Village of Indian Hill v. Atkins

90 N.E.2d 161, 57 Ohio Law. Abs. 210, 1949 Ohio App. LEXIS 848
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 5, 1949
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 90 N.E.2d 161 (Village of Indian Hill v. Atkins) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Village of Indian Hill v. Atkins, 90 N.E.2d 161, 57 Ohio Law. Abs. 210, 1949 Ohio App. LEXIS 848 (Ohio Ct. App. 1949).

Opinion

OPINION

By ROSS, PJ.

This is an appeal on questions of law from a judgment of the Probate Court of Hamilton County.

Charles H. M. Atkins died April 14, 1947. His will was admitted to probate in the Probate Court of Hamilton County. Application was made by decedent’s son, Warner L. Atkins, to the Probate Court to fix and determine inheritance taxes. The son therein gave the decedent’s residence as Cincinnati. The taxes were found by the Court to have originated in the City of Cincinnati, and pursuant to law the Treasurer of Hamilton County was ordered to distribute one-half of the amount paid out of the estate to that city.

The proceeding upon which this appeal is predicated was commenced by the Village of Indian Hill. The purpose of the proceeding was to secure a reversal of the former order of distribution of the Probate Court, and an order distributing the one-half of taxes paid by the estate to the Village of Indian Hill. This is to be effected, so far as this proceeding is concerned, by direct claim against the City of Cincinnati, as for money had and received to the use of the petitioner. In view of the conclusions reached, the propriety of so attacking the recipient of the pro-rata share claimed by appellant is passed without comment or approval.

The prayer for relief was predicated upon the allegation that the decedent at his death resided and was domiciled in the Village of Indian Hill, and not the City of Cincinnati.

In the brief of the appellant, the Village of Indian Hill, it is stated “The City of Cincinnati answered and is the only party presently interested in the case.”

The court, upon request, made separate findings of fact, and conclusions of law, and entered judgment against the petitioner-appellant.

The inheritance taxes involved were based upon two types of assets of the estate — (1) intangibles, (2) personal property located within the limits of the Village of Indian Hill. This [212]*212situation presents two independent questions, which will be considered separately herein.

The first problem concerns that illusive element — domicil.

From the evidence, it is clear that the decedent lived, yes, resided for some time prior to his death in a residence located in the Village of Indian Hill. This was his principal place of abode and all the incidents of residence attach to his life in the Village. The title to the property was held by a family holding corporation. The decedent occupied the premises with his wife and son. His wife died shortly after residence was taken in Indian Hill. The decedent and his unmarried son continued to remain in the family home until the decedent’s death. At the same time during this entire-period the decedent owned a large interest in a family hotel in the City of Cincinnati, known as the Vernon Manor, in which the decedent and his wife had lived for some time previous to moving to Indian Hill, and after a long permanent residence in a home in the City of Cincinnati which was. sold.

The decedent at various times stayed for varying periods, especially in the winter, in the Vernon Manor. No particular-room was reserved for his use. The Indian Hill home was. considered by all as the permanent residence of the son, and the decedent stated when the son married, he, the decedent,, would return to Cincinnati. The decedent did not always, use the Vernon Manor for temporary residence, but also, availed himself of the use of various clubs in the City of Cincinnati, of which Clubs he was a member. The decedent’s: business was located in Cincinnati. He was for many years, recognized as one of that city’s prominent business men and was active in its economic and social life up to the time of his death.

Now there can be no question regardless of any evidence-of residence in Indian Hill that the decedent expressed a continuing determination that Cincinnati was and should: continue to be- his domicil. He stated he made his money there and wanted a say in its government. He consistently,, without interruption, voted in the city. He said he wanted no part of the government of Indian Hill, and that he did' not like the way it was governed. In every way that the-decedent could, by declaration, he asserted Cincinnati was. his home.

The appellant village asserts that conclusive- facts against such determination constituting a bona fide legal domicil' are: (1) that the servants of the Indian Hill house were-hired, paid, and given instructions by the decedent; (2) that his stays in Cincinnati were prompted only by his: [213]*213convenience; (3) that decedent repeatedly referred to the village residence as his home; (4) that he gave such residence when applying for ration books; (5) that decedent affirmed under oath in securing automobile and truck registration licenses that the Indian Hill home was his residence for such tax purposes; and (6) that other persons including his son stated that the Indian Hill home was his residence.

These facts present this question: Can one live or reside in one place and have a bona ñde intention that another place shall be his domicil?

The evidence in this case conclusively shows that the decedent did entertain a bona fide intention that the City of Cincinnati should be his domicil and entertained such firm resolve at the time of his death. The evidence is also conclusive that no specific spot in the City of Cincinnati was held by decedent as a permanent residence, unless a general attachment to and interest in the Vernon Manor may be considered so. For some purposes, the decedent even used his office in the City of Cincinnati as a reference for certain residence requirements.

Authorities pro and con have been cited, with the claim that they are dispositive of the problems here presented. Upon examination, in almost every case, it will be found that the question presented is whether the person involved could have entertained a bona fide intent of domicil in the presence of facts indicating the contrary. In the instant case, the evidence is overwhelming that the decedent did possess up to the time of his death a bona fide intent that Cincinnati should continue to be his domicil and even his home. It is also clear that decedent attached no permanence to his residence in Indian Hill and planned returning to Cincinnati as soon as his son .was married.

Do the facts presented prevent giving effect to such purpose and intent?

At the outset it is to be borne in mind that the decedent had a fixed domicil and legal residence in Cincinnati, and it is the contention of the village that decedent changed that legal residence and domicil and fixed Indian Hill as a new legal residence and domicil.

When a person’s legal residence is once fixed, as it was in the case of decedent in Cincinnati, it requires both fact and intention to change it. Denny v. Sumner County, 134 Tenn. 468, 184 S. W. 14, L. R. A. 1917A, 285. Section 17 Am. Jur. “Domicil,” Section 16, p. 599.

“In other words, to effect a change of domicil from one locality, state, or country to another, there must be an [214]*214actual abandonment of the first domicil, coupled with an intention not to return to it, and there must be a new domicil acquired by actual residence in another place or jurisdiction, with the intention of making the last acquired residence a permanent home. Moreover, the acts of the person must correspond with such purpose.

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Bluebook (online)
90 N.E.2d 161, 57 Ohio Law. Abs. 210, 1949 Ohio App. LEXIS 848, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/village-of-indian-hill-v-atkins-ohioctapp-1949.