Lee v. Lee

101 So. 345, 135 Miss. 865, 1924 Miss. LEXIS 89
CourtMississippi Supreme Court
DecidedJune 9, 1924
DocketNo. 23947
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 101 So. 345 (Lee v. Lee) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Mississippi Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lee v. Lee, 101 So. 345, 135 Miss. 865, 1924 Miss. LEXIS 89 (Mich. 1924).

Opinions

Anderson, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

The appellee, Mrs. Monnie B. Lee, a resident citizen of the state of Tennessee, in her individual capacity and also as next friend and guardian for her child, William T. Lee, Jr., filed her bill in the chancery court of Washington county against her husband, William T. Lee, Sr., a resident citizen of the said county of Washington. Leaving off the caption and the first paragraph, in which the parties complainant and defendant are stated, the bill is in this language:

“Your complainant would further charge that by a decree of a court of competent jurisdiction, to-wit, the chancery court of the Thirteenth chancery division of the state of. Tennessee, complainant was granted a divorce from the defendant William T. Lee, and said defendant required to pay said complainant for the support of her minor child William T. Lee, Jr., the sum of twenty-five dollars monthly, beginning the 11th day of August, 1919, copy of which decree is filed herewith marked Exhibit A.

‘ ‘ Complainant charges that said monthly allowance of twenty-five dollars referred to above amounts now to the total sum of one thousand, one hundred and twenty-five [871]*871dollars and that no part thereof has been paid. Complainant further charges that said William T. Lee, as the father of said minor child William T. Lee, Jr., is under the legal obligation to support said minor child, and said obligation has rested upon said defendant William T. Lee ever since the 11th day of August, 1919, and. prior thereto, and that a reasonable sum to be paid by said William T. Lee for said purpose would be the sum of twenty-five dollars per month since said 11th day of August, 1919, and a. total sum to this date of one thousand, one hundred and twenty-five dollars; that complainant charges that said defendant has not discharged his said obligation in that regard, but has willfully, failed and refused so to do to any extent whatsoever, and that by reason thereof complainant has been compelled to .maintain and support said child since August 11, 1919, at a cost to her of twenty-five dollars per month, or a total of one thousand, one hundred and twenty-five dollars, which is a reasonable expenditure therefor. Complainant further charges that she was by said decree of said court given the care, custody, and control of said minor child, and now sues herein not only in her own right but as the guardian and next friend of said minor child.

“Complainant alleges that the said defendant William T. Lee is'insolvent and the only property owned by him is an undivided one-seventh interest in a certain part of lot 2 of block 6 of the Third addition to the city of Green-ville, in said county, being that part of said lot 2 owned by Mrs. Jennie 0. Lee in her lifetime, from whom said defendant William T. Lee inherited his one-seventh interest, said property being particularly described in an exhibit hereinafter referred to, marked Exhibit-B, and having been sold and converted into cash as hereinafter alleged.

“Complainant charges that in a certain cause styled Carrie Bell Lyle et al. v. Hattie Lee Hughes et al., being numbered 7286 on the general docket of this honorable [872]*872court, a decree was rendered by this honorable court on the 8th day of March, 1923, appointing defendant B. F. Wasson, Jr., a commissioner to sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, or one-fourth cash and the remainder payable in one, two, and three annual installments, at the south door of the courthouse of said.county on the 28th day of April, 1923, between the hours of 11 o’clock a. m. and 4 o’clock p. m., the entire part of said lot 2 owned by said Jennie O. Lee in her lifetime, and on which she resided, said cause 7286 being a partition suit for the partition of said land of said Jennie 0. Lee between the heirs of said Jennie 0. Lee, said W. T. Lee being a party defendant to said suit. Complainant charges that said defendant Ben F. Wasson, Jr., gave notice according to law as such commissioner that he will make said sale on said 28th day of April, 1923, in accordance with the terms of said decree, said decree providing a minimum price of seven thousand dollars at said sale. Complainant charges that said defendant Ben F. Wasson, Jr., made said sale at said time and place and sold said property for seven thousand, one hundred dollars cash, and is now proceeding to have same confirmed and will -then distribute to said defendant W. T. Lee his one-seventh share of the proceeds of said sale, amounting to nine hundred and fifty dollars in cash, after paying all costs, which will then.be delivered to and concealed in this state by said W. T. Lee, so as to be beyond the process of this court, or will be transferred by said W. T. Lee so as to defeat the rights of the complainant, who is without adequate remedy at law to enforce her rights herein against said W. T. Lee.

“Therefore complainant prays that summons issue to said defendants, commanding them to appear and plead, answer, or demur to this bill, answer under oath being waived, at the June rules of this court, and that pending the said payment of said proceeds of said sale, nine hundred and fifty dollars cash, by said B. F. Wasson, Jr., as such commissioner, to said W. T. Lee, a writ of sequestra[873]*873tion he issued for the purpose of an impounding of the said property, to-wit, said nine hundred and fifty dollars cash, the proceeds of said sale in the hands of or coming into the possession of the said B. F. Wasson, Jr., commissioner, belonging to said W. T. Lee and holding subject to the final decree of this court, and that on final hearing a decree be recorded in favor of complainant individually, or as guardian and next friend of said minor, against said W. T. Lee as prayed for herein in the sum of one thousand, one hundred and twenty-five dollars, and that the said property so impounded by said writ of sequestration be by this court fixed as a fund out of which said decree shall be paid to the extent it will do so, and for such other, further, and special relief as to equity belongs. ’ ’

The affidavit required by statute for a writ of sequestration was made, and the writ issued and served as prayed for in the bill. Appellant demurred to appellee’s bill and also made a motion to quash said writ of sequestration, which demurrer and motion were overruled by the trial court, from which decree appellant was granted an appeal to settle the principles of the cause.

Appellant contends that appellee’s bill states no cause of action against him because under the law since appellee was awarded the custody of their child, said William T. Lee, Jr., it was her duty to support the child, and not his duty; that the decree of the Tennessee court, divorcing appellant and appellee and requiring appellant to contribute twenty-five dollars per month for the support of the said child, being based alone on publication of notice to appellant as á nonresident defendant, is void as to that feature requiring the support of the child by appellant. The appellee concedes appellant’s position with reference to the decree for support, but contends that, nevertheless, the law is that where the decree of divorce awards the custody of minor children to the wife but makes no provision for their support, it is still the duty of the father to support them, and, if under those [874]*874circumstances the • mother furnishes the support, the father becomes her debtor to that extent, for which she may recover against him.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
101 So. 345, 135 Miss. 865, 1924 Miss. LEXIS 89, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lee-v-lee-miss-1924.