Neagle v. Johnson

261 F. Supp. 634, 1966 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9601
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Missouri
DecidedOctober 18, 1966
DocketNo. 65 C 394(3)
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 261 F. Supp. 634 (Neagle v. Johnson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Neagle v. Johnson, 261 F. Supp. 634, 1966 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9601 (E.D. Mo. 1966).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

REGAN, District Judge.

Before us are motions for summary judgment filed by each of the parties. The action is primarily one to determine and quiet title, in conjunction with which plaintiff also seeks ejectment and damages. The motions are directed to the quiet title count. We have jurisdiction because of the diversity of citizenship and the amount alleged by plaintiff to be in controversy. For reasons hereafter set out, we sustain defendants’ respective motions for summary judgment and deny plaintiff’s motion.

The properties involved are two farms in Texas County, Missouri, one of which is owned by defendant Johnson, and the other by defendants Bailie. It appears that at one time the two farms were part of one tract of land, and defendants’ titles are derived through a common source. Plaintiff claims title to the entire tract through another source, her great-grandfather John T. Russell.

Defendants’ motions are based, inter alia, on the asserted conclusive effect of a final judgment entered in the Circuit Court of Texas County, Missouri, on March 26, 1913, which purported to quiet title to the property in question in their predecessor in title. In that action, plaintiff’s grandmother, Minnie Brown, and her greataunt, Rosa Ingles, were parties defendant who were adjudged to have no right, title or interest in the property. The major controverted question is whether this judgment is conclusive on plaintiff, although it is eoncededly binding upon Minnie Brown and Rosa Ingles and their privies.

Plaintiff’s theory, stated simply, is that Minnie Brown was a life tenant only and that the remainder, at least as to an undivided one-half, was to go to the heirs of her body. At the time the Texas County judgment was rendered, plaintiff’s mother Frances, Minnie’s only child, was but 16 years of age and living with Minnie, and plaintiff was then un-[637]*637bom. Neither Frances nor her unborn child was named as party defendant, their contingent remainder interest, if any, was not referred to in the pleadings, and no guardian ad litem was appointed to represent either of them. Frances predeceased Minnie, who died February 9, 1963. Based on the foregoing, plaintiff contends that the judgment concluded only Minnie’s life estate and had no effect whatever on plaintiff’s alleged remainder interest.

Defendants argue that even if we accept plaintiff’s theory that she was a contingent remainderman whose interest vested upon the death of Minnie, the Texas County judgment nevertheless is binding upon plaintiff since the basic issue in that case was the validity vel non of the tax deed upon which Russell’s title depended, and in defending that title Minnie (and Rosa) necessarily defended the interests of all who claimed thereunder. If the life tenant’s title was invalid, the remainder was equally so and for identical reasons.

Viewing the matter realistically, we are impressed with the soundness of defendants’ position. “The same [devise] which granted to [Minnie Brown] a life estate also granted the fee to her bodily heirs.” She could not defend her right to a life estate without defending the interest of the contingent remainderman. Brown v. Bibb, 356 Mo. 148, 201 S.W.2d 370, 374. There is not the slightest intimation of any hostility on the part of Minnie toward her daughter Frances, who lived with her and who was then, on plaintiff’s theory, the only living contingent remainderman. An adverse judgment in that action could not possibly be of benefit to Minnie and she had the same incentive, as a life tenant, to defend Russell’s title as any contingent remaind-erman would have had.

Granted, in Brown v. Bibb, the then living contingent remaindermen were also joined as defendants and were represented by guardians ad litem. So, too, the possibility that unborn persons might succeed to the title was apparent from the face of the petition therein, although no explicit allegation to that effect was made. Here, Frances was not joined, except to the extent that she might have been included as an “unknown” heir or devisee of Russell, nor was any guardian ad litem appointed for her or for any other “unknown” party. And the petition was silent as to the nature or existence of any contingent remainder interest. Even so, we fail to see how plaintiff, as an unborn contingent remainder-man, would have had more effective or adequate representation than she had through her grandmother. Here, unlike Brown v. Bibb, there could be no motive for the life tenant to act in a manner hostile to the interest of her bodily heirs. The matter adjudicated was, necessarily, that Russell had no valid title and hence that no one claiming under him had any valid title. On the other hand, if Russell’s title was valid Minnie would have prevailed.

We have been cited to no Missouri case directly in point, and Brown v. Bibb, as we have noted, is distinguishable on its facts. Cf. White v. Campbell, 316 Mo. 949, 292 S.W. 51; Jackson v. Miller, 288 Mo. 232, 232 S.W 104; and Edwards v. Harrison, Mo., 236 S.W. 328. See also, Restatement Property, Sections .183 and 184(b). We need not, however, decide this close question by speculating as to the probable resolution thereof by a Missouri court, because of our holding infra that Minnie’s interest, if any, in the Texas County property was an estate in fee simple and that plaintiff as her heir at law is her privy.1

[638]*638This issue is dependent upon the proper construction to be given to the will and codicil thereto of John T. Russell. “It is agreed2 that the will is for construction as a matter of law; there was no evidence as to the testator’s intention3 except as it may be determined from the language he used in his will.” Buschmeyer v. Eikermann, Mo., 378 S.W.2d 468, 470. The original will was executed March 19, 1885, and the codicil was dated June 9, 1903, some 18 years later and less than a year before his death. Whatever-title Russell may have had to the Texas County property was acquired subsequent to the date of the original will.

Russell had only two children, Rosa Ingles and Minnie Brown. His original will was divided into three parts, each consisting of several unnumbered paragraphs. Russell first devised to his daughter Rosa Ingles certain specifically described real estate in Cass County, Missouri, “To have and to hold the same to my daughter Rosa Ingles during her life for her own use and behoof and after her death to the heirs of her body and to their heirs and assigns forever.”

The will then devised to his daughter Minnie certain other specifically described real estate in Cass County and in Jackson County, Missouri, “TO HAVE AND TO HOLD to my daughter Minnie during her life the same for her own use and behoof and after her death to the heirs of her body and to their heirs and assigns forever.” 4

In the third section of his will, Russell made provisions for his wife. Because of plaintiff’s contention, we here quote this portion of the will in full (emphasis supplied),

“Third I give devise and bequeath to my beloved wife Fannie Russell excepting those portions devised and bequeathed to my daughters Rosa and Minnie all my real estate wheresoever situated which I may own at the time of my death including not only my lands in the County but also my lots and houses in Pleasant Hill Missouri.

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Bluebook (online)
261 F. Supp. 634, 1966 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9601, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/neagle-v-johnson-moed-1966.