Vansickle v. Hazeltine

158 P. 326, 29 Idaho 228, 1916 Ida. LEXIS 75
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedJune 15, 1916
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 158 P. 326 (Vansickle v. Hazeltine) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Vansickle v. Hazeltine, 158 P. 326, 29 Idaho 228, 1916 Ida. LEXIS 75 (Idaho 1916).

Opinion

SULLIVAN, C. J.

This is an appeal from a decree or judgment of the district court affirming an order or decree [231]*231of the probate court of Latah county made in the distribution of a part of the estate of Lincoln Gutches, deceased.

The following facts appear from the record: Lincoln Gutches, deceased, was a resident of the state of Washington at the time of his death, which occurred on May 10, 1914, and the appellant, Mary E. Vansickle, was the wife of the deceased at the time of his death. She thereafter married a man by the name of Vansickle. Gutches left an estate in Latah county, a portion of which was personal property, all of which had been acquired during the existence of the marital relations by the joint efforts of the spouses, and was therefore community property. There were six children, five of whom were minors at the time of the death of Gutches, and who were represented in the district court and probate court by guardians ad, litem,. The respondent Cora Hazeltine was the married daughter. Administration was taken out in Latah county and the administrator petitioned the probate court to distribute the entire estate, it being community property, to the widow, Mrs. Vansickle. Mrs. Hazeltine filed her petition in the probate court and prayed that one-half of the personal property in Latah county be distributed to the children of Gutches and one-half to the wife. A. L. Morgan, Esq., as guardian ad litem, on behalf of the minor children, filed a similar petition in the probate court asking that one-half of said estate be distributed to the children. The probate court denied the petition of the appellant asking that all of the property be set aside to her and thereafter distributed the personal property of said deceased, one-half to the children of the deceased and one-half to the appellant.

An appeal was thereafter taken to the district court, and upon a hearing the order of the probate court distributing the estate was affirmed, and from the judgment entered this appeal is taken.

There is but one question in this case, which involves the law governing the devolution of community property upon the decease of one of the spouses, regardless of his or her residence; or, in other words, shall the community personal property of a deceased husband or wife, situated and being [232]*232within the state of Idaho, be distributed according to the laws of Idaho or according to the laws of the domicile of the deceased, in this case the domicile being the state of Washington ?

The property here involved is admitted to be personal, community property, and was situated within the state of Idaho at the time of the death of Gutches.

It is contended by counsel for appellant that under the provisions of sec. 5713, Rev. Codes, as amended by Sess. Laws 1911, p. 29, that the succession of community property situated in the state of Idaho is positively fixed, and that all personal property of the deceased must be distributed to the heirs ;of the deceased in accordance with the laws of- this state.

It is claimed by counsel for respondent that such property should be distributed according to the laws of the state of Washington, for the reason that the deceased resided at the time of his death in that state, and it is contended that the common law relative to the distribution of personal property of a deceased person prevails in this state, and that the succession to the estate follows the laws of the domicile at the time of the death. Counsel for respondent concedes the common-law rule as above stated, but contends that it has no application to said community property.

Said sec. 5713 as amended by Sess. Laws 1911, p. 29, is as follows:

“Upon the death of either husband or wife, one-half of all the community property shall go to the survivor, subject to the community debts, and the other half shall be subject to the testamentary disposition of the deceased husband or wife, in favor only of his, her or their children or a parent of either spouse, subject also to the community debts, provided that not more than one-half of the decedent’s half of the community property may be left by will to a parent or parents. In case no such testamentary disposition shall have been made by the deceased husband or wife of his -or her half of the community property, it shall go to the survivor, subject to the community debts, the family allowance and the charges [233]*233and expenses of administration; Provided, however, That no administration of the estate of the wife shall be necessary if she dies intestate.”

This section must be construed with other sections of the statute in regard to descent and distribution of the property of a deceased person, and sec. 5628, Rev. Codes, provides for the settlement of ancillary administration. Said section is as follows:

“Upon application for distribution, after final settlement of the accounts of administration, if the decedent was a nonresident of this state, leaving a will which has been duly proved or allowed in the state of his residence, and an authenticated copy thereof has been admitted to probate in this state, and it is necessary, in order that the estate or any part thereof may be distributed according to the will, that the estate in this state should be delivered to the executor or administrator in the state or place of his residence, the court may order such delivery to be made, and if necessary, order a sale of the real estate, and a like delivery of the proceeds. The delivery, in accordance with the order of the court, is a full discharge of the executor or administrator with the will annexed, in this state, in relation to all property embraced in such order which, unless reversed on appeal, binds and concludes all parties in interest. Sales of real estate ordered by virtue of this section, must be made in the same manner as other sales of real estate of decedents by order of the probate court. ’ ’

It is provided by sec. 3095, Rev. Codes, as follows: “If there is no law to the contrary in the place where personal property is situated, it is deemed to follow the person of its owner and is governed by the law of his domicile.” Anri the general rule is that the succession to, and disposition and distribution of, personal property, wherever situated, is governed by the lex domicilii of the owner or intestate at the time of his death, without regard to the location of the property or the place of his death. (See 14 Oye., p. 21, and authorities there cited.)

[234]*234But it is contended by counsel for appellant that said sec. 5713, as amended, changes that general rule and that said section establishes a rule contrary to the general law. We are not in accord with that contention.

Said sec. 5628 is identical with sec. 1667 of the Code of Civil Procedure of California, and in the case of Estate of Apple, 66 Cal. 432, 6 Pac.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
158 P. 326, 29 Idaho 228, 1916 Ida. LEXIS 75, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/vansickle-v-hazeltine-idaho-1916.