Morey v. O'Brien

224 N.E.2d 17, 79 Ill. App. 2d 257, 1966 Ill. App. LEXIS 1240
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedDecember 22, 1966
DocketGen. No. 10,767
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 224 N.E.2d 17 (Morey v. O'Brien) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Morey v. O'Brien, 224 N.E.2d 17, 79 Ill. App. 2d 257, 1966 Ill. App. LEXIS 1240 (Ill. Ct. App. 1966).

Opinion

TRAPP, J.

Plaintiff, Forrest L. Morey, Administrator of the estate of George William Morey, appeals from a judgment of the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Douglas County, Illinois, holding that the defendant, Mary O’Brien, is the owner of Certificate No. 2352 issued by the Villa Grove Building and Loan Association, representing 50 fully paid shares in said Association.

George W. Morey, now deceased, purchased 50 installment shares in the Association, and the Association originally issued Certificate No. 2175 representing the shares. On July 2, 1958, Certificate No. 2175 was surrendered and Certificate No. 2276 was issued. George W. Henson, Vice-President of the Association, testified that on September 17, 1962, Mr. Morey paid the remaining balance due on the fifty shares, endorsed and surrendered Certificate No. 2276 and requested the reissuance of the certificate, stating that he would like to have it made out to “George W. Morey or Mary O’Brien or survivor.” Donald E. Ryan made out the new certificate as directed, bearing Certificate No. 2352, and delivered it to Mr. Morey in exchange for Certificate No. 2276, which Mr. Morey endorsed. Mr. Morey stated, at the time, that Mary O’Brien was the only one that was good to him.

The face of the certificate was as follows:

“Number 2352
Class A
“CERTIFICATE OF INSTALLMENT SHARES OF
VILLA GROVE BUILDING AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, VILLA GROVE, ILLINOIS
“This Certifies that George W. Morey or Mary O’Brien or survivor member(s) of this association (is) (are) the owner(s) of 50 Installment Shares upon which the initial payment of dues per share has been made.
“The shares participate in the net earnings of the association such earnings to be apportioned periodically as the by-laws may provide. Dues payments are 60 cents per share each month and shall continue until the total dues paid in and all profits so apportioned aggregate the matured value of One Hundred Dollars per share.
“Shares represented by this certificate are subject to ‘Conditions’ on reverse side hereof and are transferable only on the books of the association by the holder in person or by attorney upon surrender of the certificate properly indorsed.
“In Witness Whereof, The association has caused this certificate to be signed by its duly authorized officers this 17th day of September, A. D. 1962.
(SEAL)
/s/ D. E. EYAN /s/ J. E. HENSON
Secretary V. President”

Included in the conditions on the reverse side is the following:

“Second. The association may enforce retirement of shares in the manner provided by law. Shares may be withdrawn by the owner subject to such notice as may be required by the by-laws. Application to withdraw before the shares have reached matured value will be filed in the order in which they are received. Maturing shares are automatically filed as of the date of maturity. Payments will be made in the order filed from appropriations made by the directors out of the regular receipts of the association — except that in the event of unusual demands they may be paid, as- provided by the laws of Illinois, in such other manner as the Board of Directors may from time to time by resolution determine.”

The only passbook issued was a payment record showing installments paid. It was not required that the payer bring in his passbook.

Mr. Eyan testified that at the time the Certificate in question was issued, the Association had full paid shares and installment shares. These were represented by certificates. The Association also had withdrawable capital accounts which were represented by passbooks and account numbers. He stated that the Certificate, in the case of installment shares, was the only document which showed the owners of the shares, and that it was transferable only on the books of the Association. He stated that the Certificate representing installment shares was never referred to as a withdrawable capital account.

Mr. Henson, Vice-President, testified that a signature card was not required with installment shares, that if Mr. George W. Morey had brought the Certificate No. 2352 in, he could have exchanged it for $5,000. He stated that if Mary O’Brien had brought the Certificate in, she could have exchanged it for $5,000. He also stated that the installment shares are now obsolete.

It is agreed that there was no contract signed by George W. Morey and Mary O’Brien creating a joint tenancy or making any other disposition of the shares, nor was any signature card obtained from Mary O’Brien.

Plaintiff contends that Illinois Revised Statutes, 1961, chap 76, § 2(c) and chap 32, § 770 require that to establish a joint tenancy in respect to the shares here involved, there must be a writing or agreement signed by both joint tenants expressing the agreement that payment may be made to the survivor.

Defendant’s brief relies upon chap 32, § 952 and chap 76, § 2(b) and § 2(c) (Ill Rev Stats, 1961).

The Supreme Court of Illinois in Frey v. Wubbena, 26 Ill2d 62 on 67-68, 185 NE2d 850, adhered to the doctrine announced in Doubler v. Doubler, 412 Ill 597, 107 NE2d 789, that in the case of a bank account it was necessary that an agreement be signed by the parties in order to create rights of survivorship in a bank deposit. The court also determined that the right to create a survivor-ship account in respect to savings and loan associations was provided by both the statute relating to joint rights and obligations, and the Illinois Savings and Loan Act. It further held that the right to create a joint tenancy-in corporate stock is recognized by the statute on joint rights and obligations, chap 76, §2(b) (Ill Rev Stats, 1961). In respect to corporate stock, the court held that the registration of the stock ownership upon the books of the corporation in the statutory language was sufficient to vest the title. The court distinguished corporate stock from bank accounts upon the difference in the statute and the difference in the nature of the property. Section 2(b) of chap 76 (Ill Rev Stats, 1961) does not require a writing as to corporate stock. The court explained that corporate stock was issued in fixed units of ownership (shares of stock) which remain fixed, whereas, a bank account is a fluctuating res subject to daily change in amount by the act of any of the joint owners. Even if one assumes that the certificate for shares had not been fully paid, it was a certificate for a fixed number of shares transferable by its terms, only on the books of the corporation and upon surrender of the certificate. It is clear that the ownership of the shares was to be fixed by corporate registration and not by other agreements. The registration of shares of corporate stock in joint tenancy by oral request for registration is supported by Lytle v. Northern Trust Co., 39 Ill App2d 372,188 NE2d 743.

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Related

In Re Estate of Morey
232 N.E.2d 734 (Illinois Supreme Court, 1967)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
224 N.E.2d 17, 79 Ill. App. 2d 257, 1966 Ill. App. LEXIS 1240, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/morey-v-obrien-illappct-1966.