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49 Ind. 558

Moore v. State ex rel. Atkinson

Indiana Supreme Court

Decided May 15, 1875

Indiana Supreme Court · decided 1875-05-15

<p>A TOMTNiTSTTt. a TOT!,.—Two Administrators Malting One Bond.—Each Surely for the Other.—Where two persons, administrators of the same estate, join in executing a bond with others as their sureties, for the faithful discharge of their duties, each of such administrators will be held as surety for the other. Bvsejbk, J., dissented.</p> <p>Same.—An agreement made by one of such administrators, by which a part of the heirs relinquish all further claim to the estate, will not release him as surety for the other administrator.</p> <p>•Same.—Heirs not Entitled to Estate Until Claims are Paid.—Where there are claims against an estate, in a suit on the relation of the heirs upon the bond of the administrator, it is proper for the court to direct that the amount received be retained by the clerk until the further order of the court.</p>

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently May 1879

1 state decisions

Relies on Caffrey v. Dudgeon · Braxton v. State ex rel. Albert · Prichard v. State ex rel. Keller

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1875-05-15

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Buskiek, C. J.

¶1I dissent from so much of the foregoing opinion as holds that the appellant became the surety of his co-administrator. He executed the bond as a principal, and not as a surety, and he cannot be held liable as a surety.

¶2Besides, the bond cannot be regarded as a common law obligation, as it and its form are prescribed by statute. It is provided, by the nineteenth section of the act for the settlement of decedents’ estates, 2 G. & H. 489, that “ every person appointed executor, administrator with the will annexed, or administrator, before receiving letters, shall execute a separate bond, with sufficient resident freehold sureties,” etc., “ conditioned that he will faithfully discharge his duties as such executor or administrator,” etc.

¶3The statute imperatively requires a separate bond for each executor or administrator. The bond in suit not being a good common law bond, and not being authorized by statute, is illegal and void. Caffrey v. Dudgeon, 38 Ind. 512, and the numerous authorities there cited.

¶4*562In my opinion, the cases of Braxton v. The State, ex rel. Albert, 25 Ind. 82, and Prichard v. The State, ex rel. Keller, 34 Ind. 137, should be squarely overruled.

¶5Opinions filed November term, 1874; petition for a rehearing overruled May term, 1875.

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