Gilman v. Gilman

53 Me. 184
CourtSupreme Judicial Court of Maine
DecidedJuly 1, 1865
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 53 Me. 184 (Gilman v. Gilman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Judicial Court of Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gilman v. Gilman, 53 Me. 184 (Me. 1865).

Opinion

Appleton, C. J.

It was determined in Gilman v. Gilman, 52 Maine, 165, after a full hearing of all parties and upon satisfactory proof, that the domicil of the late Nathaniel Gilman was at the time of his death in "Waterville in Kennebec county.

This Court has jurisdiction of the probate of the will of said Gilman, from the fact that his domicil, at the time of his death, was in this State. He deceased, too, in the place in which his domicil was established. The probate of the [185]*185will has been had in the Supreme Court of Probate. As is well remarked by Deoto, C. J., in Petersen v. Chemical Bank, 32 N. Y., 23, — "The succession to the personal estate of a deceased person is governed by the law of the country of his domicil at the time of his death. This is so, whether the succession is claimed under the law providing for intestacy or for transmission by last will or testament.” So, too, the allowance to the widow is to be determined by the law of' the domicil of the husband, where administration is granted. Ancillary administration may be granted elsewhere and wherever the estate of the deceased may be situated.

The Judge of Probate for Kennebec county, upon the petition of the appellee, widow of said Nathaniel, Gilman, made her an allowance under the authority given him by P. S., 1857, c. 65, § 13, and the statute of 1861, c. 22, § 1.

The appellant, one of the heirs at law of said Gilman, and one of the executors of his will, appealed from the decree of the Judge of Probate, making the allowance, for the reason that the allowance granted was "excessive, unreasonable and not necessary, according to the degree and estate of her husband and the state of the family under her care.” Other reasons were filed, but, as they were not relied upon at the argument, they may be regarded as waived.

The appellant seasonably filed the reasons of his appeal, gave the bond required by law and entered his appeal, which was fully heard. Each party offered such proof and adduced such argument as was respectively deemed necessary and advisable. The case has been heard upon proof and argument, and now the question is presented whether, upon the appeal taken by the appellant, this Court can by its decree finally determine, as to the parties to this litigation, the allowance to be made the appellee, and increase or diminish that made by the Judge of Probate, if, in their judgment, " law and justice shall require” it.

The general principle applicable to appeals, when they are allowable, seem to be well settled. Either party may [186]*186appeal from an adverse judgment. Both parties may deem the judgment adverse and appeal therefrom. An appeal in all cases vacates the judgment appealed from.

When both parties appeal and only one enters his appeal, the cause is heard de novo upon new proofs and arguments. The amount of the judgment, thus vacated by the appeal, may be increased or diminished, or it may remain unaltered. If, as a measure of precaution, both parties enter an appeal, still there is but one cause and but one trial, in and by which the rights of all are finally heard and conclusively determined, subject to such exceptions as either party may allege.

By the statutes of 1821, c. 51, § 6, the Supreme Judicial Court is made the Supreme Court of Probate, and has appellate jurisdiction over all matters determinable by the Judges of Probate in their respective counties. By § 61 " any person aggrieved at any order, sentence, decree or denial of any Judge of Probate in any county, may appeal therefrom to the said Supreme Court of Probate, * * * and such appeal shall be taken notice of and proceeded upon at the next term of the Supreme Judicial Court,” &c., &c.

This was not regarded as giving sufficient power over the subject matter. Accordingly, to remove all doubt, a- new section was added to the chapter relating to the Court of Probate, in the revision of the statutes in 1841. By c. 105, § 33, "the Supreme Court of Probate may reverse or affirm, in whole or in part, the sentence or act appealed from, and may pass such decree thereon as the Judge of Probate ought to have passed; and may remit the case to the Probate Court for further proceedings, or may take any order therein, as law and justice shall requireThis provision is retained in the revision of 1857, c. 63, § 24, with hardly'a verbal alteration and without any change in its meaning.

The section just referred to is entirely inconsistent with the idea that the Supreme Court of Probate may not, upon appeal, correct any error which was adverse to the appel-lee in relation to the subject matter of the appeal, and, in [187]*187the case at bar, refers only to the amount of the allowance. On the contrary, it implies that the whole subject matter is before the Court, and that it is its duty to correct any and all errors shown at the hearing to exist.

The appellant is heard on new proofs and arguments. The rights of the appellee in this respect are the same as those of the appellant. In this case, then, the question of the allowance to be granted the appellee is before the appellate tribunal at the instance of the appellant. The judgment of the Probate Court, by his act, has been vacated. A now judgment is to be rendered in this Court. Why not then, while confining the appellant to the reasons of his appeal, and limiting the decision on his side by these reasons, regard the case as open on the part of the appellee, and thus upon one hearing finally determine the rights of all parties ? Wiry require two hearings when one will suffice ? Why divide the question of an allowance and hear one party, on his appeal, as to whether it is too large and his adversary, on his appeal, as to whether it is too small ? Why not hold, upon an appeal by cither party, that as to the ap-pellee the judgment is vacated, and that the whole question on his part is before the Court, while on that of the appellant, it is limited by she reasons of appeal?

The very language of the statute confers the most ample authority on the appellate Court, it " may pass such decree thereon as the Judge of Probate ought to have passed, remit the case to the Probate Court for further proceedings, or take any order therein, that law and justice require.” This Court is to decree what the Judge of Probate ought to have decreed. But the decree of this Court may be upon an entirely different state of facts, from those presented for the consideration of the Probate Court. This Court is to decide upon the proofs and argument presented. It is to do what upon the same evidence the Court of Probate should have done. It is to " take any order therein that law and justice require.” But it cannot do this if there be restrictions prohibiting its action in one direction. But there [188]*188are restrictions if its freedom of judgment is in any way limited or interfered with. The right to decree as law and justice may require, is unlimited'so far as relates to the ap-pellee. While there are restrictions on the part of the appellant, and he is limited by the reasons of appeal as assigned, the statute imposes no restraint upon the action of the Court upon the subject matter of the appeal, so far as relates to the correction of any errors injurious to the ap-pellee, in the decision of the Court from which the appeal is taken. The original judgment having been vacated by appeal, a new one is to be rendered, such "as law and justice may require,” and thát upon the whole evidence.

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53 Me. 184, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gilman-v-gilman-me-1865.