In re Burnham

202 F. 762, 1913 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1816
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Washington
DecidedFebruary 4, 1913
DocketNo. 725
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 202 F. 762 (In re Burnham) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Burnham, 202 F. 762, 1913 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1816 (W.D. Wash. 1913).

Opinion

CUSHMAN, District Judge.

.This matter is now before the court upon two demurrers, one of which is the demurrer of the trustee of the bankrupt estate to the petition of Udella B. Burn-ham, the wife of H. A. Burnham, bankrupt, alleging the bankrupt’s failure to make and file a declaration of homestead on certain real estate, upon which it is alleged they reside, that petitioner has made and filed a declaration of homestead thereon, and that there. is $675 in the registry of the court, proceeds from the sale of a portion of said homestead. The prayer of the petition is that this money be paid to the petitioner.

The other demurrer is that of Udella B. Burnham to the petition of the trustee of the bankrupt estate. The prayer of this petition is that Udella Burnham be decreed to have no interest in one portion, and in an undivided half interest of another portion of the land covered by her petition, or declaration of homestead, for the reason that the same is a portion of the bankrupt estate, which the trustee had advertised and was about to sell when the said Udella Burnham claimed it as a homestead, thereby clouding the title; that the claim of a homestead exemption was made subsequent to the adjudication in bankruptcy; that she and her family did not reside upon the premises claimed at the time of filing said declaration ; and that a portion of said premises is owned by other parties, tenants in common with H. A. Burnham, bankrupt.

It is further alleged that she was made a party to the bankruptcy proceedings, in order that her interest in the community real estate of H. A. Burnham and herself might be determined; that she answered in this proceeding, claiming all of said real estate in her separate right, and, on an order to show cause why the trustee should not sell the same, a trial was had, and it was determined that she had no separate right or interest in the same, that it was community property of herself and said H. A. Burnham, and was subject to the claims of creditors herein, and that, by such proceeding, she is now estopped from setting up any claim by reason of homestead rights, or otherwise.

The trustee relies on the following authorities: Harrison Goodwin et al. v. Colorado Mortgage & Inv. Co. of London, 110 U. S. 4, 3 Sup. Ct. 473, 28 L. Ed. 47; In re Youngstrom, 153 Red. 58, 82 C. C. A. 232; In re Gerber, 186 Fed. 693, 108 C. C. A. 511; Hookway v. Thompson, 56 Wash. 57, 105 Pac. 153.

Udella B. Burnham relies upon the following authorities: In re Maxson (D. C.) 170 Fed. 356; In re Fisher (D. C.) 142 Fed. 205; [764]*764York Mfg. Co. v. Cassell, 201 U. S. 344, 26 Sup. Ct. 481, 50 L. Ed. 782; Thompson v. Fairbanks, 196. U. S. 516, 25 Sup. Ct. 306, 49 L. Ed. 577; Hewit v. Berlin Mach. Works, 194 U. S. 296, 24 Sup. Ct. 690, 48 L. Ed. 986; Snelling et al. v. Butler, 66 Wash. 165, 119 Pac. 3; sections 529, 533, 534, and 559, Rem. & Bal. Code; sections 1040, 1041, and 1042, Remington on Bankruptcy; section 419, Loveland on Bankruptcy; page 153 et seq., Collier on Bankruptcy, 8th Ed.; page 207 et seq., 9th Ed.

On July 28, 1909, a petition was filed to have H. A. Burnham adjudged an involuntary bankrupt. On August 24, 1909, Udella B. Burnham, the petitioner herein, was made a party, to such proceeding. On January 5, 1910, H. A. Burnham, was adjudged a bankrupt. On January 14, 1910, H. A. Burnham filed his schedules, which contained no claim to exemptions. On March 4, 1910, the trustee’s bond was filed and approved. On April 12, 1910, the trustee reported no claim of exemptions had been made. On August 17, 1910, a claim to exemptions was filed by the bankrupt. On September 6, 1911, this claim to exemptions was disallowed by the referee. On March 16, 1912, FI. A. Burnham and Udella B. Burn-ham petitioned the court for further time in which to present exceptions to this disallowance of exemptions. On August 28, 1912, after a hearing upon the disallowance of the exemptions by the referee, the exceptions were by this court overruled.

The exact time of the making by Udella B. Burnham, the petitioner herein, of the present claim of a homestead exemption is not shown (her present petition for homestead exemption having been filed herein November 18, 1912), but it must have been between October 7, 1912— when the declaration, which she claims was filed with the county auditor, was acknowledged — and November 18, 1912, the date the trustee had advertised the real property, a portion of which she now claims, for sale.

The statutes of the state of Washington contain the following provisions in regard to homesteads:

“The homestead consists of the dwelling house, in which the claimant resides, and the land on which the same is situated, selected as in this act provided.” Section 5456, Pierce’s Code; I Rem. & Bal. § 528.
“If the claimant be married the homestead may he selected from the community property, or the separate property of the husband, or, with the consent of the wife, from her separate property. When the claimant is not married, but is the head of a family within the meaning of section 25 of this act. the homestead may be selected from any of his or her property.” Section 5457, Pierce’s Code; 1 Rem. & Bal. § 580.
“The homestead is exempt from execution or forced sale, except as in this, act provided.” Section 5459, Pierce’s, Code; 1 Rem. & Bal. § 532.
“The homestead is subject to execution or forced sale in satisfaction of judgments obtained: 1. On debts secured by mechanics’, laborers’ or vendors’* liens upon the premises. 2. On debts secured by mortgages on the premises executed and acknowledged by the husband and wife or by an unmarried claimant.” Section 5460, Pierce’s Code; 1 Rem. & Bal. § 533.
“The homestead of a married person cannot be conveyed or incumbered unless the instrument by which it is conveyed or incumbered is executed and acknowledged by both husband and wife.” Section 5461, Pierce’s Code; 1 Rem. & Bal. § 534.
[765]*765“There shall he also exempt from execution and attachment to every householder, being the head of a family, a homestead not exceeding in value the sum of one thousand dollars, while occupied as such by the owner thereof, or his or her family. Said homestead may consist of a house and lot or lots in any city, or a farm, consisting of a number of acres, so that the value of the same shall not exceed the aforesaid sum of one thousand dollars. Such homesteads may be selected at any time before sale.” Section 836, Pierce’s Code; 1 Rem. & Bal. § 529.
“Homesteads may be selected and claimed in lands and'tenements with the improvements thereon, not exceeding the sum of two thousand dollars. The premises thus included in the homestead must be actually intended and used for a home for the claimants and shall not be devoted exclusively to any. other purposes.” Section 5479, Pierce’s Code; 1 Rem. & Bal. § 552.
“The husband cannot select a homestead from the separate property of the wife, nor the wife from the separate property of the husband, but either may select and hold a homestead from his or her separate property, and the husband may select a homestead from the community property.

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Bluebook (online)
202 F. 762, 1913 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1816, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-burnham-wawd-1913.