O'Connor v. O'Connor

185 N.E. 354, 282 Mass. 506, 1933 Mass. LEXIS 922
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court·Decided March 31, 1933·Published

Opinion

Crosby, J.

These are appeals from a decree of the Probate Court for the county of Plymouth wherein the respondent, as executor of the will of Joseph E. O’Connor, was ordered to pay to the petitioner, the widow of the testator, the sum of $3,955.50 with interest. It appears from the record that on a former petition for partial distribution, filed by the petitioner on February 16, 1925, a decree was entered ordering a distribution to her of the sum of $6,044.50 on account of the sum of $10,000, to which it was decreed she became entitled as the widow of the testator, as she had previously waived the provisions of her husband’s will in her favor and claimed her statutory interests in his estate as authorized by G. L. c. 191, § 15. No appeal was taken from this decree.

On November 9, 1925, after hearings, the first, second, “third and final” accounts of the executor were allowed and a substantial balance was found in the hands of the executor. These accounts were contested by the widow, but no appeal was taken. Thereafter it appeared that a party in interest was not represented. As he neither appeared nor consented to the fourth account, the judge vacated the several decrees allowing the accounts and a mistrial was declared on the' fourth account, upon which no decree had been entered. The executor was ordered to file a new account. This was filed November 27, 1929. On January 2, 1930, the judge ordered certain changes in the schedules and the account was allowed. As the result of these changes he found that the balance in the hands of the executor was $3,996.05.

[508] On March 26, 1930, the petitioner filed a second petition in the Probate Court alleging that the final accounts of the executor have been allowed with certain modifications ordered by the court; that the executor holds in his hands a large sum for distribution; and asking that he be ordered to distribute the money in his hands in accordance with the account and the law. On January 25, 1932, the court entered a decree which recited that all persons interested in the estate having had notice of the petition, objections thereto being made, and after hearing it appearing that according to the account allowed January 20, 1930, there is in the hands of the executor a balance of $3,996.05 for distribution, said widow is entitled to receive from said estate the sum of $10,000; that she has already received the sum of $6,044.50, and is now entitled to receive the sum of $3,955.50 with interest forthwith. The respondent and a devisee under the will on February 6 and February 4, 1932, respectively, appealed from this decree.

On May 28, 1932, the judge of probate reported the material facts found by him in accordance with the provisions of G. L. (Ter. Ed.) c. 215, § 11, as follows: The will of the testator was duly allowed. Within the time' permitted by G. L. c. 191, § 15, the widow waived the provisions of the will and claimed her statutory rights in her husband’s estate. The petition is brought by her for the distribution of the estate due her, it being the difference between the amount already received by her and the sum of $10,000 to which she is entitled under the waiver. On January 20, 1930, the consolidated first, second, third and fourth “substitute account” presenting a single account covering a period beginning January 7, 1924, and ending April 30, 1927, was allowed. At the hearing on this account the items were admitted or not seriously contested, and all parties were before the court. There was no appeal from the decree allowing this account, and the balance of $3,996.05 there found is the basis of the present petition. In the consolidated account the executor charged himself with $52,867.79 and was allowed payments and charges of $48,871.74, showing a balance for distribution of $3,996.05. [509] It appears in this account “that the widow by decree of court, or voluntary payment, has already received on account of her $10,000, the sum of $6,044.50. She is therefore entitled to the further sum of ($10,000 less $6,044.50) $3,955.50 with interest. This sum the executor is ordered to pay petitioner forthwith. What interest, if any, petitioner has in the estate in excess of her $10,000 is not a matter to be dealt with under this petition.” While the accountant was in charge of the estate the petitioner collected rents from tenants in the sum of $851.09 and paid for repairs $112.28, leaving an indebtedness to the estate of $738.81. These figures were considered in the former accounts and the above findings made, from which there was no appeal. As no objection was made this was adjusted on the basis of a payment on account by the accountant to the petitioner, and, to the several amounts paid the petitioner, the sum of $738.81 should be added. The time had expired for the executor to account, and the petitioner asked for “distribution to her at the present time the sum of $10,000 as provided by” G. L. c. 191, § 15, “or such other partial distribution as the court in its discretion may order.” The judge found a total of $7,089 was subject to partial distribution, and also that there was due the petitioner $6,044.50 based on a finding that she was entitled to $5,000, and one half of $2,089 (the balance of $7,089 after deducting $5,000) or $1,044.50. Against this $6,044.50 he found certain credits were to be offset, being in part sums for which the executor was chargeable and in part for collections made by the petitioner, and the executor was ordered to pay the petitioner at that time $3,255.69. This sum was paid as shown in the account as follows: $1,500 on December 21, 1925, and $1,755.69 on February 6, 1925, making the entire amount paid her $5,305.69. The difference between $6,044.50 and $10,000 to which she is entitled is $3,955.50 which the executor was ordered to pay the petitioner and upon which the appeal is based. The inventory shows personal estate of the testator appraised at $5,434.24 and real estate appraised at $28,850, the value of the latter being largely in excess of the appraisal.

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O'Connor v. O'Connor, 185 N.E. 354, 282 Mass. 506, 1933 Mass. LEXIS 922 (Mass. 1933).

185 N.E. 354 (O'Connor v. O'Connor) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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