Succession of Stephens

13 So. 197, 45 La. Ann. 962
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedMay 15, 1893
DocketNo. 11,284
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 13 So. 197 (Succession of Stephens) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Succession of Stephens, 13 So. 197, 45 La. Ann. 962 (La. 1893).

Opinions

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Breaux, J.

The questions for decision are:’

1. Whether an executor’s authority, after having invested the amounts of the legacies as directed, continues under the terms pf the [963]*963will, and includes the duty of retaining possession and administering the interests for the protection and benefit of the legatees, or should he deliver the evidence of indebtedness and title of investment made by him to the legatees.

2. Whether the interest on a legacy of a certain amount runs from the date of the filing of the tableau recognizing the indebtedness of the succession.

By the following excerpts, from the testament of the decedent, the pertinent facts of the case are set forth, viz.:

“ After all my just debts are paid I give to Edna May Byrne, daughter of John P. Byrne and Ida Blackburn, the sum of $1000, to be put out at interest until she becomes of age, interest to be paid yearly for her education, clothing and support.
“I give to Octavia, Felicity and Jules Brunet, three children of Jules Brunet and Octavia Wolf, $500 each, to be put out at interest until they become of age, interest to be paid yearly.
“I give and bequeath to Sophie Bgloff, now living with Mrs. Alice Mora, $500, to be put out at interest until she. is twenty-four years of age, interest to be paid yearly.
“I give and bequeath to Bertha Egioff, now living in my house, $3500, whereof $3000 are to be out at interest during her life, the interest to be paid yearly, and the remaining $500 'are [to be paid in cash to her in two equal instalments of $250 each, one at my death and the other one year after my death. * * *
“I give the remainder of my effects to Mrs. Alice Mora, wife of Thomas Mora. * * ' * * * *
“ I charge my said executors to pay all my just debts, and then to distribute my estate as above provided, investing those legacies that are required to be put out at interest in such securities as they may deem best in the names of the said legatees.”

Two of the plaintiffs in rule, who apply to be placed in possession of certain legacies, are tutors of the minors who are legatees.

The plaintiff in another rule pending before us on appeal is of the age of majority.

The possibility that the disposition is a ftdei eommissum is suggested in argument; also that it involves a substitution.

It is also contended that an “impossible condition” attaches to the bequest.

In reference to the first ftdei eommissum, it being “ a disposition [964]*964by which the donee, the heir or legatee is charged to preserve for or return a thing to a third person,” it does not include within its meaning any of the bequests of the will.

It does not contain any gift to the donees through the agency of a third person in confidence that he will dispose of the amount for the benefit of the donees — i. e., no one “ is charged to preserve for or to return a thing to a third person.”

The donations of the decedent are absolute. They are made without attempting to interpose any third person.

The investment of the funds as directed in the will, and the manifest desire of the testator of protecting the interest of the donees) do not involve a fidei eommissum.

In reference to the prohibited substitution tested by the discussion of the authorities and the decision, Marshall vs. Pearce, 34 An. 587, there being no duty imposed upon the executor and no condition attached to the donation to deliver the property ostensibly donated, or really donated for a period to another, the real donee at any time, it can not in reason be held to fall within the definition given.

In the opinion it is said: “ The • simplest test to the substitution prohibited by our law is that it vests the property in one person,

* * * and at the death of such person vests the same property in another person, who takes the same directly from the testator, but by a title which only springs into existence on the death of the first donee.

“ Such a disposition destroys the power of alienation of the property by the first donee, because he is bound to hold it until his death in order that the person then called to take the title may take it.

At the same time no power of alienation exists in the second donee during the life of the first, because this title only comes into being at the death of the 'taker.”

No such condition presents itself under the will in the case at bar.

The legatees have absolute title, transferable and heritable. No others are named to have any interest; it is therefore not a prohibited substitution.

In reference to impossible conditions, defined as being those that are contrary to the laws or to morals, and as such reputed .not written.

That article (900 of the Code Napoleon and Art. 1519 of the Lou[965]*965isiana Code) says: Marcadé, Yol. 3, p. 583,'declares that in gratuitous dispositions all conditions physically or legally impossible are made nugatory by law, to that extent that the disposition becomes one pure and simple, and has effect as if the impossible condition had not been written. If the condition is illegal it is ignored and considered not written.

The condition attached, relating to the administration of the property by the executor, has features denying to the donee of age the enjoyment to which she has a right as owner.

The intention of the testator is the law of the will.

“ I give and bequeath” are the positive and disposing words, intending to vest the donee with the right named.

They, the legatees, are the absolute owners.

“Ownership is the right by whic.h a thing belongs to some one in particular, to the exclusion of all other persons.” C. O. 488.

“ The ownership of a thing is vested in him who has the immediate dominion of it, and not in him who has a mere beneficiary right.” C. C. 489.

“ Ownership is perfect when it is perpetual and-the thing is unencumbered with any real right toward any other person than the owner.” C. C. 490. '

The legatees are vested with these elements of ownership.

The impossible conditions attached to the legacy are as if not written.

By executing the condition maintaining the executor’s possession and his right to administer, the property is practically taken out of commerce and the authority to alienate is denied.

As to the denial of the right of alienation to the owner we have the authority of Sirey, Codes Annotés, p. 387, Sec. 47, and Demolombe, Vol. 18, Sec. 290, in support of the statement that the condition not to alienate is an impossible one to impose upon a bequest of the ownership of property.

From the former we translate:

“ That condition is impossible and to be expunged prohibiting the legatee from selling or binding or encumbering the property before a certain epoch.”

From Demolombe:

The prohibition not to alienate is at most a precept, a nudum prseceptum.”

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Related

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14 So. 2d 4 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1943)
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125 So. 858 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1930)
Succession of Heft
112 So. 301 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1927)
Succession of Hall
75 So. 802 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1917)
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55 So. 672 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1911)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
13 So. 197, 45 La. Ann. 962, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/succession-of-stephens-la-1893.