Hale v. Hale

126 N.E. 692, 74 Ind. App. 405, 1920 Ind. App. LEXIS 254
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 2, 1920
DocketNo. 10,107
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 126 N.E. 692 (Hale v. Hale) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hale v. Hale, 126 N.E. 692, 74 Ind. App. 405, 1920 Ind. App. LEXIS 254 (Ind. Ct. App. 1920).

Opinion

Enloe, J.

On January 14, 1904, one William F. Hale procured from the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company a policy in the sum of $2,000 upon his own [407]*407life, and caused said policy to be made payable, in case of his death, to Elizabeth Hale, his then wife. The policy was of the kind known as “twenty-year endowment,” and was by said insured, upon its receipt from the company or shortly thereafter, turned over to the beneficiary therein named. In September, 1910, said William F. Hale and his said wife were, by decree of the Lake Circuit Court, duly and legally divorced. At the time of the granting of said divorce, and for some time prior thereto, the parties had resided in East Chicago, Indiana, but a short time after said divorce was granted said William F. Hale removed to the city of Muncie, Indiana, where he was married to appellee, Mary Louise Hale. The insured died at Muncie, Indiana April 22, 1914, intestate, and leaving surviving him his widow, Mary Louise Hale. The policy of insurance was at the date of his death in force and effect.

After the death of said insured, proof of death was duly made both by said widow and by said named beneficiary and, the insurance company declining to pay said policy to said named beneficiary, this suit was brought by appellant, naming said insurance company as defendant herein.

The company appeared, filed its petition asking that Mary Louise Hale, as administratrix of the estate of said William F. Hale, be made a party to the proceedings, which being done and she brought into court, said insurance company paid said money into court and an order of interpleader was entered in said cause as to the other parties thereto. The appellant then filed her amended complaint in three paragraphs. The first alleged the issuance of said policy; that appellant was named as beneficiary therein; that she was then the wife of said insured; the delivery of said policy, upon its receipt by said insured, to appellant under an oral agreement then and there made between said insured [408]*408and said appellant that said policy “was to be and should, be kept, held and owned by plaintiff as her own individual property”; that thereafter a further agreement was made between appellant and said insured, whereby, in further consideration of appellant’s rights in said policy, it was agreed between said parties that, if appellant would sign a deed to certain real estate in the city of East Chicago, thereby relinquishing her rights as wife of said insured in and to said real estate, he, said insured, would pay and continue to pay the premiums thereafter upon said policy of insurance, as the same should fall due, and that appellant should keep and retain said policy of insurance as her own separate and individual property; that appellant thereupon signed said deed to said property, and did thereafter continue to keep and hold said policy of insurance in her possession as her individual property until she delivered the same to said insurance company as security for a loan of $700 made by said insurance company to said insured; that in January, 1914, said insured came to appellant and informed her that the premium was then due upon said policy, and that he had no money with which to pay the same, that he desired to procure a loan of $700 from said insurance company upon said policy, and that if She, appellant, would deliver the possession of said policy to said insurance company to be held as security for said loan, he, the insured, would pay the premium then due on said policy out of said loan, and also would give to appellant $400 of the money so procured; that appellant thereupon delivered said policy to said insurance company as security for said loan, and said loan was thereupon made by said company to said insured, and that said loan has not been repaid; that said policy has never been assigned by appellant, and was still her property. This paragraph also contained averments concerning the death of said insured, [409]*409the furnishing proofs of his death, the non-payment of said policy by said company, and that one Mary Louise Hale, as administratrix of the estate of said William F. Hale was claiming an interest in the policy. Said administratrix was also made a party defendant to answer as to her interest in said policy.

The second paragraph contained all the material allegations of the first paragraph, as to the issuance of the said policy and its having been turned over to said company by appellant to be held as collateral for said loan, and this paragraph also contained an averment that, after said policy had been so issued to said insured, he, said insured, made a parol assignment thereof of all his right, title and interest therein -to appellant, for the purpose of making financial provision for the welfare of said appellant, his then wife; that appellant on said day and at said time received and accepted said policy and thereafter held and kept the same until she delivered the same to said insurance company, as security for said loan of $700, in January, 1914.

The third paragraph alleged all the essential facts, as alleged in the first and second paragraphs concerning the issuance of said policy, etc., but alleged that the insured, immediately upon receipt of said policy, gave, transferred, and delivered to appellant all his right, title and interest in and to said policy as a gift to appellant, his then wife, and' that appellant then and there received the possession of said policy from said insured, which possession she retained until its surrender as security for said loan.

Each paragraph contained a prayer for judgment for the amount due under said policy. A copy of said policy was set out as an exhibit, and made a part of each paragraph of complaint.

The appellee Mary Louise Hale filed answer to complaint of appellant in two paragraphs, the first being a [410]*410general denial. The second paragraph of answer alleged the issuing of the policy, and that at the time appellant and said William F.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
126 N.E. 692, 74 Ind. App. 405, 1920 Ind. App. LEXIS 254, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hale-v-hale-indctapp-1920.