Watts v. Campbell

450 P.2d 203
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedMay 20, 1966
DocketNo. 40980
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 450 P.2d 203 (Watts v. Campbell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Watts v. Campbell, 450 P.2d 203 (Okla. 1966).

Opinions

PER CURIAM.

This is an appeal of first impression involving the construction of 58 O.S.1961, § 896, which permits the nomination of a guardian by a person under certain limitations.

The facts presenting the issues are hereafter set out.

[205]*205On July 30, 1963, applicant, John D. Campbell, was adjudicated incompetent and N. L. Dillow was appointed guardian of his person and estate by the County Court of Oklahoma County.

On October 4, 1963, applicant filed application for restoration, which the County Judge of Oklahoma County treated as an application to transfer the cause to Seminole County. The matter was ordered reset and new notices were issued to reflect that further hearing was for the determination of transfer of the guardianship to another county. On November 14, 1963, and without protest, the County Court transferred the guardianship proceedings to Seminole County.

On November 27, 1963, an application was filed in the County Court of Seminole County asking removal of Dillow as guardian, and in the prayer for relief also asked to be allowed to nominate a guardian of his own choice. To this application the attorneys for Dillow demurred.

After hearing on the applicant’s motion, the County Judge on December 19, 1963, sustained Dillow’s demurrer on the ground this issue was “not properly triable” by that court, and upon its own motion the court appointed Earl Watts, respondent herein, as co-guardian to serve with N. L. Dillow. The applicant, through his attorney, took exception to this order and reflected his notice of appeal.

Applicant, by his next friend, perfected his appeal on issues of law and fact.

Trial de novo was heard before the Superior Court. Applicant announced the purpose of the hearing was for the removal of Dillow as his guardian. The attorney for Dillow notified the court of Dillow’s prior resignation as guardian and that the resignation was then on file in the County Court. Applicant then urged that in the motion to remove the guardian he also had asked specifically for the right to nominate a guardian of his choice. No name was offered or submitted by applicant, the only contention being that he had the right to nominate a guardian. Applicant conceded there had been no nomination presented in the County Court nor did he attempt to designate one in the Superi- or Court.

The issue rested squarely on the applicant’s right under the facts presented to make a binding nomination in the County Court of a guardian of his choice.

On appeal to the Superior Court the evidence went to prove that the applicant was competent to nominate a guardian or co-guardian, to which the respondent excepted, moved dismissal of the appeal, demurred to the evidence, and rested.

The Superior Court found the applicant mentally competent to nominate a guardian of his choice and remanded the cause back to the County Court for further proceedings consistent with its judgment. From the order overruling respondent’s motion for a new trial, respondent appeals.

Since this is a matter of first impression concerning 58 O.S.1961, § 896, we must place a construction thereon which is in harmony with other statutes related to the subject, unless other statutes are repugnant, or incapable of being construed together.

A cardinal principle of statutory construction is that where the language of a statute is plain and unambiguous and the meaning clear and unmistakable, there is no room for construction, and no justification exists for interpretative devices to fabricate a different meaning. State ex rel. Ogden v. Hunt, Okl., 286 P.2d 1088; Hines v. Winters, Okl., 320 P.2d 1114. A further requisite is that different legislative enactments dealing with the same subject must be construed together as a harmonious whole so as to give effect to each. Letteer v. Conservancy Dist., etc., Okl., 385 P.2d 796.

As we view section 896 the meaning and intent are clear. The plain wording of the statute leaves little for interpretation. Let us examine the language of [206]*206the statute by deleting certain words, as follows:

“Every person eighteen .* * * or older who is of sound mind * * * may, * * * in the same manner as provided for the execution of wills, nominate a guardian * * *, which nomination shall, in the event of incompetency of said person, be binding on any court * *

This statute simply permits a person over the age of eighteen and in sound mind, who does not have a guardian at the time, to make a nomination of a guardian which will be binding upon the court having jurisdiction of such person, when and' if this person subsequently becomes incompetent. The procedure for making such nomination legally recognizable requires nomination in the same manner as a testator in executing a will. Proof of the nomination must be accomplished in the same manner as a will is proved after the testator’s demise. These requisites are nothing more than the mechanical steps by which validity of the nomination is determined. The fact that capacity to make a legally recognizable nomination of a guardian is measured by the same requirements as capacity to make a will cannot reasonably be read into the statute as a grant of authority permitting an adult incompetent to nominate his guardian.

The plain language of the statute contemplates incompetency arising after such nomination is made. The statute, supra, does not provide for a binding nomination after a person has been adjudged incompetent and a guardian appointed, and cannot be so construed. The statutory construction urged by the applicant would result in serious conflict with other settled law, and produce the absurd consequences creating the confusion enjoined in Forston v. Heisler, Okl., 341 P.2d 242. Such a construction necessarily would conflict with numerous other statutes which circumscribe the limits of the relationship of guardian and ward.

The limitation of 58 O.S.1961, § 771, provides:

“The guardianship which is first lawfully granted, of any person residing without this State, extends to all the estate of the ward within the same, and excludes the jurisdiction of the county court of every other county.”

This statute was construed in Powers v. Brown, Co. Judge, 122 Okl. 40, 252 P. 27, and the following rule was stated in syllabus 1:

“Where the county court of one county has found as a fact and there judicially determined the jurisdictional facts necessary to proceedings in the appointment of a guardian of the person and estate of minors, and has by order appointed a guardian for such minors, the jurisdiction thus acquired is exclusive, and such an order appointing such guardian is a bar to guardianship proceedings in another county court of this state.”

Where, as in this case, the ward or some person purportedly acting in his behalf desires to remove a guardian, or replace a proper guardian for any of a variety of reasons, this result can be achieved by prevailing upon the incompetent to “nominate” a guardian of the ward’s presumed choice.

58 O.S.1961, § 772, provides:

“The court in its discretion, whenever necessary, may appoint more than one guardian of any person subject to guardianship, who must give bond and be governed and liable in all respects as a sole guardian.”

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In Re Guardianship of Campbell
1966 OK 99 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1966)

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Bluebook (online)
450 P.2d 203, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/watts-v-campbell-okla-1966.