Holler v. Amodt

153 N.W. 465, 31 N.D. 11, 1915 N.D. LEXIS 173
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedJune 3, 1915
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 153 N.W. 465 (Holler v. Amodt) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Holler v. Amodt, 153 N.W. 465, 31 N.D. 11, 1915 N.D. LEXIS 173 (N.D. 1915).

Opinion

Burke, J.

On April 14, 1911, Knute Amodt executed a certain warranty deed to his lands and a bill of sale of his personal property to his wife; on May 5, 1911, he executed a will whereby he devised and bequeathed the same property, real and personal, to his said wife. On May 14, 1911, he died, leaving besides his wife, aforesaid, seven children. The oldest, Inga, who is married, brings this action, setting up the aforesaid facts, and claiming that the transfer of the property by the deeds and bill of sale aforesaid, and the execution of the will, were pursuant to an oral agreement had between the father and mother and children, that said property be transferred to the mother with the understanding and agreement that she “would lawfully distribute his property among his heirs, according to the rule of succession.” That the purpose of said Knute Amodt in making said transfers and in preparing and executing the will was to save his estate the cost of the probate court. The mother answers, admits that the execution of the deeds and'bill of sale were without consideration, and disclaims any claim thereunder. She does, however, claim under the will, and denies that it was made pursuant to any agreement that she would distribute said property among the heirs, but alleges that she is the absolute owner of the property. Upon the trial of the action, the mother was called for cross-examination, and testified that her husband had been sick about six months before his death. That she knew nothing of the deeds or bill of sale.

She testifies:

Q. Did you say that he made a testament in regard to his property ?

A. Yes. It was — he left everything to me and says I shall divide it myself.

Q. That is, he made a writing in regard to his property that you call a testament?
A. Yes. He said how he wanted it. . . .

Q. Now, was your husband in bed at that time he told what he wanted to go into this testament?

[14]*14A. He was in bed. It was not very much, he was able to be up all winter, but he was with his full senses until the last day.

Q. And was Mr. Thompson there at the time when he wrote this testament, as you call it ?

A. Yes. He was in the room with Knute, and I was not asked about anything. Just told him to state it just the way he wanted it.

Q. Was there anybody else there beside Mr. Thompson at the time he — at the time it was written ?

A. Yes, it was Hans Eikness and Conrad and Emil Jonsgaard and a boy that worked for us.

Q. And did Mr. Thompson write this writing up at that time?'
A. Yes, he did.
Q. And after it was written up do you know if anyone signed it?'
A. Yes, the witnesses.
Q. Did your husband also sign it ?
A. He could not write, but made a cross; that was good enough.
Q. After this writing was made, what was done with it, if you know ?

A. Knute said that Otis Thompson should keep it for us in his. safe. That was all that was .said and all the children were satisfied with it. . . .

Q. Do you know when it was that this writing was made?

A. No, I do not remember. It was some weeks before he died.. I can’t remember it. . . .

Q. Now, at the time when he made this writing, did he say anything about why he made this — what he made this writing for ?

A. He said he did it because he wanted me to have it undisturbed.

Q. At the time that he made that writing, did he say anything, about making it to save the costs of administration ?

'A. I did not hear that, — Otis will know about that; he heard it and I didn’t, — he did it for the purpose that there should not be any strife about it.

Q. At the time that he made this writing did he say anything about turning the property over to you for you to distribute, instead of the.court; at the time that he made this writing did he say anything: that you divide this property instead of the court?

[15]*15A. Yes, lie did. . . . That was about all I beard. I was in tbe bedroom, and told bim be could tell bow be wanted it done.

Q. Wbat did you bear bim say about dividing up tbe property instead of tbe.court?
A. I did not bear anything about that. I suppose it is in the-testament.

Q. Did you bear bim say anything about your dividing up tbe property among tbe children?

A. No, be said nothing about that.

Q. Well, wbat did you mean when you testified that tbe property was given to you for you to divide tbe property up among tbe heirs?

A. Well, then, can’t I have it until I get ready to divide myself?- . . . I can do it then when I am in a place to do it.

Q. You understood that you were to divide up tbe property; but that you might make tbe division when you saw fit ?

A. Yes, I think it was so. . . . He owned wbat be bad, and-when be gave it to me then I supposed it would be mine.

Q. But when you took tbe property you understood that some time-you would have to divide it up among tbe children?

A. Yes, I understood that; when Holler came out, I said she was-to be tbe first one to have hers; but we were so much in debt that this year bad to be taken care of first.

Q. And you took tbe property for tbe purpose of dividing it up afterwards at some time ?

A. That is bow I understood it.
Q. And you got that understanding you bad from what you beard your husband say?

A. Yes, that is bow I understood it. And be understood that I was tbe first one to receive it because I worked bard.

Q. And you thought in taking the property that you could divide-it up right away if you wanted to, or you could wait a while before you made tbe distribution or division?

A. No, I thought I would try to- divide it so that everybody would be satisfied, in a decent way.

Q. And you do intend to divide tbe property according to the wishes-of your husband as be told you before be died ?

A. Yes, of course, I have to divide it after a while; but we were-[16]*16put back those hard years, but we try and do the best we can until we get that out of the way.

Q. And in dividing it you intend to give to each of the children the share that they would have under the law?

A. Yes. That is what I thought was best.

Q. And you want to do that because your husband asked you to do that before he died?

A. Yes.
Q. And you wanted to do that because he said so at the time he made his testament?
A. Yes, I mean to divide it.

Q. And in dividing it you don’t mean to leave your daughter Inga out, do you, but you intend to give her a share also ?

A. No, that is what I said to Mr. Holler.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
153 N.W. 465, 31 N.D. 11, 1915 N.D. LEXIS 173, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/holler-v-amodt-nd-1915.