Title: In Re Estate of Masopust

State: nebraska

Issuer: Nebraska Supreme Court

Document:

443 N.W.2d 274 (1989) 232 Neb. 936 In re ESTATE OF Joseph F. MASOPUST, Deceased. Clarence W. RITZ, Appellant, v. Daryl LONG, Personal Representative of the Estate of Joseph F. Masopust, Deceased, Appellee. No. 87-1017. Supreme Court of Nebraska. July 21, 1989. *275 William C. Nelson and Albert G. Fuller, of Fuller, Chatelain & Nelson, Auburn, for appellant. Allen Fankhauser, of Kotouc, Fankhauser & Maschman, Humboldt, for appellee. BOSLAUGH, CAPORALE, SHANAHAN, GRANT, and FAHRNBRUCH, JJ., and COLWELL, District Judge, Retired. PER CURIAM. The claimant, Clarence W. Ritz, has appealed from the order of the district court affirming the judgment of the county court *276 disallowing his claim filed in the proceedings to administer the estate of Joseph F. Masopust, deceased. On May 15,1984, Robert Short sold 6,818 shares of stock of Peru Agency, Inc., a bank holding company, to Joseph Masopust. On October 15, 1984, Short assigned the $49,764.79 balance due from Masopust on the May 15 contract to the claimant Ritz. Masopust died on November 1, 1984, and proceedings to administer his estate were commenced on November 13, 1984. A notice to creditors was published on December 7, 14, and 21, 1984. A copy of the notice was not sent to Ritz, and he had no actual notice of the death of Masopust until September 1985. Although Daryl Long, the personal representative of Masopust, had no knowledge of the assignment from Short to Ritz, Long had knowledge of the contract between Masopust and Short. Long was present, on the day of the funeral, when the decedent's brother Charles paid Short the $2,400 due November 1, 1984. On February 6, 1985, Long wrote a check on estate funds to Short for $2,114.75 for the payment due February 1, 1985. The last day for filing claims in the Masopust estate proceedings was February 7, 1985. On April 1, 1986, Ritz wrote to Long, informing him that he claimed $49,764.79 as the balance due from Masopust under the May 15, 1984, contract between Masopust and Short. On April 8, 1986, Long sent Ritz a notice of disallowance of his claim. On May 14, 1986, Ritz filed a petition for allowance of claim in the Masopust estate proceedings. The personal representative filed an answer on June 23, 1986. Both parties then filed motions for summary judgment. The matter was heard in the county court on the pleadings, depositions, and a stipulation of facts on January 22, 1987. On May 19, 1987, the court found that the claim was barred under Neb.Rev.Stat. § 30-2485 (Reissue 1985) and disallowed the claim. Upon appeal to the district court, the judgment was affirmed. The claimant has now appealed to this court. The claimant contends that the trial court erred in finding that the claim was barred, because Ritz, a known creditor, had not been given notice of the order concerning the filing of claims in the Masopust estate proceedings; that a failure to allow the claim would result in a windfall or unjust enrichment to the estate; that the defense of limitations had been waived by partial payments; that the estate was estopped from denying the validity of the claim; and that the claimant should prevail under general equitable provisions. As a matter of law, none of these contentions have merit. In In re Estate of Feuerhelm, 215 Neb. 872, 874-75, 341 N.W.2d 342, 344 (1983), we held: In J.J. Schaefer Livestock Hauling v. Gretna St. Bank, 229 Neb. 580, 593-94, 428 N.W.2d 185, 193-94 (1988), we held that the requirements of § 30-2485 are mandatory, and where a claim is not filed within the time provided in the statute it is barred. We said: These cases are in agreement with the earlier decisions of this court. In Storm v. Cluck, 168 Neb. 13, 22, 95 N.W.2d 161, 167 (1959), we held: In that case we said at 20-21, 95 N.W.2d at 166-67: In Supp v. Allard, 162 Neb. 563, 566, 76 N.W.2d 459, 461(1956), we said: The judgment of the district court is affirmed. AFFIRMED. HASTINGS, C.J., participating on briefs.