In Re Guardianship of Delaney

290 N.W. 530, 227 Iowa 1173
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedMarch 5, 1940
DocketNo. 44920.
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 290 N.W. 530 (In Re Guardianship of Delaney) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Guardianship of Delaney, 290 N.W. 530, 227 Iowa 1173 (iowa 1940).

Opinion

Miller, J.

This is a matter in probate, hearing being had on objections to the final report of the guardian. The report stated that no money or property had come into her hands as such guardian and, accordingly, she had made no distribution and would not be required to make any distribution. Objections *1174 were filed by two of the wards, who had become of age, and by the minor wards through their mother as next friend, challenging the statement that no money or property had come into the hands of the guardian, and asserting that there was property for which the guardian should account. The court overruled the objections, approved the final report, discharged the guardian and exonerated her bond. The objectors appeal.

The controlling question is whether or not any money or property came into the hands of the guardian. In determining this question, it is necessary to decide the effect of a partition suit and the proceedings had therein, it being the claim of the guardian that such proceedings constitute an adjudication of the questions presented herein, and the .objectors contending that the partition proceedings have no bearing on this controversy.

The four wards are grandchildren of one Daniel Delaney, who died testate September 17, 1933. His will was admitted to probate. It provided for the payment, as soon as possible after his death, of an'y and all just debts and expenses owing by the testator. It also provided for certain specific legacies and disposed of certain real estate. The real estate included the home place, a farm of 160 acres, which was devised to the four wards, “to be theirs absolutely upon condition that they pay the sum of Eight Thousand ($8000.00) Dollars into my estate within one year from the date of my death, and if not paid within said time, the said sum shall bear interest at the rate of five per cent per annum, payable annually from the date of my death, and shall be and remain a first lien upon said land until fully paid; and in the event that my said four above named grandchildren shall not have attained their majority at the time of my death, it is my will that my daughter, Loretta Delaney, be appointed guardian of their said property for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this my will. ’ ’

The $8,000 to be paid by the wards, pursuant to the above provision of the will, was bequeathed to the testator’s four daughters, Mary Smith, Nellie Downs, Lillian Okenfeld and Loretta Delaney, the latter of whom is the guardian herein. She was also designated with Mary Smith executrix of the estate and qualified as such.

The guardian filed a final report on May 1, 1936, which recited that no money or property had come into her hands, as *1175 guardian; the only property of the wards was an interest in said 160 aeres of land subject to the payment of $8,000; the income from said real estate had been handled by the executrices of the estate of said Daniel Delaney, and had been fully accounted for in that estate; a copy of such accounting was attached to the report; one of the wards, Lawrence Delaney, had become of age; it was necessary to secure a loan of $8,000 before the wards could acquire title to the 160 acres, and the borrower would be required to personally sign the note to secure the loan; the guardian suggested that said Lawrence Delaney be appointed guardian to complete such loan and that she be discharged. On the same day the report was approved and the guardian discharged. Lawrence Delaney was appointed, but failed to qualify.

On September 17, 1938, Edwin and Rose Marie Delaney, by their mother as next friend, filed an application to set aside the order approving the final report. On October 12th Lawrence Delaney and Rita Delaney, who had become of age, filed a similar application; the guardian filed a special appearance; it was overruled and she was ordered to file a report. On the same day, October 12, 1938, she filed a supplemental final report, which recited that no money or property came into her hands as guardian; the will of Daniel Delaney provided for payment of debts and expenses; the personal property was insufficient to pay debts and expenses of administration; it was necessary to use the income from the real estate for that purpose ; the income had been so used and had been fully accounted for by the executrices of the estate; a copy of such accounting was attached as Exhibit A; the guardian endeavored to secure financing of the $8,000 obligation necessary to secure the real estate for her wards; secured the appointment of Lawrence Delaney, as guardian; he refused to qualify or to attempt to secure the $8,000 loan-; other efforts were made and were unsuccessful; when it became evident that the $8,000 could not be raised, an agreement was made by the guardian, her three sisters, the father of the minors, Ed Baldwin, attorney for the minors, and Lawrence Delaney, that the real estate be sold by a partition suit and any sum received in excess of $8,000 be turned over to the wards; the partition suit was instituted and prosecuted to a conclusion, resulting in the sale of the real estate *1176 for $7,200; the proceeds were administered by the executrices of the estate; no money was received by the guardian; the condition imposed by the will was not met and the devise lapsed. The prayer of the report was that it be approved, the guardian discharged and her bond exonerated.

On November 16, 1938, objections to the final report were filed by Lawrence and Rita Delaney, now of age, and by the remaining minors, Edwin and Rose Marie Delaney, through their mother as next friend, denying that no money or property came into the hands of the guardian, asserting that the objectors are still the owners of the 160-acre farm and are entitled to the rents and proceeds after the death of the decedent, denying that the rents and proceeds were needed to pay debts and charges of the estate, asserting that there was sufficient personal property in the estate to pay the same, denying the accounting by the executrices of the estate, denying the agreement for partition, denying that the property was legally sold or that the devise lapsed, and praying for denial of approval of the final report and for an accounting as to the income from the real estate.

At the trial, various witnesses testified concerning the handling of the estate of Daniel Delaney, the agreement for partition of the real estate, and the proceedings had thereunder, which resulted in the ultimate sale of the property to Loretta Delaney Frese, guardian herein, and one of her sisters. There were also introduced in evidence the entire proceedings of the partition suit and the files in connection with the administration of the estate of Daniel Delaney, deceased.

The partition suit was commenced in January 1936. The plaintiffs were the four sisters to whom the $8,000 was to be paid under the will of Daniel Delaney. The defendants were the other heirs and legatees under the will, including the four wards of this guardianship, the guardian-, in her official capacity, and the two executrices of the estate of Daniel Delaney, deceased. Most of the defendants entered written appearances. The wards herein were served with proper notice and a guardian ad litem was appointed for the minors. He filed answer in the form of a general denial.

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290 N.W. 530, 227 Iowa 1173, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-guardianship-of-delaney-iowa-1940.