Jackson v. Haney

1933 OK 459, 25 P.2d 771, 166 Okla. 13, 1933 Okla. LEXIS 325
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedSeptember 12, 1933
Docket24574
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 1933 OK 459 (Jackson v. Haney) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jackson v. Haney, 1933 OK 459, 25 P.2d 771, 166 Okla. 13, 1933 Okla. LEXIS 325 (Okla. 1933).

Opinions

WELCH, J.

This is an original action wherein petitioner seeks a writ of prohibition enjoining and prohibiting Hurban Haney and 0. PI. P. Brewer, county judge of Muskogee county, Otela., from interfering with petitioner and from asserting jurisdiction in the matter of the guardianship of Bernice Haney, a minor.

On February 20, 1933, one Robert J. Haney, a resident of Muskogee county, executed his will, whereby he bequeathed all of his estate to his adopted daughter, Bernice Haney, a minor nine years of age. In his will he appointed his brother, Hurban H. Haney, as sole guardian of the person and estate of said minor, and also named his said brother as sole executor of his will. On February 24, 1933, Robert J. Haney died while a resident of Muskogee county. On March 1, 1933, Hurban H. Haney filed his petition in the county court of Muskogee county, Okla., for the probate of said will. The petition was set for hearing for March 15, 1933, and legal notice of the hearing given. On Mai’ch 11, 1933, Pat Whitfield filed in the county court of Carter county, Okla., a petition for the appointment of a guardian for the same IBernice Haney. The petition requested the court to appoint one Marie Jackson as guardian of the minor. Said petition was by the court set for hearing for March 14, 1933, notice of which was given. On March 13, 1933, Hurban Haney filed his protest objecting to the appointment of the person named in the petition, advising the county court of Carter county that Robert J. Haney had left a will appointing him, Hurban H. Haney, as guardian of the minor, and that the will had been filed for probate and was pending-probate in Muskqgee county, and requesting that the hearing in the Carter county court be continued to a future date, and that upon final hearing he be appointed guardian of said minor.

On March 15, 1933, the will of Robert J. Haney was admitted to probate in the county court of Muskogee, county, Okla., whereupon Hurban H Haney filed his written consent to serve as executor and was appointed. He also filed therein his consent to act as guardian of the minor, and on the same date the last-named county court made its order approving and confirming the testamentary appointment and appointing Hur-ban Haney as the sole guardian of the person and estate of said minor, and fixing guardian’s bond. On March 16. 1933, Hur-ban Haney filed his guardian’s bond in the county court of Muskogee county, which was onl the same date approved and letters of guardianship issued to said guardian by said court. On March 17, 1933, there was conducted in the county court of Carter county, Otela., a hearing upon the petition theretofore filed for the appointment of a guardian for said minor, at which hearing Hurban Haney withdrew his request to be appointed guardian in said court, but renewed his protest theretofore filed there *15 in, and in addition thereto, and as a further protest, asserted the fact that he had theretofore been appointed as guardian of the person and estate of said minor by the county court of Muskogee county; that he had qualified therefor by subscribing to the oath of ofifiee and giving a bond which had been approved by the appointing court and letters of guardianship issued to him, and that the county court of Carter county was therefore without jurisdiction to appoint a guardian for said minor. The county court of Carter county overruled said protest, and at the conclusion of its hearing appointed petitioner herein as the guardian of said minor, holding in its finding of fact that the order of the county court of Muskogee county appointing Hurban H. Haney as such guardian was void for lack of jurisdiction. Petitioner executed the bond required by the county court of Carter county, after which the couit issued letters of guardianship, and she now claims to be the legal guardian of said minor by virtue of said Carter county appointment.

The question presented in this action is whether or not the county court of Muskogee county, Okla., had jurisdiction to appoint Hurban Haney as the guardian of the person and estate of Bernice Planey, a minor, and whether or not petitioner is entitled to the writ of prohibition from, this court as prayed.

Petitioner contends that the county court of the county in which the minor is an inhabitant or resident is the court having jurisdiction to appoint a guardian. AVith this contention we agree. Section 1419, O. S. 1931, provides:

“The county court of each county, when it appears necessary or convenient, may appoint guardians for the persons and estates, or either, or both of them, of minors who have no guardian legally appointed by will, or deed, and who are inhabitants or residents of the county, or who reside without the state and have estate within the county. ”

Respondents direct our attention to the language of the quoted section of the law to the effect that “The county court of each county * * * may appoint guardians * * * of minors who have no guardian legally ■^appointed by will or deed, * * *” and point out that at the time the county court of Carter county entered its order appointing petitioner as guardian, there had in fact been a guardian appointed by will, and that this appointment had become effective by the order of the county court of Muskogee county confirming the testamentary appointment, and that the person named as such by the will and by the order of the county court of Muskogee county had qualified by giving bond, and that letters of guardianship had issued to him out of the Muskogee county court. This is admitted by petitioner, and was known to the county court of Carter county, as clearly indicated by the findings and order of the latter court. Respondents therefore urge that the county court of Carter county was without jurisdiction to make such appointment. Petitioner answered this contention with the suggestion that the order of the county court of Muskogee county is void for want of jurisdiction, in that the minor was not an inhabitant and resident of Muskogee county when the Muskogee county court appointed respondent as guardian, and indeed the Carter county court so held.

The order of the county court o<f Muskogee county appointing respondent as guardian contained the following:

“* * * It appearing that the last will and testament of Robert J. Haney, deceased, late of Muskogee county, Okla., has been duly allowed and admitted to probata in this court; and it further appearing that said deceased left surviving him his duly and legally adopted daughter, Bernice E. Haney, of said county, now nine years of age, and it further appearing that said Hurban Haney is of lawful age and a proper and competent person to have the custody and guardianship of said minor and her estate”

—thus disclosing that the Muskogee county court found that the minor was a resident of Muskogee county.

Section 1419, supra, confers jurisdiction upon the county court of each county of this state to appoint a guardian for the persons and estates of minors who are inhabitants or residents of the county, or who reside without the state and have estate within the county. The jurisdiction of the county court is specifically restricted thereby to inhabitants or residents of the county when the minor is a resident of this state, and is further restricted to appointment where no guardian has been appointed by will or deed. Section 1499, O. S. 1931, provides as follows:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1933 OK 459, 25 P.2d 771, 166 Okla. 13, 1933 Okla. LEXIS 325, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jackson-v-haney-okla-1933.