Kindler v. Kindler

98 N.W.2d 881, 169 Neb. 15
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 30, 1959
Docket34611, 34612
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 98 N.W.2d 881 (Kindler v. Kindler) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kindler v. Kindler, 98 N.W.2d 881, 169 Neb. 15 (Neb. 1959).

Opinion

98 N.W.2d 881 (1959)
169 Neb. 15

Minnie KINDLER, Appellant,
v.
Carroll KINDLER, Appellee.
Minnie KINDLER, Appellant,
v.
Marguerite M. MOREHOUSE, Appellee.

Nos. 34611, 34612.

Supreme Court of Nebraska.

October 30, 1959.

*882 McGowan & Troia, Omaha, for appellant.

Spear, Lamme & Simmons, Fremont, for appellee.

Heard before CARTER, MESSMORE, YEAGER, CHAPPELL, WENKE, and BOSLAUGH, JJ.

*883 CHAPPELL, Justice.

These two appeals have been consolidated by stipulation of counsel for the purpose of briefing, argument, and disposition by this court in one opinion because the issues are substantially identical.

The question involved is whether or not defendants, Carroll Kindler and Marguerite M. Morehouse, who are now residents of Dodge County and the surviving joint tenants of Lloyd C. Kindler, who died a resident of Cheyenne, Wyoming, where his estate is being administered and where separate joint tenancies with right of survivorship were created and enforceable, are liable under section 30-624, R.R.S. 1943, to plaintiff, Minnie Kindler, as a creditor of the deceased joint tenant, Lloyd C. Kindler.

The cases were argued and submitted to the trial court on the pleadings and separate stipulations which appear in the bills of exception. Thereafter, the trial court rendered separate judgments in each case, which found and adjudged the issues generally in favor of defendants and dismissed plaintiff's petitions at costs of plaintiff. Plaintiff's motions for new trial filed in each case were overruled, and she appealed, assigning in effect that the judgments were not sustained by sufficient evidence or were contrary to law. We do not sustain the assignment.

In that connection, plaintiff's theory was that she was entitled to recover because section 30-624, R.R.S.1943, enacted as L. B. 197 in 1955, did not purport to impose any lien or encumbrance on the jointly-owned property itself but simply imposed personal liability on defendants as surviving joint tenants for the debts of the deceased joint tenant, under conditions stated therein. Plaintiff so argues, notwithstanding the admitted fact that the joint tenancy contracts were created and enforceable in Wyoming where, under the law of that state, defendants held and would take the whole of the joint tenancy property clear and free of all claims of creditors of the deceased joint tenant.

The relevant and material facts, and the applicable laws of Wyoming as well, were admitted in the stipulations of the parties. The agreed facts are in substance as follows: Plaintiff, Minnie Kindler, was the wife of Lloyd C. Kindler until March 23, 1934. At that time, a decree of divorce rendered in Douglas County, Nebraska, ordered and adjudged that Lloyd C. Kindler, hereinafter generally called Kindler, should pay $5 per week until further order of the court for the use, support, and maintenance of plaintiff and her minor child, then 20 months of age. Kindler died in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on June 11, 1957, where he had been a resident for several years and where his estate is being administered. During his lifetime, Kindler made certain payments pursuant to the terms of the divorce decree, but he was delinquent in certain payments, which, together with interest, exceeded $6,931 due and owing plaintiff on the date of the stipulations. The record is silent on whether or not, during the lifetime of Kindler, plaintiff ever attempted to collect her judgment or any part thereof from him by the use of remedies provided by law for such purpose.

On December 27, 1952, Kindler opened a checking account in the American National Bank at Cheyenne, Wyoming, naming himself and defendant, Carroll Kindler, as owners in joint tenancy thereof with right of survivorship. On June 11, 1957, the date of Kindler's death, there was $904.40 in said account, and Kindler and defendant, Carroll Kindler, were the owners in joint tenancy with the right of survivorship of said checking account during all the period between December 27, 1952, and June 11, 1957, inclusive, although none of said funds were deposited or contributed by said defendant. Also, on May 4, 1956, Kindler opened a savings account in the First Federal Savings and Loan Association at Cheyenne, Wyoming, naming himself and defendant, Marguerite M. Morehouse, as owners in joint tenancy with right *884 of survivorship. On the date of Kindler's death, there was $6,004.57 in said account, and Kindler and defendant were the owners in joint tenancy with the right of survivorship of said savings account during all of the period between May 4, 1956, and June 11, 1957, inclusive, although none of said funds were deposited or contributed by said defendant.

Except for the checking account and the savings account aforesaid, there was not sufficient other property standing in the name of Kindler at the time of his death to pay the debt owing by him to plaintiff, and no payments or property have been given to plaintiff in Kindler's behalf since his death.

It was agreed that at the time of Kindler's death section 35-148, Compiled Statutes of Wyoming, 1945, dealing with banks and banking, was in full force and effect, and provided in part that: "When a deposit has been made or shall hereafter be made in the name of two (2) persons, payable to either, or payable to either or the survivor, such deposit, or any part thereof, or interest or dividends thereon, may be paid to either of the said persons, whether the other be living or not, and the receipt or acquittance of the person so paid shall be valid and sufficient release and discharge to the bank for any payment so made. This section shall apply to all banking institutions, including national banks, within this state." It was also agreed that: "Under the common law in effect in Wyoming at the time of" Kindler's death, "the surviving joint tenant of a checking account in a bank would take the account clear and free of all claims of creditors."

It was further agreed that at the time of Kindler's death, section 36-108, Compiled Statutes of Wyoming, 1945, dealing with building and loan associations, was in full force and effect, and provided in part that: "Any association may issue shares to or in the name of two (2) or more persons, whether husband or wife or otherwise, withdrawable by any one of such persons, and the receipt or acquittance of any one of such persons shall be valid and sufficient release and discharge to the association for such withdrawals, regardless of the death or disability of any other such joint shareholder." It was also agreed that: "Under the common law in effect in Wyoming at the time of" Kindler's death, "the surviving joint tenant of a savings account in a savings and loan association would take the account clear and free of all claims of creditors."

Whether the funds involved are still in Wyoming or have been expended or removed to Nebraska or elsewhere is not shown by the record, but we deem that immaterial here. See, Restatement, Conflict of Laws, s. 260, p. 343; 11 Am.Jur., Conflict of Laws, s. 71, p. 356.

Section 30-624, R.R.S.1943, provides: "Upon the death of either or any of the joint owners of real or personal property in joint tenancy, with right of survivorship, the surviving joint owner or owners shall be liable for the debts and obligations of the deceased joint owner or owners under the following conditions:

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98 N.W.2d 881, 169 Neb. 15, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kindler-v-kindler-neb-1959.