Witteman v. Dunkle

254 N.E.2d 345, 21 Ohio St. 2d 3, 50 Ohio Op. 2d 2, 1969 Ohio LEXIS 284
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 31, 1969
DocketNo. 69-11
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 254 N.E.2d 345 (Witteman v. Dunkle) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Witteman v. Dunkle, 254 N.E.2d 345, 21 Ohio St. 2d 3, 50 Ohio Op. 2d 2, 1969 Ohio LEXIS 284 (Ohio 1969).

Opinion

Taft, C. J.

The first question raised is whether a devise of “all * * * my real property” to named individuals represents a specific devise of that property to them within the meaning of Section 2113.38, Revised Code.

A specific devise may be defined as a devise of part or all of or an interest in some particular real estate described by the will so as to identify it from real estate generally. See In re Estate of Mellott (1954), 162 Ohio St. 113, 121 N. E. 2d 7, defining a specific legacy.

Also, it may be that a so-called demonstrative legacy will result in creating what amounts to a specific devise, as where a sum of money is bequeathed and the will makes it a charge against specifically identified real estate so that the legacy is equivalent to a devise of a part of the specifically identified real estate. See Glass v. Dunn (1867), 17 Ohio St. 413, 424.

Neither Item 3 nor any portion of the will in the instant case describes any particular real estate so as to identify it from real estate generally. The devise under this will is what is ordinarily referred to as a general devise. It is the converse of a specific devise. The fact that the testator owned only one parcel of real estate will not cause her devise of “all” her real property to be a specific devise.

However, the Common Pleas Court held, and appellant contends, that a reading of the statute as a whole discloses that the words “specifically devised” should be construed to include every kind of devise other than a “residuary devise.”

Jp our opinion, it is not necessary to consider whether' [8]*8this contention is sound because the devise of real estate in the instant case is substantially equivalent to a residuary devise.

A residuary devise is a devise of the residue of the testator’s real property. The residue is that real property of the testator which remains after a part of his real property has been disposed of. If there is no devise of any real property by a testator except a devise of “all of my real property,” as in this case, such devise is the substantial equivalent of and amounts to a residuary devise of the testator’s real property.

It may be observed that ordinarily a residuary devise will be a general, as distinguished from a specific, devise of real property. But compare In re Estate of Mellott, supra (162 Ohio St. 113), holding that a residuary bequest may be specific in nature. Certainly, there is nothing in the devise in the instant case to indicate that it is specific in any respect.

Appellant contends further that the right of a surviving spouse to purchase real estate at its appraised value under Section 2113.38, Revised Code, is a personal right which terminates upon the death of the surviving spouse before execution and delivery of a deed to such spouse from the executor or administrator. In the instant case, the surviving spouse died before execution of such a deed to him.

In support of this contention, it is pointed out that the statute provides for execution and delivery of a deed “to the spouse,” and does not mention his heirs, successors or assigns.

This was, in effect, the holding of a Probate Court in 1947. Jewel v. Chiles, 37 O. O. 33, 79 N. E. 2d 710. However, in 1949, the General Assembly added the following language to the statute:

“The death of the surviving spouse prior to the filing of the court’s entry fixing the terms of payment for property elected to be purchased shall nullify the election 'with respect thereto. Such property, whether real or personal, shall thereafter be free of the right granted in this section,”

[9]*9In our opinion, the addition of this statutory language indicates a legislative intention that, where a valid judgment entry has been made in favor of the petition of a surviving spouse to purchase an interest in real estate pursuant to Section 2113.38, Bevised Code, and fixing the terms of payment therefor, the subsequent death of that spouse will not nullify the right to purchase on those terms.

Appellant next contends that, prior to the death of the surviving spouse on August 9, 1968, there was no valid judgment entry fixing the terms of payment for the real estate that the surviving spouse had elected to purchase.

The judgment of the Probate Court, entered in 1966, did fix the terms of payment for the property which the surviving spouse had elected to purchase.

An appeal from that judgment on questions of law and fact was taken pursuant to Section 2101.42, Bevised Code, to the Common Pleas Court. The record discloses that the only question presented on that appeal was whether the real property involved had been ‘ ‘ specifically devised” within the meaning of those words as used in Section 2113.38, Bevised Code. No question was raised in the Common Pleas Court with respect to the terms for payment fixed by the Probate Court. The 1967 judgment entry of the Common Pleas Court found that the real property involved had been “specifically devised” within the purview of the language of Section 2113.38, Bevised Code, dismissed the petition of the surviving spouse to elect to purchase and remanded the cause to the Probate Court for further action consistent with its judgment.

An appeal on questions of law was taken to the Court of Appeals from that judgment of the Common Pleas Court. On July 30, 1968, shortly before the death of the surviving spouse, the Court of Appeals rendered an opinion (15 Ohio App. 2d 126, 239 N. E. 2d 107), concluding that “the judgment of the Common Pleas Court will be reversed, and the cause will be remanded to the Probate Court for further proceedings.” However, the judgment of the Court of Appeals, providing for reversal and remand, was not entered until after the death of the surviving spouse.

[10]*10It is apparent therefore that the question whether there was a valid judgment “entry fixing the terms of payment for property elected to be purchased” before the death of the surviving spouse, depends upon whether the Court of Appeals judgment after that death represents a determination as to the validity, from the time of its entry, of the Probate Court entry of 1966 which did fix those terms of payment.

The appeal from the Probate Court to the Common Pleas Court was authorized by the portion of Section 2101.42, Revised Code, which reads:

“# * * If a record has not been taken at the hearing of any matter before the Probate Court so that a bill of exceptions may be prepared * * * then an appeal on questions of law and fact may be taken to the Court of Common Pleas from any order, decision, or judgment of the Probate Court, by a person against whom it is made or whom it affects, in the manner provided for the prosecution of such appeal from the Court of Common Pleas to the Court of Appeals.”

The manner so provided is specified in Chapter 2505 of the Revised Code.

Section 2505.06, Revised Code, provides that “no appeal shall be effective as an appeal upon questions of law and fact until the order, judgment, or decree appealed from is superseded by a bond in the amount and with the conditions provided in Sections 2505.09 and 2505.14 * #

Section 2505.09, Revised Code, provides that “no appeal shall operate as a stay of execution * * * until a supersedeas bond is executed * *

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
254 N.E.2d 345, 21 Ohio St. 2d 3, 50 Ohio Op. 2d 2, 1969 Ohio LEXIS 284, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/witteman-v-dunkle-ohio-1969.