Succession of Packwood

12 La. 334
Procedural entryThis page is a short order in Succession of Packwood. Read the opinion of the Court — 9 Rob. 438
Supreme Court of Louisiana·Decided December 15, 1845·Published

Opinions

Bullard, J.

A branch of this cause was before us at the last term, (9 Rob. 438,) and the decision then rendered, was confined to the question whether a fund of about $ 14,000, which had been deposited in the Commercial Bank, was to be considered as belonging to the community, and applicable in the hands of the executor to the payment of the debts.

The present appeal relates to another part of the opposition [360]*360made by some of the heirs, to the account rendered by the executor, in which they allege, that the executor ought to account for one undivided half of a plantation and slaves situated in the parish of Plaquemine, and for half the revenues of it during the years 1840, 1841, 1842 and 1843. They allege, that this part of the plantation, not appearing on the inventory, was ostensibly sold, in the year 1840, to David Stewart, for one hundred thousand dollars, on a credit of one, two, three, four, five and six years ; but they allege and charge, that the sale was simulated, and that the said Stewart only held the property for Samuel Packwood, with a view of depriving these opponents of their legal rights to said property and its revenues ; and they further allege, that Stewart has lately retroceded said property to Pack-wood, and that said retrocession ought to enure to the benefit of the community, even if it should be decided that the sale was real ; that, at all events, the executor is bound to account for the $100,000, for which the property was sold to Stewart.

They further insist in their opposition, that the executor ought to have charged himself with $90,000, for which one-half of the plantation and slaves were sold to T. J. Packwood, which sum, or a greater part of it, the executor has received.

They further say, that the executor has not accounted for 505 shares in the Union Bank, belonging to the community.

They object to the commissions allowed to McBride, for collecting rents.

They allege, that the executor has not deposited, any of the funds which he has received, and for which he is' accountable, in an incorporated bank paying interest on deposites, but has applied the funds to his own use, and is therefore bound to pay twenty per cent damages.

These oppositions were sustained, and the executor appealed.

It is proper first to say, that the court did not err in our opinion, in regarding the stock in the Union Bank, secured on real estate, and acquired before the removal of Packwood and his wife from Louisiana, as a part of the community, one-half of which, consequently belongs to the estate of Alice Packwood. Although perhaps moveable, according to art. 466 of the Civil Code, yet it has the same situs with the immoveable upon which [361]*361it forms a charge; its transfer has to be made on the books of the Bank situated here. But whether it be considered as moveable, or as an incorporeal right, immoveable on account of its relating to real estate, according to art. 462, it belonged to the community here, at the death of Alice Packwood.

But we are of opinion, that the commissions paid by the executor, to the person who was employed by him to collect the rents, ought to have been allowed to him, as charged in his account.

Having disposed of the two last grounds of opposition, we come to consider whether the sale to Stewart, by Packwood and his wife, after they removed from Louisiana, was simulated, and, as alleged, with a view of depriving the children of the vendors, of their just rights; and whether such parts of the price of the other half, which had been sold to Theodore J. Packwood before the removal of his parents from Louisiana, received afterwards by Packwood in New York, must be regarded as a community fund in his hands, to be administered here, and for which he is accountable, as a part of the estate of Alice Packwood in this State.

Nearly the whole ground travelled over in argument, when the other branch of the case was before us, has been again explored; but notwithstanding the ability and learning displayed at the bar, the counsel have failed to convince us, that we were in error in adopting, as we did on that occasion, the following propositions, as well founded in law.

1. On the removal of Packwood with his wife, to reside here, in 1804, the law then in force establishing and regulating the matrimonial community of gains, operated upon the property acquired during their residence here, and it became community property.

2. On their change of domicil, in 1836, by returning to reside in a State where a different law prevails, the community law of Louisiana ceased to operate as to future acquisitions of property, whatever may be the effect of such removal as to property previously acquired, during their residence in this State.

3. That the executor here administers only on the property in Louisiana, belonging to the testatrix; and whatever estate Mrs. [362]*362Packwood may have left in New York is to descend, and to be administered, according to the law of that State.

4. That on the change of domicil in 1836, the title to the property already acquired here, did not vest in the parties each for one undivided half, separately from the other, but the husband, so long as the marriage existed, retained his power over it; that it was subject to his debts contracted aftei-, as well as before the change of domicil, and that he had a right to enjoy the fruits of the property, and to sell it without fraud, and that no distinct separate interest vested in Mrs. Packwood before the dissolution of the marriage by her death; and that, at that period, one-half of whatever property still existed, which had been acquired during the residence of the parties in this State, vested in her heirs, subject to the payment of one-half of the debts contracted during the marriage.

The degree of interest or title, which the wife hasin the property acquired during the existence of the community before its dissolution, has been much discussed. It is clear, however, that she has a kind of right susceptible of being defeated by a fraudulent alienation by the husband ; a title defeasable by her option not to accept the community, and become liable for one-half of its charges. By the customary law of France, when the husband was guilty of a crime punishable with death and confiscation, the half of the property to which the wife would be entitled on the dissolution of the community, was not confiscated ; on the other hand, when the wife was condemned, her contingent share in the community was not forfeited, according to the better opinion of the jurists, and particularly that of D’Aguesseau. Merlin, Rep. verbo, Communauté, § 5.

The argument of the counsel for the appellees, that the law of community of the place where the acquests have been made, is equivalent to an actual written marriage settlement, in which all the provisions of the law of that country were word for word inserted, and consequently, that the act of the parties changing their domicil can have no effect on the rights acquired by marriage contract, proves too much for his clients • for if that be the case, then the marriage settlement resulting from thelawsof Connecticut, the matrimonial domicil of the parties originally, would [363]*363continue to operate, as matter of contract, notwithstanding their first change of domicil, and the consequence would be, that the wife would only have her dower in lands acquired here according to the common law.

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Succession of Packwood, 12 La. 334 (La. 1845).

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