Wilson v. American Tobacco Co.

301 P.2d 158, 49 Wash. 2d 312, 1956 Wash. LEXIS 272
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 13, 1956
DocketNo. 33379
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 301 P.2d 158 (Wilson v. American Tobacco Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wilson v. American Tobacco Co., 301 P.2d 158, 49 Wash. 2d 312, 1956 Wash. LEXIS 272 (Wash. 1956).

Opinion

Finley, J.

Jasper H. Ludwig, a resident of Nebraska, died intestate therein on December 16, 1952. His widow, Eva C. Ludwig, instituted probate proceedings in Nebraska.

On December 14, 1954, H. C. Wilson, a resident of King county, Washington, petitioned the superior court of that county for letters of administration respecting the above-entitled estate. Apparently, he did this by virtue of a telegram purporting to be from Mrs. Eva C. Ludwig and purporting to authorize Mr. Wilson

“. . . to appoint an administrator for the estate of Jasper H Ludwig and commence suit against tobacco companies for damages ...”

[313]*313Judge Douglas, of the superior court for King county, appointed H. C. Wilson as administrator of the Ludwig estate, and letters of administration were issued to him. On the following day, H. C. Wilson, as administrator, commenced an action in the district court of the United States against the tobacco companies involved in this case, seeking to recover damages in the amount of fifty-eight thousand dollars, claimed under the Nebraska statute for the alleged wrongful death of Jasper H. Ludwig. The decedent had never been a resident of the state of Washington. With the possible exception of the alleged cause of action against the tobacco companies relative to wrongful death under the Nebraska statute, no property of decedent was situated in Washington at the time of his death.

On February 1,1955, the tobacco companies, defendants in the above-mentioned action in Federal court, filed a petition in King county superior court to revoke the letters of administration issued to H. C. Wilson. Their primary contention for revocation of the letters was that no property of the decedent was within the jurisdiction of the Washington court; that the assumption of jurisdiction by the probate department of such court contravened the established policy of the laws of this state, as announced in the case of In re Yarbrough’s Estate, 126 Wash. 85,- 216 Pac. 889, 222 Pac. 902. The petitioners also contended that Mr. Wilson had not filed an administrator’s bond and had not given notice, as required by the probate statutes of Washington.

At a further hearing on the matter before Judge Wright of the King county superior court, an order was signed, revoking the letters of administration and dismissing the probate proceedings. The reasons given by Judge Wright in support of his action are expressed in his finding of fact No. 7 and his conclusions of law Nos. 1 through 5. These read:

Findings of Fact:

“7. No property of the said decedent is now, or ever has been, within the jurisdiction of this court.”

[314]*314Conclusions of Law:

“1. As a matter of policy, as was announced in the case of In re Yarbrough’s Estate, 126 Wash. 85, 216 Pac. 889 (1923), affirmed on rehearing en banc, 126 Wash. 90, 222 Pac. 902 (1924), to allow this probate proceeding under the facts herein found is so liable to abuse and confusion that the parties should not be allowed the use of the probate courts of this state.
“2. This court has no jurisdiction to appoint H. C. Wilson as administrator of the estate of the above-named decedent.
“3. A bond should have been filed in this proceeding by H. C. Wilson, as required by law.
“4. Notice of the hearing upon the petition of said H. C. Wilson for the appointment of himself as administrator should have been given and posted as required by law.
“5. The order appointing said H. C. Wilson as administrator of the estate of Jasper H. Ludwig, deceased, should be vacated and set aside and the letters of administration granted to H. C. Wilson should be revoked and the above-entitled probate proceedings dismissed.”

H. C. Wilson is now attempting to appeal from the order revoking the letters of administration and dismissing the probate proceedings. His assignments of error relate to the above finding of fact and the above conclusions of law.

The respondent tobacco companies have moved to dismiss the appeal upon the ground that the appellant has no appealable interest and is not a “party aggrieved” by the order of the probate court within the purview of Rule on Appeal 14, 34A Wn. (2d) 20. In support of their motion to dismiss the appeal, the respondents rely on Cairns v. Donahey, 59 Wash. 130, 109 Pac. 334, and State ex rel. Simeon v. Superior Court, 20 Wn. (2d) 88) 145 P. (2d) 1017.

In the Simeon case, the relator was removed as administrator of an estate, and another person was appointed to succeed him. The court held that the person so removed was not “aggrieved,” under the applicable rule of procedure and was not entitled to have the order of removal reviewed through appeal or by writ of review. In so holding, the court quoted from and relied on the applicable principles announced in the Cairns case. The Cairns case involved an appeal by an administrator from an order removing him, [315]*315admitting a will to probate, and appointing an executor of the will. The appeal was dismissed on the ground that the removed administrator had no appealable interest. The Cairns decision points out that the administrator was not asserting any personal claim for compensation that might be due for services rendered prior to his removal.

In the present case, appellant attempts to distinguish the Simeon and Cairns cases. It is true that the probate proceedings were not terminated in either of these cases, whereas in the instant case the appellant was removed as administrator and, in addition, the probate proceedings were dismissed or terminated.

Appellant contends that his removal and the termination of the probate proceedings will be fatal to the wrongful-death action instituted by him in Federal court; that the end result will be a diminution of the estate of the decedent. He urges that in connection with this appeal he is acting as a statutory trustee in behalf of beneficiaries under the Nebraska wrongful-death statute; that this constitutes him an “aggrieved party,” with an appealable interest; in other words, that this appeal should not be dismissed and that the action of the -probate court should be reversed to prevent diminution of the estate of the decedent — that is, to permit the continuance of the wrongful-death action in the Federal court.

This assumes that continuance of the ancillary proceedings in this state, and reinstatement of appellant as administrator, are necessary prerequisites to the maintenance of the action in the Federal court. These assumptions are not sound. As to a wrongful-death action, the Nebraska statute (2 Rev. Stat. of Nebraska (1943) 1372, § 30-810) provides:

“. . . Every such action,.... shall be commenced within two years after the death of such person. It shall be brought by and in the name of his personal representatives, for the exclusive benefit of the widow or widower and next of kin. . . . Provided, such amount [received in settlement, or recovered by judgment] shall not be subject to any claims against the estate of such decedent.” (Italics ours.)

[316]*316Numerous cases and authorities clearly hold that a domiciliary administrator

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Related

In Re Ludwig's Estate
301 P.2d 158 (Washington Supreme Court, 1956)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
301 P.2d 158, 49 Wash. 2d 312, 1956 Wash. LEXIS 272, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wilson-v-american-tobacco-co-wash-1956.