Paton v. Baugh

265 S.W. 250, 1924 Tex. App. LEXIS 1005
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 21, 1924
DocketNo. 9330.
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 265 S.W. 250 (Paton v. Baugh) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Paton v. Baugh, 265 S.W. 250, 1924 Tex. App. LEXIS 1005 (Tex. Ct. App. 1924).

Opinion

LOONEY, J.

This appeal is from the judgment of the court below sustaining a general demurrer, urged by appellee, to the petition of appellant. Appellant’s allegations are, substantially, that H. T. Baugh died, leaving a will, the provisions of which, brought under review, are as follows:

“Item 3. I will, give and bequeath to my beloved children, Francis Gwendolyn Baugh and Marion Flay Baugh, share and share alike, all of the ranch and farm property (except 103 acres, situated 8 miles south of Temple, Texas, and being known as the James Fletcher farm) of which I may die seized and possessed, subject to the prqvisions hereinafter made.
“Item 4. All of the real property of Which I may die seized and possessed except the farm and ranch mentioned in paragraph three of this will, I desire and direct that said property, including the 103 acres situated 8 miles south of Temple, Texas, and being known as the James Fletcher farm, and also all of .the houses and lots, situated in Temple, Texas, and Rogers, Texas, be sold by my executors and the proceeds arising therefrom be invested for the use and benefit of my two children herein named.
“Item 5. I direct that the property therein bequeathed to my beloved children be held in trust by my said executors herein named until said child or children shall reach the age of 25 years, at which time I direct that said property herein bequeathed be divided into two equal parts, taking into consideration the value thereof, that one of said parts shall be delivered to each of my said children at its 25th birthday.
“Item 6. I will, give and bequeath to my beloved wife, Sudie Baugh, all of the income, rents and revenues arising from all of my property, including that therein bequeathed to my beloved children, said income, rents, and revenues to be used by her for her maintenance and support, and the maintenance, education and support of my said children, it being my intention that all of the income, rents and revenues derived from all of my property shall be used for the benefit of my wife and children, and if my said wife shall be living when the youngest of my children shall have reached the age of 25 years, then my said wife shall continue to receive such income from said property as may be necessary for her support and maintenance.
“Item 8. For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this will, I hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my beloved wife, Sudie Baugh, of Dallas county, Texas, and James Patón, of Temple, Bell county, Texas, as joint executors of this my last will and testament, and direct that no bond shall be required of them as such. * * * ”

*251 That the will was duly probated in Dallas county and an inventory and appraisement of the estate filed, showing real estate of the appraised value of $266,789.83, and personal property, consisting of a small amount of cash, some bank stock, hut chiefly of notes, all of the appraised value of $29,131.75.

Appellant alleged that after the will was probated he qualified as joint executor, was willipg to perform the duties of such position, and has constantly, since his qualification, endeavored to act with appellee as joint executor, in obedience to the provisions of the will. That appellee, acting under the advice of her attorneys, has refused to permit him to participate in the administration of the affairs of the estate, has denied him any right to act as joint executor in controlling and managing the estate, contending! that the will disposed of no property except the ranch and farm property named in item three (3), and that, under the terms of the will, she has the exclusive right and authority to manage the estate. That the property bequeathed consists of various farms or ranch lands located in Texas and New Mexico, that require careful and diligent attention to conserve same and obtain a fair and reasonable revenue; that the best interests of the estate and the beneficiaries requires the sale of the 103 acres of land mentioned as the Fletcher farm and the town lots in the towns of Temple and Rogers, and the reinvestment of the proceeds by the trustees as directed in the will; that the estate owned various and sundry notes, past due, that should be collected.

Appellant further alleged that appellee had removed to the state of California and had been, and was,- neglecting to give the business and the affairs of the estate needed attention, resulting in deterioration and loss; that the nonresidence of appellee, her inattention to and neglect of the affairs and properties of the estate, and her wrongful conduct in arbitrarily excluding appellant as coexecutor from any participation in the management and control of the property constituted maladministration that was calculated to and was resulting in a deterioration in value of the estate and a diminution of income, with consequent loss to the beneficiaries.

Appellant alleged in great detail that ap-pellee had taken complete and exclusive control of all these properties, denying any right, interest, or duty in appellant as coexecutor under the will, as to their management and control, claiming under the advice of her attorneys, and the construction placed by them on the will, that she, alone, had the exclusive right to the control of all the affairs of the estate; that in pursuance of this idea she has induced those dealing with the estate to look and deal exclusively with her and to ignore appellant; that she has taken exelu-sive possession, control, and management, diverting the funds arising from the estate from the purposes intended by the testator, and is managing and treating the properties, to all intents and purposes, as if the' same were her own.

Appellant alleged that he had sought, and is seeking, as coexecutor, to carry out the intention of the testator and to discharge the powers, rights, and duties of coexecutor and cotrustee conferred on him by the will, identical in all respects with the powers, rights, and duties conferred on appellee, but, as above stated, has been prevented by the capricious, arbitrary, as well as unlawful, conduct of appellee.

Appellant prayed for a judicial construction of the will, in order to put at rest the divergent views of the parties in regard to its meaning, for the appointment of a receiver of all the properties of the estate pendente lite, and for an injunction preventing appellee from in any way interfering with appellant’s participation as coexecutor in the control and management of the properties and affairs of the estate.

Aj>pellant contends that a trust was created by the terms of the will, in which appellant and appellee were made joint trustees as to the entire estate left by testator; that, owing to conflicting constructions given the will by the parties, appellant has been excluded by appellee from any participation in the administration of the affairs of the estate. Therefore he. contends that a case is presented for a judicial construction of the instrument, to the end that these divergent views may be composed and the purposes of the testator executed in accordance with the provisions and meaning of the will.

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Bluebook (online)
265 S.W. 250, 1924 Tex. App. LEXIS 1005, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/paton-v-baugh-texapp-1924.