Title: IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF LAUGHLIN RICHARD BURNS, Deceased: MONTGOMERY-STRYKER FUNERAL HOME, INC. V. VANESSA WEST, as Administrator of the Estate of Laughlin Richard Burns, Deceased

State: wyoming

Issuer: Wyoming Supreme Court

Document:

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF LAUGHLIN RICHARD BURNS, Deceased: MONTGOMERY-STRYKER FUNERAL HOME, INC. V. VANESSA WEST, as Administrator of the Estate of Laughlin Richard Burns, Deceased2005 WY 126120 P.3d 194Case Number: 05-21Decided: 09/30/2005
APRIL TERM, 
A.D. 2005

 
 
IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE 
OF

LAUGHLIN RICHARD BURNS, 
Deceased:

 
 
MONTGOMERY-STRYKER FUNERAL HOME, 
INC.,

 
 
Appellant

(Claimant),

 
 
v.

 
 
VANESSA WEST, as Administrator of 
the Estate

of Laughlin Richard Burns, 
Deceased,

 
 
Appellee

(Respondent).

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
Representing Appellant:

Dennis C. 
Cook and Julie M. Wickett, Cook & Associates, P.C., Laramie, Wyoming.

 
 
Representing Appellee:

            
Jo Ann Fulton, Fulton Law Office, 
Laramie, Wyoming.              

 
 
Before 
HILL, C.J., and GOLDEN, KITE, VOIGT, and BURKE, 
JJ.

 
 
 
 
BURKE, 
Justice.

 
 
[¶1]      
Montgomery-Stryker Funeral Home, Inc. (Montgomery-Stryker), challenges 
the Order Approving Final Report and Accounting and Decree of Distribution 
entered by the probate court.  
Finding that the order was entered prematurely, we vacate the order and 
remand this case for further proceedings consistent with this 
opinion.

 
 

ISSUES

 
 
[¶2]      
Montgomery-Stryker presents the following issues:

 
 
I.          
Whether Appellee violated her fiduciary duty as personal representative 
by filing a Final Report, Accounting and Petition for Distribution that was both 
defective and premature?

 
 

II.                   
Whether the District Court 
erred when it entered its December 16, 2004, Order Approving Final Report and 
Accounting and Decree of Distribution in this case?

 
 
We find Montgomery-Stryker's second issue dispostive 
and limit our discussion to resolution of this issue.

 
 
FACTS

 
 
[¶3]      Laughlin Richard 
Burns died intestate on February 19, 2003, in Laramie, Wyoming.  
Decedent's daughter, Vanessa West, entered into a contract with 
Montgomery-Stryker to provide funeral and burial services for Mr. Burns.  On May 14, 2004, Ms. West was appointed 
personal representative of the estate.  
A notice of probate was published which required the filing of creditor's 
claims by August 19, 2004.  On 
August 11, 2004, Montgomery-Stryker filed a creditor's claim seeking $4,627.11, 
consisting of $3,439.97 for services rendered plus interest and $1,187.14 for 
attorney's fees and costs. 

 
 
[¶4]      According to 
Montgomery-Stryker, on August 23, 2004, it received a document purporting to 
partially allow its claim for $3,439.97 and rejecting the balance of the 
claim.1  Believing its claim had been rejected, 
Montgomery-Stryker initiated an action in circuit court seeking judgment for the 
full amount of its claim.2  On October 1, 2004, the personal 
representative filed a motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction 
in the circuit court action alleging that Montgomery-Stryker was precluded from 
filing suit because its claim had not been rejected in accordance with Wyo. 
Stat. Ann. § 2-7-717.3  That same day, the personal 
representative filed an Administrator's Allowance of Claim in the probate court 
allowing Montgomery-Stryker's original claim in its 
entirety.

 
 
[¶5]      Two days after 
the circuit court denied the motion to dismiss, the personal representative took 
steps to close the estate.  A Final 
Report, Accounting and Petition for Distribution (Final Report) was filed on 
December 15, 2004.  A Notice of 
Final Settlement of Estate was also filed which established January 15, 2005, as 
the last date to file objections to the final report.4  The probate court entered its Order 
Approving Final Report and Accounting and Decree of Distribution on December 16, 
2004.  On December 23, 2004, 
Montgomery-Stryker filed an objection to the Final Report asserting its claim 
was still unresolved.  This appeal 
followed.

 
 
DISCUSSION

            

[¶6]      
Montgomery-Stryker claims the entry of the Order Approving Final Report 
and Accounting and Decree of Distribution was improper for several reasons, 1) 
the Final Report was defective and prematurely filed by the personal 
representative because its creditor's claim was not resolved due to the pending 
litigation in the circuit court; 2) the order was entered prior to the 
expiration of the objection period; and 3) the order was entered without holding 
a hearing as required by Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 2-7-811(c) (LexisNexis 2003).  

            

[¶7]      When an estate is 
ready to be closed, the personal representative must file a final report, 
accounting and petition for distribution.  
Wyo. 
Stat. Ann. § 2-7-811(a) (LexisNexis 2003).  
A hearing on this final report must be set and notice of that hearing 
must be provided to interested parties.  
Wyo. 
Stat. Ann. § 2-7-811(c).  Objections 
to the final report must be in writing and filed with the clerk prior to the 
date of hearing.  Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 
2-7-811(d).  Objections timely filed 
are then heard and, upon conclusion of the hearing, the court may enter its 
order.  Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 
2-7-811(e).    

 
 
[¶8]      Both parties 
acknowledge that these procedures were not followed.  The Final Report was not set for hearing 
and, consequently, no notice of the hearing was given.  Montgomery-Stryker's objection was filed 
within the time prescribed in the Notice of Final Settlement of Estate, but the 
Order Approving Final Report and Accounting and Decree of Distribution was 
entered before the objection was heard.  
Montgomery-Stryker is entitled to a hearing on its 
objection.

 
 
CONCLUSION

 
 
[¶9]      Based on the 
foregoing, the Order Approving Final Report and Accounting and Decree of 
Distribution is hereby vacated and this case is remanded for further proceedings 
consistent with this opinion.

 

FOOTNOTES

 
 

1Although the document was signed by the 
personal representative and acknowledged before a notary public, the personal 
representative did not file the document and did not send it to 
Montgomery-Stryker by certified mail as required by statute:  

 
 
                        
§ 2-7-712.  Allowance and Rejection of 
Claims.

 
 
(a)  When a claim, accompanied by the 
affidavit required in W.S. 2-7-704, has been filed with the clerk, the personal 
representative shall allow or reject it and his allowance or rejection shall be 
in writing and filed with the clerk 
within thirty (30) days after the expiration of the time for filing 
claims.

 
 
            
(b)  If the claim is filed 
with the clerk before the expiration of the time limited for the filing of 
claims, the same is filed in time though acted upon by the personal 
representative after the expiration of such time.

 
 
            
. . . 

 
 
(d)   When a claim has been filed with 
the clerk and is rejected in whole or in part, the personal representative shall 
immediately upon rejection notify the claimant by certified 
mail.

 
 
Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 2-7-712 (LexisNexis 
2003) (emphasis added).

 
 

2Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 2-7-718 (LexisNexis 
2003) states, "[w]hen a claim is rejected and notice given as required, the 
holder shall bring suit in the proper court against the personal representative 
within thirty (30) days after the date of mailing the notice, otherwise the 
claim is forever barred."  

 
 

3Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 2-7-717 (LexisNexis 
2003) provides that "[n]o holder of any claim against an estate shall maintain 
any action thereon unless the claim is first rejected in whole or in part by the 
personal representative and the rejection [is] filed with the clerk . . ."  (emphasis 
added).

 
 

4Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 2-7-204 (a) (LexisNexis 2003) 
provides:

 
 
When an estate is in condition for 
final settlement, but not less than three (3) months after the date of the first 
publication of the notice of opening the probate, the personal representative 
shall give notice that he has filed in the office of the clerk of court a final 
account and petition for distribution, where anyone interested may examine and 
file objections thereto in writing at any time within ten (10) days after the 
day mentioned in the notice, naming the last day on which any objections may be 
filed. The notice shall state if no objections are filed within the time 
allowed, he shall make final settlement of the estate on the day following the 
last day for filing objections or as soon thereafter as the matter may be 
heard.