Shutt v. Shutt

59 Pa. D. & C.2d 710, 1972 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 331
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Bucks County
DecidedSeptember 28, 1972
Docketno. 72-5372-01-5
StatusPublished

This text of 59 Pa. D. & C.2d 710 (Shutt v. Shutt) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Bucks County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Shutt v. Shutt, 59 Pa. D. & C.2d 710, 1972 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 331 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1972).

Opinion

SATTERTHWAITE, P. J.,

After hearing on September 12, 1972, and due consideration of the testimony and exhibits received in evidence, as well as the brief and argument of counsel for plaintiff, the chancellor hereby makes the following

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. Plaintiff, Genevieve C. Shutt, and defendant, James F. Shutt, are husband and wife, having been married on November 29, 1954.

2. On October 17, 1960, the parties purchased as tenants by the entireties, and thereafter resided together as husband and wife on real property situate at 1078 Fitch Place, Warminster, Bucks County, Pa., more particularly bounded and described as follows:

[Metes and bounds description deleted.]

3. Defendant removed himself from said premises, and wilfully, maliciously and without reasonable cause deserted plaintiff on April 18, 1972, and he has not lived with her since. His present whereabouts are unknown.

4. Since April 18, 1972 to the present time, defendant has failed to contribute to the support of plaintiff without reasonable cause.

5. Since April 18,1972, to the present time, plaintiff has supported and maintained herself by funds received from the Department of Public Assistance. Her expenditures for necessaries, including food, clothing, medicine, medical treatment and incidentals have reasonably averaged and continued to average $264 per month. To this will be added approximately $150 per month for rent when plaintiff vacates the entireties real estate upon its sale.

[712]*7126. In addition, since April of 1972 to the present time, in order to prevent mortgage foreclosure of said premises, plaintiff has paid $465 on a mortgage held by Fidelity Bond’ and Mortgage Company.

7. Defendant’s earning power is and has been at the rate of approximately $250 per week.

8. Plaintiff has no income nor earning power, and proceedings against the aforesaid real property are necessary for her suitable and reasonable maintenance.

9. Subject to approval of the court with respect to the interest of defendant, plaintiff has entered into an agreement to sell the aforesaid real property situate at 1078 Fitch Place, Warminster, at private sale for the price for the whole of the interests therein of $34,800 to Susan R. Sieberson and Chris M. Sieberson by writing dated September 8, 1972.

10. Said price of $34,800 is full, fair and reasonable and more than the amount likely to be obtained at public sale. Existing liens against said premises would reduce the equity therein of the parties, plaintiff and defendant, by approximately $14,500, in addition to the costs and expenses of closing said sale such as realtor’s commission, transfer taxes, tax adjustments, settlement charges and the like.

DISCUSSION

This is a proceeding by a deserted wife seeking enforcement of her right to support by her husband through the institution of proceedings against him under the Act of May 23, 1907, P. L. 227, secs. 1 and 2, as amended, 48 PS §§131, 132, whereby his interest in entireties real estate would be subjected to judicial compulsion in pro tanto discharge of his obligations. The parties last resided together in, and defendant-husband’s desertion took place from, realty physically [713]*713located within this county, and plaintiff continues to reside therein. Although defendant’s whereabouts are unknown and he cannot be personally served, jurisdiction in rem of these proceedings with respect to his interest in said real estate has been acquired by this court by service by publication in the Bucks County Law Reporter, the legal periodical designated as such by the rules of this court, and in the Central News-Herald, a newspaper of general circulation published and circulating within this county, in compliance with section 2 of the aforesaid Act of 1907, as amended, 48 PS §132, and with Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 1504(b)(3) which replaces the Act of 1859 therein referred to. No appearance or answer has been made by or on defendant’s behalf. Judgment by default was entered by the prothonotary on August 3, 1972, in favor of plaintiff and against defendant.

The foregoing findings of fact clearly demonstrate plaintiff’s right to relief and the only question is the manner and form in which such relief should be granted. Section 2 of the Act of 1907, supra, as amended, 48 PS §132, provides that in case of separation of a husband from his wife or children without reasonable cause and his nonsupport thereof although being of sufficient ability, then “proceedings may be had against any property real or personal of said husband necessary for the suitable maintenance of the said wife or children; and the court may direct a seizure and sale, or mortgage, of sufficient of such estate as will provide the necessary funds for such maintenance . . .”

The in rem powers given by these statutory provisions were spelled out in Erdner v. Erdner, 234 Pa. 500 (1912), at page 506:

“Under the service in this case [by publication] the court had power to direct a sale or mortgage of so [714]*714much of defendant’s estate as might be necessary for the maintenance of the plaintiff, but before so doing it should first have determined what amount would be suitable, and, next, what property of the defendant should be taken for that purpose; then it could have decreed a sale or mortgage accordingly. Since the property affected was within the jurisdiction, service by publication was sufficient, and we cannot say that the notice was lacking in any essential detail; but the court had no power to delegate to the receiver the duty of deciding the amount that would be necessary or suitable for the maintenance of the wife, or of determining the property to be sold or mortgaged for that purpose . . .” See also Drummond v. Drummond, 402 Pa. 534, 540 (1961).

The fact that the property presently involved is entireties property owned by both plaintiff and defendant does not militate against the within action. Proceedings to obtain a decree for support of the wife under the Act of 1907, as amended, “may be had against any property real or personal of said husband necessary for the suitable maintenance of the said wife.” (Italics supplied.) Accordingly, resort may be had to the husband’s interest in an entireties estate, if necessary, so that the wife may obtain satisfaction of her right by liquidation of the husband’s interest therein: Crane v. Crane, 373 Pa. 1 (1953).

Moreover, for the purpose of disposing of the husband’s interest and holding and discharging the proceeds thereof in enforcement of the past, as well as the continuing, lien or obligation to support, the court may appoint a trustee with respect to the husband’s interest and authorize such trustee to make sale of the subject premises in the place and stead of the husband: Dixon v. Dixon, 5 D. & C. 2d 634 (1955); Reid v. Reid, 28 D. & C. 2d 26 (1961); Krevinka v. Krevinka, [715]*71527 Fayette 16 (1964); Miller v. Miller, 47 D. & C. 2d 276 (1968).

As indicated in the findings of fact, supra, plaintiff has been entitled in the past to a duty of support by defendant in the amount of $264 per month, an amount which is less than one third of defendant’s earning power of approximately $250 per week or roughly $1,000 per month.

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Related

Crane v. CRANE
95 A.2d 199 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1953)
Drummond v. Drummond
167 A.2d 287 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1961)
Erdner v. Erdner
83 A. 420 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1912)
Richards v. Richards
222 A.2d 456 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1966)

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Bluebook (online)
59 Pa. D. & C.2d 710, 1972 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 331, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/shutt-v-shutt-pactcomplbucks-1972.