Grignon v. Shope

197 P. 317, 100 Or. 611, 1921 Ore. LEXIS 120
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedApril 19, 1921
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 197 P. 317 (Grignon v. Shope) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Grignon v. Shope, 197 P. 317, 100 Or. 611, 1921 Ore. LEXIS 120 (Or. 1921).

Opinion

BEAN, J.

1. The first question raised is, Did the court err in overruling the demurrer to the complaint? Defendant contends that the probate of the will of Anna M. Scott should have been made upon a sworn petition, and that the complaint should so allege-. The complaint is sufficient in the respect challenged, and the demurrer was properly overruled: 11 R. C. L., p. 285, § 328; Kirsch v. Derby, 96 Cal. 602 (31 Pac. 567); Chamberlain v. Tiner, 31 Minn. 371 (18 N. W. 97).

2, 3. Defendant objects that the note was not shown to have been sold and indorsed by order of the probate court. The objection is untenable.

The Wisconsin law and that of our own state are similar in requiring sales of personal property to be made by order of the court; but in each state it is held that negotiable instruments need not be sold by order of the court. That the executor or administrator may sell, indorse, and transfer a negotiable instrument and other choses in action without an order of court, is the rule: Weider v. Osborne, 20 Or. 307, 309 (25 Pac. 715). A foreign administrator may indorse, sell and deliver negotiable instruments and choses in action, and the assignee may maintain his action thereon at any place: Harper v. Butter, 27 U. S. (2 Pet.) 237 (7 L. Ed. 410, see, also, Rose’s U. S. Notes); Day v. Cole, 56 Mich. 294, 296 (22 N. W. 811); Campbell v. Brown, 64 Iowa, 425, 426 (20 N. W. 745, 52 Am. Rep. 446); McCully v. Cooper, 114 Cal. 258, 262 (46 Pac. 82, 55 Am. St. Rep. 66, 35 L. R. A. 492).

As separate defenses defendant averred in substance as follows: Anna M. Scott was his aunt and gave him the $1,200, “upon the condition that if she did not revoke the gift before death it would become absolute,” and it was made in contemplation of death. [616]*616She was 81 years of age and feeble. It was further agreed between defendant and his aunt that defendant should make his note to her for $1,200, but the note was not to be deemed as executed or delivered, unless the aunt revoked her gift causa mortis, and the note was and is evidence only of their agreement. The aunt did not revoke her gift to defendant. Defendant is one of the heirs of his aunt. He knew nothing of her death or the purported probate of her estate until about one year afterwards. The note was satisfied, canceled and annulled by the death of the. aunt. About March, 1912, the aunt made a will at Portland, Oregon, in which she devised all of the residue of her estate to defendant. Unless a subsequent will devised the residue otherwise, this will becomes a part with a subsequent will, making only special bequests, and defendant is the devisee of more than he would be heir to under Wisconsin laws, which are set out.

On motion of plaintiff the separate answers of defendant were stricken out. Whether or not this was error depends upon whether the stricken portions constituted any defense.

4-13. The defendant undertook to plead a gift which is not valid either as a gift inter vivos or causa mortis. The essential elements of a gift inter vivos are, (1) a donor competent to contract; (2) freedom of will of donor; (3) the gift must be complete and nothing left undone; (4) the property must be delivered by the donor and accepted by the donee; (5) the gift must go into immediate and absolute effect: Merc. S. D. Co. v. Huntington, 89 Hun (N. Y.), 465, 469 (35 N. Y. Supp. 390). A gift on condition of the happening of an event that it shall revert to the donor renders the gift invalid: Irish v. Nutting, 47 Barb. (N. Y.) 370, 384; Rosenburg v. Rosenburg, 40 [617]*617Hun (N. Y.), 91, 96; Smith v. Dorsey, 38 Ind. 451 (10 Am. Rep. 118); Allen v. Polerecsky, 31 Me. 338, 339. The defendant gave Anna M. Scott, the alleged donor, a promissory note for what is now claimed to be a gift. The pleading did not show that the transaction was complete, but it was left for further consideration. The giving of the note indicated that the gift was not accepted by the defendant, as he says he urged his aunt to take the note. To make a valid and effective gift inter vivos there must be an intention to transfer title to the property, as well as the delivery by the donor and acceptance by the donee. The answer, in order to be effective, should have alleged facts showing that it was the intention of Anna M. Scott, the alleged donor, to relinquish the right of dominion over the subject of the gift and to create the right of dominion in B. F. Shope, the defendant. The delivery of such a gift must be not only of possession, but also of the dominion and control of the property. The title must be absolute and go into immediate effect so far as the donor can make it so by intent and delivery, and must be so complete that if the donor again resumes control of it without the consent of the donee he becomes liable as a trespasser. A loan is not a gift. What defendant claims is in effect a loan: 12 R. C. L., p. 932, § 10. To make a gift causa mortis there must be clearly and intelligently manifested an intention to make a present gift to another, and, in consummation of this intention, a delivery of the property to or for the use of the intended donee. However, the donor intends that the gift is revocable or defeasible. It must be made upon apprehension of speedy death from present sickness, or impending peril: 12 R. C. L., p. 956, § § 32, 33 et seq. The gift is revocable during the lifetime of the donor [618]*618or is revocable by recovery or delivery of the donor from the illness or peril. It must be conditioned on that event: 12 E. C. L., p. 962, § 36. The defendant indicates in his answer that Anna M. Scott never revoked the alleged gift. That is but a conclusion. The essentials of a gift causa mortis are not shown either by the answer of the defendant or by his testimony.

14. Gifts causa mortis are against the policy of the law. They are liable to occasion fraud and are subject to many mistakes. They are made without the safeguards cast by the law around the execution of wills. Care should be taken in scrutinizing the evidence of such a gift: 12 E. O. L., p. 956, § 31.

15,16. The answer admits the administration of the estate of Anna M. Scott, deceased, but undertakes to discredit the proceedings in the State of "Wisconsin on account of irregularities. Full faith and credit must be given to judicial proceedings of other states: U. S. Const., Art. IY, § 1; United States Fidelity Co. v. Martin, 77 Or. 369, 383 (149 Pac. 1023); Christmas v. Russelll, 72 U. S. (5 Wall.) 290, 301 (18 L. Ed. 475, see, also, Rose’s U. S. Notes). The defendant alleges that Anna M. Scott, at Portland, executed another will in which she devised property to defendant. If the defendant desires to contest the will which was probated in the State of Wisconsin, or to prove another will, it is necessary that he should apply to the court in the State of Wisconsin. He cannot collaterally attack the validity of the decree of the court of that state for irregularities.

17. The defendant contends that the testimony is not sufficient to support the findings of fact made by the trial court for the reason that the execution of the note in suit was not proven. There is no merit [619]

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
197 P. 317, 100 Or. 611, 1921 Ore. LEXIS 120, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/grignon-v-shope-or-1921.