McManus v. Newman

152 P.2d 765, 66 Cal. App. 2d 594, 1944 Cal. App. LEXIS 1221
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedOctober 31, 1944
DocketCiv. No. 14535
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 152 P.2d 765 (McManus v. Newman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McManus v. Newman, 152 P.2d 765, 66 Cal. App. 2d 594, 1944 Cal. App. LEXIS 1221 (Cal. Ct. App. 1944).

Opinion

WOOD (Parker), J.

This is an appeal from an order settling a final account, interpreting a former order regarding fees for attorneys and executrix, and directing disposal of assets.

Margaret Rackle Rowe, the decedent, owned two parcels of real property which will be referred to herein as the Slauson Avenue property and the residence property. In April, 1928, she gave a general power of attorney to her brother, Herman Rackle. During her lifetime, Herman conveyed both parcels of property to John H. and Hazel Chambers. They placed a $10,000 mortgage and a 3 years’ lease on the Slauson Avenue property, and later conveyed both parcels to Herman Rackle and his wife. Herman and wife placed a $6,000 trust deed on the residence property. At the time the power of attorney was given, the Slauson Avenue property had an encumbrance [596]*596of $3,000 on it, and the residence property had an encumbrance of $3,700 on it. Herman transferred decedent’s bank account of approximately $2,700 to himself. Herman and wife conveyed both parcels of real property to one Gerde, who then reconveyed both parcels to Herman and wife, but the deeds were not recorded.

Adelaide R. McManus, a sister of decedent, was appointed executrix in 1930. She employed A. E. McManus, her husband, and C. V. Caldwell, attorneys at law, to represent her in seeking to recover for the estate the property which had been transferred under the power of attorney. At the time of such employment there were no assets in the estate, and the agreement between the executrix and the attorneys was that the employment was “on the basis of a contingent fee without any definite arrangement as to what percentage or amount they should be paid for their services, ’ ’ and that the attorneys were not to get anything unless they succeeded in collecting assets of the estate.

Under that employment the attorneys commenced an action to set aside the conveyance of the two parcels of real property, to recover the proceeds of the new loans upon the two parcels, and to recover the $2,700 bank deposit. The attorneys spent five days in preparing for the trial of that action, eight days in the trial (both attorneys being in court), and five days in preparing briefs after the ease was submitted. By the judgment therein the deeds were set aside and an accounting was ordered as to the money received by Herman and his wife. The matter of the accounting was consolidated with the trial of an action by Herman and his wife upon their rejected claim against the estate for $11,502.99 for services rendered and money advanced. The attorneys for the executrix spent 2 days in preparing for that trial, and 3% days in the trial. The judgment in the matters of the accounting and the claim was that the executrix recover $3,137.86 and $33.50 costs from Herman and wife, after allowing them $2,892 on their claim. It appears therefore that under the employment upon a contingent fee basis (relative to recovering the property) the attorneys were in court 11% days, and were performing services outside of court for 12 days.

Before rendering the services above mentioned, the attorneys rendered other legal services hereinafter mentioned under employment by Adelaide R. McManus, as executrix. Her[597]*597man Raekle petitioned for the probate of a purported will of decedent dated April 11, 1928, in which he was named executor. Mrs. McManus, through said attorneys, filed a contest of that will, and petitioned for the probate of a purported will of decedent dated December 5, 1923, in which she was named executrix. Herman filed a contest of that will. The attorneys represented her in the trial of the contests and spent 11% days in court and six days in preparing for trial. The result of the trial was that the will of December 5, 1923, was admitted to probate; that Mrs. McManus was appointed executrix; and it was found that the purported will of April 11, 1928, was obtained by the undue influence of Herman. Thereafter Herman petitioned for the probate of a purported will of decedent dated April 3, 1928. Mrs. McManus, through said attorneys, filed a contest of that will. The attorneys spent 2 days preparing for the trial. The petition was dismissed by Herman. It appears that, under said prior employment (relative to the contests), the attorneys were in court 11% days, and were performing services outside of court for 8 days.

The attorneys were also in court one day in connection with the examination of Herman Raekle as to the location of the assets of the estate.

The total time spent by the attorneys in the litigation to recover the property and in the contests was 23% days in court, and 20 days outside of court. The attorneys also rendered legal services in refinancing the loan and in renewing the lease upon the Slauson Avenue property, but the time spent in such service is not shown in the record.

On July 21, 1932, the executrix filed an account in which she recited, among other things, the matters hereinabove stated concerning the will contests and the litigation to recover the property, and asked that an order be made “fixing the fees of your petitioner,” and “fixing and establishing the fees of her said attorneys.” (Italics added.)

On August 10, 1932, the court made an order that said account be approved, “and that 40% of estate be allowed to attorneys as fees and costs and $600.00 to said executrix as fees for services rendered said estate,” (Italics added.)

The account showed that the cash on hand was $3.05. The inventory and appraisement, on file at the time of the hearing on the account, showed that the assets and appraised value thereof were: Slauson Avenue property, “$17,000”; resi[598]*598dence property, “no equity”; personal effects and household furniture, “not appraised”; a judgment against Herman RacHe for $630.05 costs, “no value”; and a claim against Herman Rackle and wife for money had and received, “no value.” (Italics added.) The inventory did not recite that there was an encumbrance of approximately $12,200 against the Slauson Avenue property, and the appraisal made no reference to the encumbrance.

On February 1, 1932, before the account was filed and before the order allowing “40% of estate” as attorneys’ fees was made, the court made an order authorizing the executrix to refinance the Slauson Avenue property by borrowing $12,200 and securing the payment thereof by a trust deed for that amount upon the Slauson Avenue property, and by applying the proceeds of the new loan in satisfaction of the $10,000 mortgage, unpaid interest and delinquent taxes. When the court made said last mentioned order it also empowered the executrix to assign the rents from the property to the holder of the trust deed to be applied in payment of the new obligation. The rents were so assigned and the property was held under that financing arrangement from 1932 until it was sold in December, 1942. After so applying the rents which accrued during those years, there was an unpaid balance of $7,375 on the trust deed when the property was sold. The Slauson Avenue property was reappraised on December 1, 1942, at $11,500, subject to said trust deed on which there was an approximate balance of $7,375. On December 10, 1942, said property was sold for $12,500. After the balance due on the trust deed and the expenses of the sale were paid by the escrow holder from the purchase price money, the net amount received by the estate from the escrow was $4,217.04.

On August 13, 1937, C. V. Caldwell, one of the attorneys for the executrix, assigned his interest in the claim for attorneys ’ fees to A. E.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
152 P.2d 765, 66 Cal. App. 2d 594, 1944 Cal. App. LEXIS 1221, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcmanus-v-newman-calctapp-1944.