Murphey v. American Jewish Congress

62 P.2d 374, 7 Cal. 2d 712, 1936 Cal. LEXIS 699
CourtCalifornia Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 19, 1936
DocketL. A. 15511; L. A. 15802
StatusPublished
Cited by36 cases

This text of 62 P.2d 374 (Murphey v. American Jewish Congress) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Murphey v. American Jewish Congress, 62 P.2d 374, 7 Cal. 2d 712, 1936 Cal. LEXIS 699 (Cal. 1936).

Opinion

THOMPSON, J.

Joseph L. Murphey, the surviving husband of decedent, as executor and individually as a legatee, appeals from portions of the decree of distribution. In the first instance, there is an appeal from that portion of the decree firiding and declaring that the American Jewish Congress is not a charitable organization, and, therefore, was entitled to the full sum bequeathed to it by the decedent instead of being compelled to takfe a pro rata portion thereof in order to bring the total bequests to charity to one-third of the distributive value of the estate. The articles of incorporation were introduced in evidence and also oral testimony. Among the purposes for which the corporation was organized are the following:

“(a) To safeguard the civil, political, economic, and religious rights of the Jews in all countries.
“ (b) To further the development of the Jewish National Home in Palestine.
“(c) To develop an articulate, intelligent, widespread and compelling public opinion touching Jewish interests and problems.
“ (d) To gather and disseminate information concerning such interests and problems, and to foster the free and open discussion of them.
“ (e) To secure and maintain equality of opportunity for Jews everywhere, and, in every lawful manner, to secure effective remedies, assistance, and redress in all cases of injustice, hardship, or suffering arising out of discriminatory measures against Jews, or from the violation or denial of their lawful rights. ’ ’

The oral testimony establishes, without contradiction, that the purposes of the respondent are political. The purposes which we have quoted from the articles confirm the oral testimony and establish beyond question their political character. But that does not conclude the matter. We might have serious doubt of the proper determination of the *715 question were it an open one in this state, particularly in view of Bowditch v. Attorney General, 241 Mass. 168 [134 N. E. 796, 28 A. L. R. 713], Habershon v. Vardon, 64 Eng. Rep. 916, Slee v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 42 Fed. (2d) 184 [72 A. L. R. 400], and In re Killen’s Will, 124 Misc. 720 [209 N. Y. Supp. 206, 208] ; in which latter case it was held that a bequest to an executor of a sum to be spent in furthering the “development of the Irish Republic” was invalid because it was for a political, and not a charitable purpose. In fact, as we understand it, “the development of the Jewish National Home in Palestine” contemplates the resettlement of Palestine under British mandate by the Jewish people and is already the cause of friction with the Arabs. In the Uabershon ease a bequest for almost identical purposes was held invalid. However, we think the question is answered by the case of Collier v. Lindley, 203 Cal. 641 [266 Pac. 526], in which this court held that a trust for the promotion of political purposes was eleemosynary and charitable, and therefore not invalid. (See, also, 16 Cal. Law Rev. 478.) In the Bowditch ease, which we have cited, it was held that a bequest to promote the cause of “women’s rights” was not charitable but political, the court saying: “whether such an alteration of the existing laws and frame of government would be wise and desirable is a question upon which we cannot, sitting in a judicial capacity, properly express any opinion”. While we feel bound by the conclusion in the Collier case, yet the quoted language is pertinent to the proposition that we cannot distinguish between political purposes, saying one is charitable and another is not, assuming, of course, that the changes sought are not contra bonos mores and are to be brought about by peaceable means, and not by war, riot, or revolution. (See Bogert, Trust and Trustees, vol. 2, sec. 378.) Since it cannot be said that the purposes of the legatee bring it within the exceptions, we must hold that it is a charitable organization and its bequest must be reduced accordingly.

Similar appeals were taken from that part of the decree holding that the Council of Jewish Women of Los Angeles was not a charitable organization. And while they were allowed the full sum of the bequest the decree reveals that the council made no objection to the petition of the executor and expressed its willingness to accept a pro rata *716 sum calculated upon all the bequests to charity, not exceeding one-third of the distributive value of the estate. In subsequent proceedings in the same estate it appears that the council has in fact accepted the lesser sum in full satisfaction of its legacy. In order that proper distribution of the excess may be made, this portion of the decree will have to be reversed.

Appeals are also taken from that portion of the decree denying attorney’s fees to the lawyer who was employed by the executor, after the filing of the final account and petition for distribution. The executor says that he proceeded upon the theory that various legatees, including the American Jewish Congress and Council of Jewish Women, were charitable organizations; that when he discovered a different contention was being advanced he felt called upon to, and did, employ counsel to assist him. The court so found, but refused to make an allowance, evidently upon the theory that the services so rendered were not in aid of any duty owed by the executor to the estate. And we are in accord with the conclusion. In Estate of Friedman, 176 Cal. 226 [168 Pac. 21], the entire residue of the estate was given to the Hebrew Home for Aged Disabled. Various persons appeared claiming to be heirs and, among other things, asserted that the home could take only one-third of the estate. Finally, the home brought an action to determine the rights of all parties and the court rendered a decree declaring there were no heirs, and the home, although a charitable institution, was entitled to take the whole. An allowance was made for the attorneys for services rendered in this connection. This court held that the allowance was improper because it was no part of the duty of the executor to participate in a proceeding to determine the succession to the estate. In principle that case cannot be distinguished from the situation here, where it appears that the only services rendered by counsel were in endeavoring to advance the position of appellant as to the manner in which the estate should be distributed. (See Estate of Ross, 179 Cal. 358, 360, 361 [182 Pac. 303], and cases cited; also Estate of Parsell, 190 Cal. 454, 456 [213 Pac. 40, 25 A. L. R. 1561].)

By the same process of reasoning we arrive at the conclusion that the executor was not a party aggrieved *717 by the decree of distribution, and, therefore, not entitled to prosecute this appeal (Estate of Ayers, 175 Cal. 187 [165 Pac. 528], Estate of Morgan, 203 Cal. 569 [265 Pac. 241], and Estate of Babb, 200 Cal. 252 [252 Pac. 1039]), but that does not render the appeal by Joseph L. Murphey ineffective, nor change the outcome hereof.

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Bluebook (online)
62 P.2d 374, 7 Cal. 2d 712, 1936 Cal. LEXIS 699, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/murphey-v-american-jewish-congress-cal-1936.