Webb v. Still

49 P. 463, 117 Cal. 509, 1897 Cal. LEXIS 692
CourtCalifornia Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 8, 1897
DocketS. F. No. 650
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 49 P. 463 (Webb v. Still) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Webb v. Still, 49 P. 463, 117 Cal. 509, 1897 Cal. LEXIS 692 (Cal. 1897).

Opinion

Searls, C.

This is an appeal from an order of the probate court in and for the city and county of San Francisco, setting apart to Samuel W. Still, the infant son of Alden P. Still and Grace U. Still, his wife, as a homestead a lot of land, with the dwelling-house thereon, situated on Twenty-fourth street, city and county of San Francisco, of the value of say two thousand dollars.

It appears from the bill of exceptions that Alden P. Still died intestate at the city and county of San Francisco June 30, 1885, leaving him surviving Grace U. Still, his widow, and three minor children, viz., John P. Still, then of the age of twelve years, Lottie L. Still, of the age of nine years, and Samuel W. Still, then of the age of eight years, all of whom are of legal age except Samuel W. Still.

The widow, Grace U. Still, was appointed administratrix of the estate, which was appraised at two thousand one hundred dollars. The residence of the family, which is the property herein set aside as a homestead, was appraised at fifteen hundred dollars. The widow and her children continued to reside in the family home.

In March, 1886, the administratrix applied for, and obtained, an order for the sale of all the real property of the estate. Certain other real property was sold for six hundred dollars, but the home place was not sold.

In January, 1886, the administratrix procured an order from the court for a family allowance of one hundred dollars per month, to commence June 30, 1886, none of which, so far as appears, has been paid, and it is claimed there is now due on account thereof the sum of say, eleven thousand dollars.

[511]*511The administratrix also paid costs of administration, taxes, insurance, etc., amounting to about eight hundred and twenty-six dollars, and it was claimed there was due her as commissions the further sum of one hundred and forty-five dollars. Her total receipts were five hundred and ninety-two dollars.

Grace U. Still, the administratrix, intermarried with William Webb, the appellant herein, June 15, 1888. After this marriage appellant herein and his wife and her children lived in the home aforesaid, rent free, until February 8, 1895, when the said Grace U. Webb (formerly Grace U. Still), administratrix, died intestate. Appellant herein was duly appointed administrator of her estate.

Said Grace U. Still never rendered any account of her administration of the estate of said Alden P. Still, deceased. The homestead property herein was the community property of said Alden P. Still and Grace, his wife, upon which they resided and had their home at the date of the death of said Alden P. Still.

No homestead was ever selected, declared, or recorded by Still or his wife during their lives, and none has been selected since until as herein stated. The applicant, Samuel W. SM11, in whose favor the homestead was set apart, was, at the date of the order, of the age of nineteen years and over. The points made by appellant in favor of reversal are: 1. That as a family allowance was made by the court to Grace U. Still, the widow, which was never paid, and, as such widow supported the infant children, to allow a homestead would result in withdrawing the whole estate from administration, the court had no power to set apart the homestead; 2. The premises set apart constituted the only means for the payment of expenses of administration, etc., incurred by the widow as administratrix, to 'which she was entitled before the court could rightfully set apart the homestead; 3. The application for a homestead came too late; 4. The premises sought to be made a homestead, being community property, subject only to the [512]*512payment of expenses of administration, the family allowance and debts of the intestate, the widow, Grace U. Still, became vested with an undivided one-half of said premises, subject to such debts, expenses, and charges, and, as a tenant in common with the children, her one-half interest in the estate could not be divested by making it a homestead.

First, then, as to the effect of the family allowance upon the right of the court to set aside the homestead.

The Code of Civil Procedure, section 1464, provides that when a person dies leaving a widow or minor children, the widow or children, until letters are granted and the inventory is returned, are entitled to a reasonable provision for their support, to be allowed by the superior court or a judge thereof.

Section 1466 of the same code provides that, if the amount thus set apart by the preceding sections be insufficient for the support of the widow and children, or either, the court, or a judge thereof, must make such reasonable allowance out of the estate as shall be necessary for the maintenance of the family, according to their circumstances, during the progress of the settlement of the estate, which, in case of an insolvent estate, must not be longer than one year after granting letters, etc.

The following section makes such allowance a preferred charge against the estate, except as against funeral charges and expenses of administration.

The provision in section 1466, that “if the amount set apart be insufficient,” etc., evidently refers to not only the allowance provided by section 1464, but also by section 1465, which provides that “upon the return of the inventory, or at any subsequent time during the administration, the court may, on its own motion, or on petition therefor, set apart for the use of the surviving husband or wife, or, in case of his or her death, to the minor children of the decedent, all the property exempt from execution, including the homestead, selected, designated, and recorded . . . . ; if none has been selected [513]*513. . . . the court must select, designate, and set apart, and cause to be recorded, a homestead for the use of the surviving husband or wife and thé minor children; or, if there be no surviving husband or wife, then for the use of the minor children, .... out of the common property,” etc.

The legislative will, as expressed in the several sections of the code, is: 1. Provisions for the maintenance of the family, if such there be, “until letters are granted and the inventory is returned.” 2. Upon the return of the inventory, or at any time thereafter during the administration, the court may (and this phrase has been held to mean must; Estate of Ballentine, 45 Cal. 696), on its own motion or on petition, set apart for the use of the family all the property exempt from execution and the homestead, if one has been selected and recorded. If no homestead has been selected and recorded, etc., the court must select, designate, set apart, and cause to be recorded, a homestead for the surviving husband or wife and the minor children, and if there be no husband or wife, then for the use of the minor children. 3. If the amount thus set apart be insufficient for the support of the family, then, and then only, the court is required to make such reasonable allowance out of the estate as shall be necessary. Evidently, as we think, it was not the legislative intent to make the subsequent allowance which might become necessary a charge or lien upon the exempt or homestead property which the court is required to set apart to the family.

This should, in regular order, be set apart at once upon the coming in of the inventory showing its existence; but, if not then done, it may be done at any subsequent time during administration.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
49 P. 463, 117 Cal. 509, 1897 Cal. LEXIS 692, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/webb-v-still-cal-1897.