{
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  "name": "Charles E. FROCK, H. Dean Frock and Marcia I. Frock Etsler, Petitioners, v. Honorable Gerald D. FOWLIE, Judge of the Second Judicial District in and for the County of Bernalillo, Respondent",
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    "judges": [
      "MOISE, COMPTON and WATSON, JJ., concur.",
      "NOBLE, C. J., not participating."
    ],
    "parties": [
      "Charles E. FROCK, H. Dean Frock and Marcia I. Frock Etsler, Petitioners, v. Honorable Gerald D. FOWLIE, Judge of the Second Judicial District in and for the County of Bernalillo, Respondent."
    ],
    "opinions": [
      {
        "text": "OPINION\nTACKETT, Justice.\nThis court granted an alternative writ of mandamus directed to respondent, the Honorable Gerald D. Fowlie, Judge of the Second Judicial District in and for the County of Bernalillo, requiring him to assume jurisdiction of petitioners\u2019 appeal from probate proceedings in cause No. 3469 Probate, District Court of Bernalillo County, to the District Court of Bernalillo County in cause No. A-39665.\nThe issue involved in the case before us is whether or not statutory appeal provisions from the approval or disapproval of wills, \u00a7\u00a7 30-2-16 and 16-4-18, N.M.S.A., 1953 Comp., apply when the probate proceedings are filed originally in the district court pursuant to \u00a7 16-3-20, N.M.S.A., 1953 Comp., which confers concurrent probate jurisdiction on the probate court and district courts.\nCharles E. Frock was appointed administrator of the estate of Evelyn K. McDowell in cause No. 3469 Probate on the docket of the District Court for Bernalillo County, New Mexico. Proponents of an alleged last will and testament of decedent offered the will for probate and petitioners (the heirs at law of decedent) filed objections thereto. Subsequently, the Honorable John B. McManus, Jr., sitting in cause No. 3469 Probate, admitted the will to probate and construed it as containing implied gifts for the benefit of proponents and others. Petitioners appealed from the order of Judge McManus to the District Court of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, the appeal being docketed as cause No. A-39665, which was assigned to respondent Judge Fowlie.\nAs a result of a motion by the Albuquerque National Bank, the executor, and after a hearing thereon, Judge Fowlie, respondent, dismissed petitioners\u2019 appeal on March 26, 1969, for want of jurisdiction \u25a0over the subject matter, which action is the subject of these proceedings.\nSection 30-2-16, supra, states:\n\u201cIn any proceeding before the probate court relative to [the approval or disapproval of] wills (or estates), any party aggrieved by the decision of the court, shall have the right to appeal to the district court in the manner provided by law at any time within three [3] months .after such decision is rendered; Provided, that if such appeal is not taken during the term of court at which the decision is rendered, citations shall be issued and served upon all parties interested other than the appellant.\u201d\nIn the case of In re Riedlinger\u2019s Will, 37 N.M. 18, 16 P.2d 549 (1932), we considered this section in the light of \u00a7 30-2-11, N.M.S.A., 1953 Comp., and concluded that, upon appeal or transfer to the district court, jury trial could be had in will cases by either party on demand, whether or not the will had been approved by the probate court. See also Calloway v. Miller, 58 N.M. 124, 266 P.2d 365 (1954), and In re Owens\u2019 Estate, 63 N.M. 263, 316 P.2d 1077 (1957). Since there is no right to a jury in an original probate proceeding, State ex rel. Gallegos v. District Court, 40 N.M. 331, 59 P.2d 893 (1936), were we to 'hold that no appeal lies from the district court sitting in probate to the district \u25a0court, sitting as a court of general jurisdiction, a jury would be unavailable in trials where the validity of a will is at issue when filed originally in the district court as permitted by \u00a7 16-3-20, supra, while a jury trial could be had in such a case upon appeal or transfer from the probate court itself. This surely was not the intent of the legislature when it adopted \u00a7 16-3-20, supra.\nIn the case before us, the district judge was sitting as a probate judge and was restricted to the powers of a probate judge. His decisions are transferable or appealable to the district court. In re Ward\u2019s Estate, 47 N.M. 55, 134 P.2d 539, 146 A.L.R. 826 (1943). Compare Swayze v. Bartlett, 58 N.M. 504, 273 P.2d 367 (1954); In re Conley\u2019s Will, 58 N.M. 771, 276 P.2d 906 (1954); McCann v. McCann, 46 N.M. 406, 129 P.2d 646 (1942), and cases therein cited.\nMandamus is a proper remedy to compel a court to take action or assume jurisdiction, where it erroneously has dismissed a cause or refused to proceed because of supposed lack of jurisdiction. State v. Phelps, 67 Ariz. 215, 193 P.2d 921 (1948); State ex rel. Messelshell County v. District Court of Fifteenth Judicial District, 89 Mont. 531, 300 P. 235, 82 A.L.R. 1158 (1931); see also, Annot. 82 A.L.R. 1163; 55 C.J.S. Mandamus \u00a7 69 at 111.\nThe alternative writ of mandamus heretofore issued is made permanent. The trial judge is directed to reinstate the cause on the docket and proceed in a manner consistent with this opinion.\nIt is so ordered.\nMOISE, COMPTON and WATSON, JJ., concur.\nNOBLE, C. J., not participating.",
        "type": "majority",
        "author": "TACKETT, Justice."
      }
    ],
    "attorneys": [
      "A. H. McRae, C. LeRoy Hansen, Albuquerque, for petitioners.",
      "Marr\u00f3n, ITouk & McKinnon, Albuquerque, for respondent."
    ],
    "corrections": "",
    "head_matter": "458 P.2d 581\nCharles E. FROCK, H. Dean Frock and Marcia I. Frock Etsler, Petitioners, v. Honorable Gerald D. FOWLIE, Judge of the Second Judicial District in and for the County of Bernalillo, Respondent.\nNo. 8820.\nSupreme Court of New Mexico.\nJuly 7, 1969.\nRehearing Denied Sept. 11, 1969.\nA. H. McRae, C. LeRoy Hansen, Albuquerque, for petitioners.\nMarr\u00f3n, ITouk & McKinnon, Albuquerque, for respondent."
  },
  "file_name": "0506-01",
  "first_page_order": 562,
  "last_page_order": 563
}