Succession of Miller

674 So. 2d 441, 95 La.App. 4 Cir. 1272, 1996 La. App. LEXIS 901, 1996 WL 249864
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 8, 1996
DocketNo. 95-CA-1272
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 674 So. 2d 441 (Succession of Miller) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Succession of Miller, 674 So. 2d 441, 95 La.App. 4 Cir. 1272, 1996 La. App. LEXIS 901, 1996 WL 249864 (La. Ct. App. 1996).

Opinion

hARMSTRONG, Judge.

This is an appeal from a judgment in a succession proceeding, authorizing the executor, Martin 0. Miller II, to control access to the residence of the decedent, and the movables contained therein and elsewhere. Finding no error in the judgment of the trial court, we now affirm.

The decedent, Edna Kuntz Miller, died testate on August 22, 1994. One of her sons, [442]*442Martin O. Miller II, was appointed executor pursuant to her statutory last will and testament. The decedent had been married once, to Martin 0. Miller (“Mr. Miller”), who predeceased her. The couple had eight children born of the marriage, seven of whom survived her. The eighth child predeceased the decedent, but was survived by four children, all of whom survived the decedent.

At the time of the decedent’s death, the seven surviving children each owned a one-sixteenth undivided interest, and the four children of the predeceased daughter, each a one-sixty fourth undivided interest, in a residence located at 24 Audubon Place, New Orleans, Louisiana, and the movables contained therein and elsewhere, by virtue of Mr. Miller’s succession. Martin 0. Miller II controlled the interest of one sister, Diane, who was an interdict, as her curator. The ownership interests of Mr. Miller’s heirs was subject to the surviving spouse usufruct in favor of the decedent. Upon the decedent’s death, they became owners indivisión of one-half of the property in question.

^Because of concern about his personal liability as executor, on the advice of counsel, Martin Miller proposed a plan regarding access to the Audubon Place residence. He essentially gave the heirs two choices: (1) they could have access to the residence if they gave him reasonable notice, telling him how long they wanted access, access would be given only for a “reasonable time” and for a “legitimate purpose,” and he ór his( desig-nee would be present during the visit; or (2) the heirs could have unrestricted access to the house if they all released him from all personal liability. All heirs did not release him from liability so Martin Miller implemented the restricted access plan. The decedent’s only other son, Pierre Valcour Miller (“Val Miller”), objected to the restricted access and filed a petition for injunctive relief, seeking to enjoin Martin Miller from interfering with his rights as a co-owner of the residence. The trial court denied relief. Approximately one week later, Martin Miller filed a “Motion To Determine Management of Property Held In Indivisión.”

At trial of the motion, Martin Miller testified that he was concerned about his personal liability should visitors to the residence, or heirs, remove movables from the residence or have an accident on the premises. The residence was appraised at $1,300,000.00 and, the contents, at $53,735.35. Martin Miller admitted that the Audubon Place residence and contents were insured for one million dollars and that all of the .movables in the residence had been individually appraised. He said he had never refused anyone access to the residence under the plan and that Val Miller was the only heir who objected to the restricted access. Martin Miller also testified that there had been problems with Val Miller concerning the use of property co-owned by the heirs in Cameron and Vermilion parishes. He said Val Miller took two trailers and a bulldozer for personal use and had not returned them. He also said Val Miller had not been paying his share of the expenses to maintain this property. Martin Miller mentioned a check, in the amount of $1,130.75, from the State of Louisiana in reimbursement of money owed the late Mr. Miller’s estate. Martin Miller said he sent the check to Val Miller for endorsement, with intentions of eventually sending it to all of the other heirs for signature. However, Val Miller would not sign the check, but instead, returned it to Martin. The check was eventually declared dead by the state. Martin Miller testified that the Audubon Place residence was listed |3for sale. A copy of an informational sheet from the real estate company was introduced into evidence.

A sister, Marian Miller Green, testified that she believed Martin Miller’s restricted access policy was reasonable and that it would be chaos if everyone had unlimited access. She said it had been chaotic at the family-owned residence situated on the country property because one never knew how many people would be coming. Bed space was limited. On cross examination, she admitted there had been fewer beds than overnight visitors on only one occasion. She could not recall if Val Miller had been there on that occasion, nor could she recall Val Miller ever being associated with chaos.

Edward Rapier was the trustee of a trust established under the estate of the deceased daughter, Mildred Ann Miller Boulet, for [443]*443Boulet’s four children. Rapier said he agreed with Martin Miller’s plan. He said as trustee he would not agree to hold Marin Miller harmless — it would violate his duty as a trustee.

Val Miller testified that he had tremendous sentimental associations with the Audubon Place residence. He lived there for twenty-two years and had continued to visit up to three times a week for thirty-three years until the death of his mother. Being a recovering alcoholic, he said is an extremely stressful time for him and it is being made more so by the actions of his brother in restricting his access to the residence. He believes as a co-owner, he has a right to unrestricted access to the home. He candidly admitted that he believed he has a right to take movables out of the residence without asking, possibly not returning the item(s) until another heir asks him to. However, he said he would agree not to take anything out of the residence and he would agree to hold Martin Miller harmless if he gave either himself or anyone else a key to the residence. He said he did not think he was legally required to get permission from the other co-owners before using the property.

Val Miller said he never interfered with the use of any of the Cameron or Vermilion Parish property by any of his co-owners. He introduced a letter into evidence wherein he requested that the co-owners voice any objection to his hosting a duck hunt bachelor party for his son at the country residence one particular fall weekend in 1993. He said one of his brothers-in-law drove the bulldozer into a canal years ago. He retrieved it after a period of Utime, intending to have it repaired, but discovered it would be too expensive. He still has the bulldozer in his possession and said none of the co-owners have ever asked for it. As for the two trailers, he said he uses those on the section of the country property he manages and that none of the co-owners has asked for them. He said he was not paying for the maintenance of the country property because he had paid the full cost of it for a period of time. As for the $1,130.75 check from the State of Louisiana, he said he did not feel it should have been simply endorsed by all heirs and negotiated as Martin Miller was attempting to do, rather, it should have been put through his father’s succession. Val Miller introduced into evidence a letter from his sister, Judith M. Kavanagh, to Martin Miller’s attorney, wherein Judith authorized the attorney to give any co-owner a key and alarm access code, and agreeing to hold Martin Miller harmless for any losses caused by a co-owner’s access. Judith also indicated that she and her sisters might want to go through the decedent’s clothing in the near future and that she might request a key and access code at that time.

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Bluebook (online)
674 So. 2d 441, 95 La.App. 4 Cir. 1272, 1996 La. App. LEXIS 901, 1996 WL 249864, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/succession-of-miller-lactapp-1996.