, 1897, some five months after the filing of this petition, the principal defendant, her husband, filed an amended answer, in which he set out mare particularly the defenses upon which he relied. He denied generally the grounds for divorce that were set out in the petition, and then set out what he had been doing with his property. With reference to the property that had been conveyed to Henricks, this defendant, her husband, says he admits that the property had been conveyed to Henricks, “but avers that the same was at the instance and solicitations of her attorney, and that he conveyed said property at her request, and for her behoof and benefit, and to satisfy her of his affection for her^ and of his willingness to do all things in his power for her welfare and for the purpose of showing her that he bore her no ill-will. And this defendant further says that shortly subsequent to said transfer, he agreed with her attorney as to alimony for her, and that his attorney and her then agreed upon practically the sum of -$1,500 in cash and real estate, the same being all and more than this defendant was worth and he avers that in all things he has endeavored to do what was right; and he further says “he denies all allegations in said petition as to his placing or trying to place any property of any description beyond plaintiff’s reach, or trying in any way to deprive her of any rights whatever.

The defendant Henricks did not answer, but he filed a demurrer, which was heard and determined on March 15, some little time after this answer of the principal defendant. That demurrer was sustained, and in the judgment of the court sustaining that demurrer I think appears also the judgments upon the motions that had been filed as to the receiver, and the judgment dissolving the injunction. There had also been a motion filed to have Mr. Henricks show cause why he should not be punished as for contempt, and that was disposed of against the application of the plaintiff.

On the 17th — two days later — the plaintiff filed an amended petition. She sets forth substantially the same things that were in the original petition, and with reference to this property conveyed to Henricks, she in substance adopts some of the allegations of her husband’s answer —that it had been conveyed to Henricks to be held by him in trust to satisfy any judgment for alimony that she might recover, and that it had [609] been transferred to him for her benefit; and she further says that prior to the transfer the property had been acquired by the joint efforts of her husband and herself, and she had an interest therein. To that a general demurrer was filed, and it was heard on the first day of April, 1897, and sustained. On the 2d day of April, 1897, a second amended petition was filed, which sets out more particularly the allegations with reference to this property conveyed to Henrieks, and also sets forth that some time after the original petition was filed, perhaps in November, the defendant Fletcher had conveyed all his property to an assignee for the benefit of his creditors, and that the assignee was Henrieks, and that Henrieks in his capacity as assignee had filed a petition in the probate court in which he was seeking to sell this very property described in her petition conveyed to him to satisfy such judgment for alimony, or such decree for alimony, as the court of common pleas might thereafter render; and it was not at the date of the assignment the legal estate of Fletcher, her husband; and she asks for an injunction as to these acts of Henrieks in the probate court. A general demurrer was filed to that, and on May 18, 1897, it was sustained.

All these acts of the court are alleged as error.

It is contended here by counsel for the demurrers that the plaintiff in these amended petitions especially has set up specifically a trust, and that she could not unite an action to enforce a trust made for her benefit as cestui que trust with any cause of action that might fall within the jurisdiction of the court under a petition for divorce and alimony; that this is a misjoinder of causes of action, so far as it seeks to enforce anything as against Henrieks; that while she might allege that her husband has property which he is seeking to hold away from a judgment of alimony, she cannot come in and say a trust has been declared for her, and ask the court to adjudicate about that trust; and that the demurrer was sustained properly for that reason.

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Fletcher v. Fletcher, 7 Ohio Cir. Dec. 607 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1897).

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