{ "id": 8653325, "name": "JENNIE LEE REES et al., Ex Parte", "name_abbreviation": "Ex Parte Rees", "decision_date": "1920-10-13", "docket_number": "", "first_page": "192", "last_page": "194", "citations": [ { "type": "official", "cite": "180 N.C. 192" } ], "court": { "name_abbreviation": "N.C.", "id": 9292, "name": "Supreme Court of North Carolina" }, "jurisdiction": { "id": 5, "name_long": "North Carolina", "name": "N.C." }, "cites_to": [ { "cite": "179 N. C., 51", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C.", "pin_cites": [ { "page": "53" } ], "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "177 N. C., 455", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C.", "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "175 N. C., 48", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C.", "opinion_index": 0 }, { "cite": "172 N. C., 470", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C.", "case_ids": [ 11254290 ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc/172/0470-01" ] }, { "cite": "165 N. C., 201", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C.", "case_ids": [ 8658344 ], "weight": 2, "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc/165/0201-01" ] }, { "cite": "164 N. C., 128", "category": "reporters:state", "reporter": "N.C.", "case_ids": [ 8656673 ], "opinion_index": 0, "case_paths": [ "/nc/164/0128-01" ] } ], "analysis": { "cardinality": 433, "char_count": 7873, "ocr_confidence": 0.448, "pagerank": { "raw": 5.43440663671353e-08, "percentile": 0.34217284482608834 }, "sha256": "ea8a05776828bb22f282539fe4eaa7999764c3a3399202db97285f01c49d0b6e", "simhash": "1:ae78a10cd8f45e28", "word_count": 1395 }, "last_updated": "2023-07-14T14:30:08.757715+00:00", "provenance": { "date_added": "2019-08-29", "source": "Harvard", "batch": "2018" }, "casebody": { "judges": [], "parties": [ "JENNIE LEE REES et al., Ex Parte." ], "opinions": [ { "text": "Clark, C. J.\nJennie L. Lee devised the property in question to her daughter Jennie (now Mrs. Eees), with limitation that if she should \u201cdie leaving issue surviving her, then to such issue and their heirs forever,\u201d but if she \u201cshall die without issue surviving her, then the property to return to my eldest daughter.\u201d In Rees v. Williams, 164 N. C., 128, the Court construing this devise, held that the vesting of the estate in remainder depended upon the contingency of the death of the devisee without leaving issue surviving her, and hence during her lifetime she could not convey an indefeasible title, for should she die, leaving issue, the title would vest in them. This case was before us on rehearing (Rees v. Williams, 165 N. C., 201), and was reaffirmed. It has been cited and approved in the cases cited to Rees v. Williams, 165 N. C., 201, in Anno. Ed., and more recently, in Jenkins v. Lambeth, 172 N. C., 470; Whitfield v. Douglass, 175 N. C., 48, and cases there cited; Kirkman v. Smith, ib., 582; Patterson v. McCormick, 177 N. C., 455, and at last term in Thompson v. Humphrey, 179 N. C., 51, 53; Love v. Love, ib., 117, and Jarman v. Day, ib., 319. Mrs. Eees has since obtained from her sister, Mrs. Schlesinger and husband, and from her brother, Harry Eees and wife, conveyances of their interests.\nHarry Lee, the brother of Mrs. Eees, and his two infant children; also the two infant children of Mrs. Schlesinger, and the infant child \u2022of' Mrs. Eees, are made parties, the infants appearing by next friend, duly appointed. Thus all the classes who could participate as heirs at law of Mrs. Eees are represented. She resides in Annapolis, Md., and her only brother, Harry Lee, in Ealeigh, N. C. The petition concurred in by all parties represents that W. H. Pitman has offered $8,500 for the property; that the house is dilapidated; that the necessary repairs, taxes, and insurance nearly absorb the entire rental; that the property is located in an undesirable locality, where it is not likely to advance in value; that $8,500 is a fair and full price, and that the best interests of all parties, including the infants, demand a sale of the property and the acceptance of the offer of W. H. Pitman. The Court found all the above allegations to be true, and approved the sale to ~W. H. Pitman at the price named, who has declined to pay his bid upon the ground that the commissioner cannot make a good and indefeasible title. The Court held that the commissioner could convey a good and indefeasible title to the property, and adjudged that the purchaser pay the sum bid by him.\nThis Court approves the order of the court below directing the sale and the acceptance of the bid of W. H. Pitman and the execution of the deed to him upon the payment of the purchase-money, which he is adjudged to make, and approves the judgment that the commissioner\u2019s deed will convey an indefeasible title, and the judgment directing the proceeds less $25 allowed the next friend for his services as such, and for executing the deed to Pitman as commissioner, to wit: the sum of $8,475 shall be paid into the office of the clerk of the Superior Court, subject to the. further orders of the court.\nThe decree, however, further finds that \u201cthe present worth of the life estate of the said Mrs. Rees is $7,300,\u201d and directs this sum to be \u201cpaid over to her as her share of said fund, the remainder being $1,175, to be paid to the clerk of the court, to be held by him to await the death of said Jennie Rees, and then be distributed as her will shall direct, including accumulated interest.\u201d This latter, part of .the decree adjudging the value of Mrs. Rees\u2019s interest, and directing it to be paid over to her, we cannot approve. We find no authority for it in Rev., 1590, which, on the contrary, provides that in sales under this section the proceeds \u201cshall be reinvested in purchasing or improving real estate, to be held upon the same contingency and in like manner as was the property ordered to be sold\u201d; and authorizes the loaning of such money, subject to the approval of the court, until such time that it can be reinvested in real estate. Nor, even if the statute permitted, the valuation and payment to Mrs. Rees of her expectancy would we be disposed to validate the calculation in this ease, whereby she was allowed $7,300 in cash, and the parties in remainder only $1,175, subject to all risks of investment. She is stated to be 30 years of age. Upon this basis of calculation, had she been much younger, her expectancy would have more than absorbed the entire fund, leaving the remaindermen nothing, instead of the corpus of the entire fund, at its enhanced value if reinvested in real estate on same contingencies and in like manner as the statute directs. Mrs. Rees is not entitled to the valuation of her expectancy, and payment thereof to her. This is not authorized by the terms of the will, nor by any statute. She is entitled only to the net interest, or rents after payment of the incidental expenses of the administration of the fund. The amendment to Rev., 1590, by Laws 1919, ch. 17, authorizes a temporary investment of such fund in \u201cLiberty Bonds,\u201d and the statute thus amended is now C. S., 1744. The $8,475 should be paid into the clerk\u2019s office to be loaned on real estate security, ou approval of the judge, or invested in \u201cLiberty Bonds\u201d until such time as it can be reinvested in the purchase of new real estate, to be held upon the same contingencies and in like manner as was the property ordered to be sold; and,-the annual interest, or rents, shall be paid over to Mrs. Rees, less the necessary costs of administering the property, and at her death the corpus shall be conveyed to the parties entitled.\nModified and affirmed.", "type": "majority", "author": "Clark, C. J." } ], "attorneys": [ "Robert W. Winston for J erniie Lee Rees and husband.", "J. C. Little for. next friend." ], "corrections": "", "head_matter": "JENNIE LEE REES et al., Ex Parte.\n(Filed 13 October, 1920.)\n1. Estates \u2014 Contingent Interests \u2014 Sales \u2014 Statutes \u2014: Private Sales \u2014 Courts.\nLands affected with a contingent interest may be sold under tbe provisions of Bev., 1590, wben it is made to appear tbat tbe income from it is a little more than sufficient to pay taxes and keep tbe premises in repair; tbat it is not well located, and not likely to rise in value; and a judgment of tbe Superior Court that they be privately sold to a designated person, at a price ascertained to be a fair and reasonable one, will be sustained on appeal.\nS. Estates \u2014 Contingent Interests \u2014 Sales\u2014Statutes\u2014Proceeds, How Held \u2014Life Tenant \u2014 Payment.\nWben lands affected with contingent interests are sold for reinvestment under the provisions of Bev., 1590, tbe life tenant is only entitled to receive tbe net income from tbe proceeds of tbe sale pending reinvestment in lands, or from tbe lands thereafter reinvested in, during her life; and there is no authority of law to arrive at tbe value of tbe life estate and pay tbe corpus of it to tbe life tenant, in money.\n3. Estates \u2014 Contingent Interests \u2014 Sales\u2014Proceeds\u2014Reinvestment\u2014Statutes \u2014 Liberty Bonds.\nTbe proceeds of tbe sale of lands affected with contingent interests under Bey., 1590, should be paid into the. clerk\u2019s office, to be loaned on real estate security on approval of tbe judge, or, under eb. 17, Laws 1919, temporarily invested in Liberty Bonds, until such time as it can be reinvested in tbe purchase of other real estate, to be held upon tbe same contingencies and in like manner as was tbe property ordered to be sold:\nAppeal by all parties from Kerr, J., at September Term, 1920, of Wake.\nControversy without action under Rev., 1590, for sale of contingent remainder. The object of the controversy is to sell the house and lot in Raleigh devised to Mrs. Jennie Lee Rees, with remainder over, and reinvest the -proceeds to meet the contingencies stated in the said will. From the judgment all the parties appealed.\nRobert W. Winston for J erniie Lee Rees and husband.\nJ. C. Little for. next friend." }, "file_name": "0192-01", "first_page_order": 250, "last_page_order": 252 }