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21 Ga. 433

Drummond v. Hardaway

Supreme Court of Georgia

Decided January 15, 1857

Supreme Court of Georgia · decided 1857-01-15

In Equity, in Muscogee Superior Court. Decision upon demurrer, by Judge Worrill, May Term, 1856. The bill in this case was filed by Allen B. Drummond and others, heirs at law of Robert Drummond an idiot, late of the county of Russell and State of Alabama, deceased, against Robert S. Hardaway of the county of Muscogee and State of Georgia.

Cited by 2 later decisions — most recently October 1913

2 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1857-01-15

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¶1By the Court.

Benning J.

¶2delivering the opinion.

¶3All who are heirs of the deceased Robert Drummond, are parties to the bill, and parties plaintiffs. It may be inferred therefore, that none of the heirs of the said Robert, wishes for an administration to be had on the said Robert’s estate, or is opposed to the heirs winding up the estate for themselves.

¶4There were no creditors of the deceased at the time of his *437death, and consequently, there can be no person who, as creditor, might be Opposed to the heirs doing this.

¶5Robert S. Hardaway, the defendant in the bill, was indebted to the deceased at the time of the death of the latter, on divers accounts.

¶6These are the leading parts of the bill, generalized.

¶7And upon them the question is, whether Hardaway, the debtor of the intestate, can be sued in .equity for an account-of the debt, by the heirs, or only by an administrator.

¶8As there were no creditors, the equitable title to what Hardaway the debtor owed, vested completely and exclusively in the heirs.

¶9And it is a general principle, that a perfect equitable title is sufficient to support a suit in equity. Suits in equity upon such a title, and in cases not unlike the present, have been frequently upheld by this Court.

¶10As, in the case of Jonekin vs. Holland, 7. Ga. Rep. 590.

¶11In that case, a tenant of land had a complete right to the land under the statute of limitations, as against the heirs of the person in whom was the adverse title, but not as against the administrator of that person. But the heirs were all of age, and there were no creditors of the deceased person. The heirs therefore, had the complete and exclusive equitable title to the land; and consequently a recovery of it by the administrator, would have been a recovery to their sole use. This Court held, that the tenant might in equity enjoin a suit for the land by the administrator. And this was holding, that the tenant might set up in his defence, the equitable title of the heirs, and the bar to that title, to defeat the legal title of the administrator.

¶12And, as in the cases of Josey and others, vs. Audulf, 13. Ga. Rep. 483-4. Smith, adm’r vs. Gentry, 16. Ga. Rep. 31. Lyon vs. Howard, and others, Id. 481. Shorter and others, vs. Hargraves, 11. Ga. Rep. 658.

¶13The last case is, indeed a precedent for the present one. in that case, the bill was filed by the heirs of E. S. Shorter *438against Hargraves, as the administrator of Jas. H. Shorter, who had been an administrator of E. S. Shorter, for an account of the liabilities of Jas. H. Shorter as such administrator of E. S. Shorter. Hargraves insisted, that he was liable to account for those liabilities, only to an administrator of E. S. Shorter.

¶14But this Court held, that he was liable to account to the heirs of E. S. Shorter, and therefore it sustained the bill.

¶15Nor was there in the bill in that case, even any allegation, that there were no creditors of E. S. Shorter.

¶16Indeed, a perfect equity has been held by this Court, to be a title that may be asserted even at law. Pitts vs. Bullard. 3. Kelly 17.

¶17We think therefore, that the heirs of Robert Drummond had the right to bring this bilL

¶18And if they had, there was equity in the bill, as it was not multifarious.

¶19Every part of this bill is connected with some other part.

¶20But we think, that Wm. F. Drummond ought to be a party or that some excuse should be given for not making him a party.

¶21The settlement between him and Hardaway is attacked. He therefore is at least a proper party to the suit.

¶22However, considering his entire relation to the case, I cannot myself regard him.as a necessary party to’the suit.

¶23The conclusion of the Court therefore is, that the Court below should not have sustained the demurrer.

¶24Judgment reversed.

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