Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

57 Md. 569

Cox v. Chalk

Court of Appeals of Maryland

Decided February 9, 1882

Court of Appeals of Maryland · decided 1882-02-09

<p>.Dismissal of an Appeal from Orphans' Court — Revised Code, Art. 71, see. 72 — 1807, eh. 373, Stenographers — Removal of an Executrix for Neglect of Duty and alleged Fraud.</p> <p>No appeal will lie from an order of an ^Orphans’ Court passed in a summary proceeding on evidence, unless such evidence has been reduced to writing and transmitted to this Court, as required by Art. 71, sec. 72, of the Revised Code. If such an appeal be from an order of the Orphans’ Court of Baltimore City, the evidence must bo taken down by the Court stenographer, then transcribed, signed by the witnesses, and transmitted by the Judges to this. Court, as required by the Act of 1867, ch. 373, sec. 3.</p> <p>A petition was filed in the Orphans’ Court by parties in interest, to. have an executrix removed on the ground, that she had refused to defend suits brought against her as executrix, although she had been notified by the petitioners that the demands made in the suits were unjust, and were not properly chargeable against the estate; and that she had colluded with the persons bringing the suits, to defraud the petitioners of their respective interests in the testator’s estate. The evidence taken in the Court below was not contained in the record. The executrix was removed by order of the Orphans’1 Court, and appealed. Held ;</p> <p>That the charges set forth in the petition, if sustained by proof, were sufficient to justify the Court below in removing the executrix from her office.</p>

Key passage — most relied on by later courts

““The petition was filed by the appellees, parties in interest, and charges that the appellant has neglected her duties as executrix, and has abused the trust reposed in her by law. It charges that she has refused to defend suits brought against her as executrix, one suit by her brother, and another suit by her sister, although she was notified by the petitioners that the demands made in said suits were unjust and were not properly chargeable against the estate; and that she had colluded with her brother and sister to defraud the petitioners of their respective interests in the estate of the testator.””

quoted by 1 later decision, including Talbert v. Reeves

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1882-02-09

How this case has been cited

Cited by 7 later decisions — most recently October 2001

7 state decisions

401882189019001910192019301940195019601970198019902000decided

Later decisions citing this case, by decade. The current decade is in progress, and our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so the latest bars are undercounted — not a real decline.

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

Robinson, J.,

¶1delivered the opinion of the Court.

¶2This is an appeal from an order of the Orphans’ Court of Baltimore City, revoking letters testamentary granted to the appellant, on the personal estate of Amos A. Cox.

¶3The petition was filed by the appellees, parties in interest, and charges that the appellant has neglected her duties as executrix, and has abused the trust reposed in her by law. It charges that she has refused to defend suits brought against her as executrix, one suit by her brother, and another suit by her sister, although she was notified by the petitioners that the demands made in said suits were unjust and were not properly chargeable against the estate; and that she had colluded with her brother and sister to defraud the petitioners of their respective interests in the estate of the testator.

¶4The case was heard by the Orphans’ Court on petition, answer and evidence. The record, however, does not contain the evidence on wdiich the order of the Orphans’ Court was based, nor does it appear to have been reduced to writing as required by law. So appeal will lie from an order of the Orphans’ Court passed in a summary proceeding on evidence, unless such evidence has been reduced to writing and transmitted to the appellate Court. Bev. Code, Art. 71, sec. 72.

¶5If the appeal is from an order of the Orphans’ Court of Baltimore City, the evidence must be taken down by a stenographer appointed by the Court, then transcribed, and signed by the witnesses and transmitted by the Judges to the Court of Appeals. Sup. Code, Public Local Laws, Baltimore City, sec. 182.

¶6This was not done, and the case is not therefore properly before us for review. Cecil vs. Harrington, 18 Md., 510. We deem it proper however, to say, that the charges set forth in the petition, if sustained by proof, are sufficient in our opinion to justify the Orphans’ Court in removing the appellant from the office of executrix. *572As this proof is not in the record, the appeal must he dismissed.

(Decided 9th February, 1882.)

¶7Appeal dismissed.

/57/md/569 · .json · Public domain