Schaberg v. McDonald

83 N.W. 737, 60 Neb. 493, 1900 Neb. LEXIS 195
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 19, 1900
DocketNo. 10,957
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 83 N.W. 737 (Schaberg v. McDonald) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Schaberg v. McDonald, 83 N.W. 737, 60 Neb. 493, 1900 Neb. LEXIS 195 (Neb. 1900).

Opinion

Holcomb, J.

It is contended by the administratrix, plaintiff in error, that the claim against the estate she represents was alloived by the probate court without jurisdiction, and is void because the order of allowance was entered after the time fixed by statute and the order of the court for the presentation of claims against the estate for adjustment and allowance has expired. It is admitted that the claim against the estate was presented and filed in court for allowance within the time limited. The record before us shows, not only the presentation and filing of the claim before the expiration of the time allowed for such purpose, but also the interposition of objections by the administratrix against its allowance. After the claim was filed and objections to its allowance entered, for some reason not appearing from the record, which to us seems inexplicable, the case remained unheard in the probate court for an unreasonable period of time, Avhen it was finally adjudged to be a just claim and indebtedness against the estate, and accordingly approved and allowed.

We can not agree with contention of counsel that this delay in the time of hearing the claim barred it under the provisions of law fixing the time in which claims are to be presented for examination and allowance. We do not think a fair interpretation of the statute warrants the conclusion that the claim must not only be presented, but in fact approved and allowed, within the time fixed in the notice for the presentation of claims against an estate. What the law does require is that a claim shall [496]*496be presented for adjustment and allowance within the time limited, or else it is barred by the statute. This has been the purport and effect of the rulings of this court heretofore in construing the statute referred to. Huebner v. Sessman, 38 Nebr., 78; Stichter v. Cox, 52 Nebr., 532.

From an examination of the different sections of the statute bearing on the matter, we are led to the conclusion that a claim presented in time may properly be acted upon and allowed by the probate court, even though the time has passed for the presentation for allowance of such claims. It is provided by section 214, chapter 23, ■ Compiled Statutes, that “it shall be the duty of the probate judge to receive, examine, adjust and allow all claims and demands of all persons against the deceased, giving the same notice as is required to be given by commissioners in this subdivision.”

Section 217 reads as follows: “The probate court shall allow such time as the circumstances.of the case shall require for the creditors to present their claims to the commissioners for examination and allowance, which time shall not, in the first instance, exceed eighteen months, nor be less than six months, and the time allowed shall be stated in the commission.”

Section 223 reads as follows: “At the expiration of the time limited, or as soon thereafter as they shall have time to complete the hearing of the claims presented, the commissioners shall make up a report of their doings to the probate court, embracing lists of the claims presented or exhibited in set-off, and stating how much was allowed and how much was disallowed, together with the final balance, whether in favor of the creditor or the estate, and the report shall state particularly the manner of giving notice to the claimants.”

Section 226 reads as follows: “Every person having a claim against a deceased person proper to be allowed by the judge or commissioners, who shall not, after the giving of notice as required in the two hundred and four[497]*497teentk section of this chapter, exhibit his claim to the judge or commissioners, within the time limited by the court for that purpose, shall be forever barred from recovering such demand or from setting off the same in any action whatever.”

Other sections provide for an appeal and the hearing thereof. It will be noticed that by section 223, quoted above, it is clearly contemplated that the commissioners may hear and determine controverted claims pending before them after the time limited for filing claims has expired. This same authority doubtless rests in the probate judge, in the absence of the appointment of a commission. The statute makes no exception for delays caused by litigation over disputed claims, and to give to the section the construction contended for would irrevocably bar all claims which, by reason of litigation, or otherwise, were not approved within the time limited. While in some states such claims are required to be presented and proved within a specified time, this grows out of specific provisions of statute; and where such is required, exceptions are made as to claims in litigation, and usually proceedings in equity are permissible for the purpose of establishing a meritorious claim not presented and proven within the required time.

As we understand the language of section 226, it is a claim that is not exhibited to the judge or commission, i. e., presented to them in due form for allowance within the prescribed time, that is barred, and not one which, presented in time but because of a controversy, was not finally adjusted until after the time mentioned. In this case, the claim was filed for allowance within the proper time, objections were interposed, and the hearing continued from time to time as heretofore stated. We think the claimant brought himself within the provisions of the statute in properly filing his claim with the probate judge for allowance, and that the delay resulting from the controversy over its merits did not deprive the judge of power and authority to act when action was finally [498]*498taken and the claim allowed. The order of the probate court barring claims against the estate applied only to those not presented for examination and allowance within the time fixed by a former order, and did not apply to claims duly presented ajgd then pending, awaiting final determination. The contention of administratrix in this respect can not be upheld.

It is next urged that error was committed in the trial of the case on appeal to the district court in entering an order of substitution or revivor in the name of McDonald as the successor of Hayden, receiver of the German National Bank. The claim against the estate was presented and prosecuted to that point by Hayden as receiver of the said bank, then insolvent, for an assessment on stock held by the deceased at the time of the failure of the bank. After the case had been appealed to the district court by the administratrix and issues formed by the pleadings, it was suggested to the trial court, by affidavit, that the receiver, Hayden, had recently died, and that McDonald had been appointed receiver as his successor, and asked that McDonald be substituted as plaintiff in the proceedings. The exact nature of the proceedings does not appear from the record, and no conditional order of revivor appears to have been entered or supplemental proceedings filed by the new receiver showing his right to be substituted as plaintiff. One of the two methods should ordinarily be followed. Missouri P. R. Co. v. Fox, 56 Nebr., 746; Rakes v. Brown, 34 Nebr., 304; Fox v. Abbott, 12 Nebr., 328. The record, however, shows that the administratrix appeared and filed objections to the substitution requested, and that, on the hearing of the application and objections, the objections were overruled, and McDonald ordered substituted as the plaintiff in the action.

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Bluebook (online)
83 N.W. 737, 60 Neb. 493, 1900 Neb. LEXIS 195, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/schaberg-v-mcdonald-neb-1900.