IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE

PATRICK J. CONNELL, 

Petitioner,

v.

CHRISTINA KLEBART, 

Respondent.

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

C.A. No. 2021-0119-BWD

FINAL REPORT

Final Report: January 31, 2024

Draft Report: January 16, 2024

Date Submitted: January 2, 2024

Patrick J. Connell, Pueblo, Colorado; Petitioner.

Christina Klebart, Camden, Delaware; Respondent.

DAVID, M.
1

This is an action to partition real property in Dover, Delaware. After some 

bumps in the road, the property was sold at public auction in March 2023. I am now 

tasked with dividing the proceeds from that sale. My final report on distribution 

follows.1

I. BACKGROUND2

A. The Parties and the Property

This action concerns a residence located at 2048 Generals Way in Dover, 

Delaware (the “Property”).3

 Petitioner Patrick J. Connell (“Petitioner”) and 

respondent Christina Klebart (“Respondent”) inherited the Property from their 

father, Patrick Francis Connell (“Decedent”), under his Last Will and Testament (the 

“Will”).4

 

1 On January 16, 2024, I issued a draft report addressing distribution of the partition 

proceeds (the “January 16 Draft Report”). The parties did not file exceptions to the January 

16 Draft Report. Accordingly, this final report is substantively identical to the January 16 

Draft Report.

2 The facts set forth in this final report reflect my findings based on the record developed 

at a one-day evidentiary hearing on January 2, 2024. The hearing transcript is cited as “Tr. 

at __”. I take judicial notice of filings in a related matter before the Kent County Register 

of Wills captioned In re Est. of Patrick Francis Connell, Case No. 16289. See Arot v. 

Lardani, 2018 WL 5430297, at *1 n.6 (Del. Ch. Oct. 29, 2018) (“Because the Register of 

Wills is a Clerk of the Court of Chancery, filings with the Register of Wills are subject to 

judicial notice.” (citations omitted)). The docket in that action is cited as “ROW Dkt. __”.

3 Dkt. 1, Ex. 1 at 1.

4 ROW Dkt. 2 at 2.
2

Respondent and her son moved into the Property with Decedent in 2015.5

 

Decedent passed away on March 25, 2018, leaving the Property to Petitioner and 

Respondent.

6

 Shortly after Decedent’s passing, Petitioner contacted Respondent and 

asked to stay at the Property, but Respondent refused, insisting that Petitioner stay 

at a hotel instead.

7

 When Petitioner returned to Dover for Decedent’s burial, he 

requested a key to the Property, but Respondent would not provide one.

8

 Petitioner 

then visited the Property, but Respondent demanded that he leave and called the 

police.

9

 Respondent then changed the locks on the Property.10

B. The Estate Exceptions

On April 11, 2018, the Will was admitted to probate and Respondent was 

appointed Personal Representative of Decedent’s estate (the “Estate”).

11

On April 9, 2019, Respondent filed a First and Final Accounting in her 

capacity as Personal Representative of the Estate, docketed in Kent County Register 

5 Tr. at 13:18-21.

6 ROW Dkt. 1.

7 Tr. at 5:9-15.

8 Id. at 5:22-23. 

9 Id. at 17:17-18:11.

10 Id. at 6:16, 42:3-7. At the hearing, Respondent admitted she did not permit Petitioner to 

visit the Property because she did not trust him. Id. at 14:17-18.

11 ROW Dkt. 2.
3

of Wills Case No. 16289 (the “ROW Action”).

12 On March 17, 2019, Petitioner 

filed exceptions to the First and Final Accounting, contesting Respondent’s claims 

for reimbursement of administrative costs (including costs associated with a 

locksmith, utilities at the Property after Decedent’s passing, a DMV title transfer, 

and Xfinity bills) and expenses (including E-ZPass and funeral expenses), and 

Respondent’s inventory and accounting of other Estate property (including a 2015 

Nissan Altima, an antique lamp, tools, a riding mower, jewelry, a gun, and a dog).13 

Petitioner also sought an order requiring Respondent to pay rent for living at the 

Property after Decedent’s death.14

Petitioner’s exceptions in the ROW Action were assigned to Magistrate 

Griffin. On November 19, 2019, after an evidentiary hearing, Magistrate Griffin 

issued an Order (the “November 19, 2019 Order”) resolving the exceptions as 

follows:

• “The exceptions concerning estate administrative expenses for A1 

Locksmith Company ($68.50) and DMV title Transfer ($40.00) are 

approved, and [Respondent] . . . must reimburse the Estate for those 

expenses.”15

12 ROW Dkt. 6.

13 ROW Dkt. 12 at 1-3.

14 Id. at 1.

15 ROW Dkt. 20 ¶ 1.
4

• “[Respondent] is ordered to pay the Estate $11,096.00, for the full value 

of the car.”16

• “[Respondent] shall reimburse the Estate the cost of the gun, or $318.00.”17

• “The exception requesting that [Respondent] pay rent for living in the 

Decedent’s . . . property since the Decedent’s death was denied, with the 

Court noting that as co-owners of the Decedent’s real property, [the 

property] passes to them as beneficiaries under the residuary clause of the 

Decedent’s Will[.] [Respondent] and/or [Petitioner] may address the issue, 

or other payments towards or benefits received from the property, if a 

partition action is pursued.”18

On December 3, 2019, Chancellor Bouchard entered an order adopting the

November 19, 2019 Order.19

C. The First Sale

On February 9, 2021, Petitioner initiated this action through the filing of a 

Petition for [Partition] and Related Relief.20

At a June 15, 2021 hearing before Magistrate Griffin, Respondent failed to 

show cause why the Court should not order partition of the Property.

21 The same 

day, Magistrate Griffin entered an Order for Appointment of Trustee and for 

Partition Sale of Real Property by Trustee, appointing Dennis L. Schrader, Esquire 

16 Id. ¶ 4.

17 Id. ¶ 6.

18 Id. ¶ 3.

19 ROW Dkt. 21.

20 Dkt. 1.

21 Dkt. 9.
5

of Morris James LLP (the “First Trustee”) as trustee to sell the Property at public 

vendue to the highest bidder in accordance with Court of Chancery Rule 183(c), with 

the sale subject to confirmation by the Court.22

On March 14, 2022, the First Trustee filed a Return of Sale, reporting that on 

October 15, 2021, the Property was sold at public auction to Respondent and her 

husband for $70,000 (the “First Sale”).23 Respondent executed a Contract of Sale 

with the First Trustee (the “Contract”) and paid a $5,000 deposit, but could not pay 

the balance due under the Contract.24 The First Trustee’s Return of Sale further 

explained that Respondent had failed to cooperate with the sale of the Property by 

denying the First Trustee and potential purchasers the opportunity to view or inspect 

the Property, removing the sale sign posted on the Property, and disrupting the 

auction sale by telling prospective purchasers that there were deficiencies in the 

Property’s condition.25

On May 25, 2022, Magistrate Griffin held a hearing to address the First 

Trustee’s Return of Sale.26 Following that hearing, Magistrate Griffin entered an 

Order (the “May 25, 2022 Order”), finding that “[b]efore and during the Auction, 

22 Dkt. 8.

23 Dkt. 18.

24 Id. ¶¶ 7-11.

25 Id. ¶ 14(a)-(c).

26 Dkt. 24.
6

the actions of [Respondent] and her husband affected the [First] [S]ale negatively”; 

“[Respondent] or her husband removed the auction sign on the Property and refused 

to allow potential bidders to view the Property”; and “[d]uring the Auction, 

[Respondent]’s husband created a negative atmosphere among the potential bidders 

by yelling at prospective purchasers, using profanity and making negative comments 

about the Property.”27 The May 25, 2022 Order “declared [Respondent] in default 

of the Contract”; permitted the First Trustee to retain Respondent’s $5,000 deposit 

to pay expenses from the First Sale, with the payment to be “credited toward the 

amount paid by Petitioner Patrick Connell”; and provided that “[t]he remaining 

$4,021.00 in partition sale expenses incurred by the [First] Trustee is entered as a 

judgment against the Property . . . .”28 The May 25, 2022 Order also discharged the 

First Trustee upon the appointment of a successor trustee, ordered a second partition 

sale by public auction, and ordered Respondent, her husband, and any guests to 

vacate the Property within sixty days.29

Respondent filed exceptions to the May 25, 2022 Order, which Vice 

Chancellor Zurn denied on July 19, 2022.30

27 Dkt. 22 ¶ C.

28 Id. ¶¶ 1-3.

29 Id. ¶¶ 4-7.

30 Dkt. 30.
7

D. The Second Sale

On October 25, 2022, Magistrate Griffin entered an Order for Appointment of 

Trustees and for Partition Sale of Real Property by Trustees, appointing David N. 

Rutt, Esquire and Ryan T. Adams, Esquire of Moore & Rutt P.A. (the “Second 

Trustees”) as trustees to sell the Property at public vendue to the highest bidder in 

accordance with Court of Chancery Rule 183(c), with the sale subject to 

confirmation by the Court.31

This action was reassigned to me on January 10, 2023.32 On April 24, 2023, 

the Second Trustees filed a Return of Sale, reporting that on March 11, 2023, the 

Property was sold at public auction to a third party for $115,000 (the “Second 

Sale”).33 On May 10, 2023, I entered an Order approving the Second Trustees’ 

Return of Sale, ordering the disbursement of $7,186.65 for reimbursement of fees 

and expenses incurred in connection with the Second Sale and directing the parties 

to submit a proposed decree of distribution.34

The parties, each appearing pro se, did not submit proposed decrees of 

distribution, but on June 7, 2023, Petitioner filed a submission raising arguments 

31 Dkt. 35.

32 Dkt. 36.

33 Dkt. 37 ¶ 10.

34 Dkt. 39 ¶ 4(a)-(b).
8

concerning distribution of the proceeds.

35 Respondent opposed Petitioner’s position 

on distribution at a December 8, 2023 status conference.

36 On January 2, 2024, I 

held an evidentiary hearing by Zoom to address the distribution of proceeds from 

the Second Sale.37

II. ANALYSIS

“The last stage of a partition proceeding involves the distribution of proceeds 

from the sale of the partitioned property.” In re Real Est. of Hunsucker, 2019 WL 

1984242, at *1 (Del. Ch. May 3, 2019). After $7,186.65 in expenses is subtracted 

from $102,523.14 in sale proceeds, $95,336.49 remains for distribution. Under the 

Will, Petitioner and Respondent inherited equal interests in the Property, so 

allocation of the remaining sale proceeds begins with each party receiving fifty 

percent of the proceeds ($47,668.24 each). Petitioner and Respondent each seek 

adjustments to that allocation. The party seeking the adjustment bears the burden of 

proof. Id. at *2.

First, Petitioner asks the Court to reduce Respondent’s share of the proceeds 

by $11,522.50, the amount Respondent was directed to reimburse the Estate under 

35 Dkt. 40. 

36 Dkt. 45.

37 Dkt. 48.
9

the November 19, 2019 Order in the ROW Action.

38 “The accounting in a partition 

action is confined to matters relating to the common land . . . .” Est. of Davis, 2023 

WL 4482223, at *3 (Del. Ch. July 11, 2023) (citation and internal quotation marks 

omitted); see also In re Smith’s Est., 93 A.2d 314, 315 (Orphans’ Ct. 1952) (“[W]hen 

the subject matter of the controversy does not arise out of the property partitioned, 

[the] Court should refuse to assume jurisdiction.”). “Issues related to the 

[d]ecedent’s estate, including the distribution of estate funds, are not properly 

addressed through [a] partition action.” Hunsucker, 2019 WL 1984242, *2 n.9. I 

therefore decline to enforce the November 19, 2019 Order in the ROW Action by 

adjusting distributions in this partition action.

Second, Petitioner asserts that Respondent should be responsible for paying

all expenses incurred in connection with the sale of the Property.

39 Magistrate 

38 Dkt. 40 at 1-2. At the hearing, the parties introduced evidence concerning issues that 

were resolved in the November 19, 2019 Order. See, e.g., Tr. at 8:16-11:5; id. at 16:17-

21; id. at 22:1-23:10; id. at 49:9-17. The Court is bound by Magistrate Griffin’s findings 

in that order. See Thomas & Agnes Carvel Found. v. Carvel, 2008 WL 4482703, at *15 

(Del. Ch. Sept. 30, 2008) (“‘[W]here a question of fact essential to the judgment is litigated 

and determined by a valid and final judgment, the determination is conclusive between the 

same parties in a subsequent case on a different cause of action.’” (quoting Columbia Cas. 

Co. v. Playtex FP, Inc., 584 A.2d 1214, 1216 (Del.1991))), aff’d, 970 A.2d 256 (Del. 2009). 

39 Petitioner’s June 7, 2023 submission seeks an adjustment for “all expenses” incurred in 

connection with the sale of the Property. See Dkt. 40 at 1 (“The petitioner is requesting 

that Christina Klebart . . . be ORDERED to pay all expenses that are acquired during the 

sale of Patrick Francis Connell’s REAL ESTATE . . . .”); id. (“The petitioner request[s] 

that the Respondent is ORDERED to pay all fee[s] that were acquired to sell the REAL 

ESTATE, and any other fees that were acquired for all sales of the REAL ESTATE . . . .”). 

Testimony at the hearing, however, focused solely on Respondent’s conduct during the 

First Sale. See, e.g., Tr. at 7:17-24 (“Mr. and Mrs. Klebart should be responsible for . . . 
10

Griffin’s May 25, 2022 Order addressed the payment of expenses from the First Sale, 

directing that Respondent’s $5,000 deposit would be “credited toward the amount 

paid by Petitioner,” with “[t]he remaining $4,021.00 in partition sale expenses . . .

entered as a judgment against the Property.”40 Respondent filed exceptions to the 

May 25, 2022 Order, which were denied on July 29, 2022. Accordingly, the final 

distribution must be adjusted as directed in the May 25, 2022 Order.

Third, Petitioner contends that Respondent owes him rent for the period

during which she had exclusive possession of the Property. Generally, “[a] co-tenant 

living on property has no obligation to pay rent unless the co-tenants agreed that rent 

would be paid.” Hunsucker, 2019 WL 1984242, at *3. “However, if a co-tenant 

ousts another co-tenant, then rental value for the benefit received by the co-tenant in 

exclusive possession may be set off against payments made by the co-tenant in 

exclusive possession.” Id. 

Based on the evidence presented at the hearing, I find that Respondent ousted 

Petitioner and had exclusive possession of the Property for fifty months, from March 

and ordered to pay $4,021 from their pockets and not from the estate due to the fact that 

the Klebarts disrupted the sale to the point that no one else would bid on the property 

according to Mr. Schrader’s testimony during the return of sale on May 25, 2022.”); id. at 

10:18-11:5 (“I don’t want the $4,021 included in what comes out of the estate or what’s 

distributed from the estate. Because she messed that sale up.”). There is no basis in the 

record to shift expenses incurred in the Second Sale onto Respondent. 

40 Dkt. 22 ¶¶ 1-3.
11

25, 2018, when Decedent died, through May 25, 2022, when Respondent was 

ordered to vacate the Property. During that period, Petitioner asked to stay at the 

Property but Respondent refused; Petitioner requested a key but Respondent would 

not provide one; and when Petitioner attempted to access the Property, Respondent 

demanded that he leave, called the police, and changed the locks on the Property.41 

Because Respondent ousted Petitioner from the Property for fifty months, Petitioner 

is entitled to one half of the rental value for that period. Hunsucker, 2019 WL 

1984242, at *3. 

The record on rental value is thin. Petitioner testified that he and another 

sibling “called around rental agencies” and, based on their investigation, determined 

“that rental property in that area at the time” could be rented for $1,200 per month.42 

“Although it would have been preferable to have more evidence concerning 

comparable rental values in the area during the relevant time period, I find it 

reasonable, under the circumstances, to use the lay testimony provided as the basis 

for rental value in this case.” Id. at *4 (“In an ordinary case, the owner of a leasehold 

should be permitted to testify as to the value of his leasehold.”). Petitioner’s fifty 

percent share of the rental value during the fifty-month period amounts to $30,000. 

41 Tr. at 5:9-6:16, 17:17-18:11.

42 Tr. at 9:13-15.
12

Petitioner’s share of the proceeds should be increased, and Respondent’s share of 

the proceeds should be decreased, by that amount.

Fourth, the parties’ distributions should be adjusted to account for 

Respondent’s payment of taxes on the Property. “Generally, co-tenants share the 

cost of taxes on the property equally, because those costs benefit all of the cotenants.” Ponder v. Willey, 2020 WL 6735715, at *3 (Del. Ch. Nov. 17, 2020), R&R

adopted, 2020 WL 7043627 (Del. Ch.). “[A] cotenant not in possession . . . has a 

duty to contribute to the cotenant in possession as to any payments . . . for taxes.” 

Est. of Davis, 2023 WL 4482223, at *3 (alteration in original) (citation and internal 

quotation marks omitted). At the hearing, Respondent testified that from March 25, 

2018 through May 25, 2022, she paid $5,000 in taxes on the Property.43 Because 

Respondent paid those taxes without contribution from Petitioner, Respondent’s 

share of the proceeds should be increased, and Petitioner’s share of the proceeds 

should be decreased, by half of that amount.44

43 Id. at 20:1-8.

44 In his June 7, 2023 submission, Petitioner asks that “the unpaid taxes be deducted from 

the Respondent’s portion of the proceeds from the sale,” Dkt. 40 at 1, but at the hearing, 

Petitioner clarified that he does not seek an adjustment for any unpaid taxes. Tr. at 10:4-

11:17.
13

Finally, Petitioner asks the Court to deduct $461.40 in filing fees from 

Respondent’s share of the proceeds.45 “‘Under the American Rule and Delaware 

law, litigants are normally responsible for paying their own litigation costs[]’ . . . .” 

Ponder, 2020 WL 6735715, at *6 (citation omitted). “Equitable exceptions to the 

American Rule include the bad faith exception, as well as the ‘common fund 

doctrine’ and the related ‘common benefit doctrine,’ which are based ‘on the 

equitable principle that those who have profited from a litigation should share its 

costs.’” Id. (citation and footnote omitted). Petitioner does not specify a basis for 

shifting costs. To the extent Petitioner contends that Respondent’s conduct during 

the First Sale supports cost-shifting, Magistrate Griffin’s May 25, 2022 Order 

already remedied the harm from such conduct. And to the extent Petitioner seeks 

costs under the common benefit doctrine, this action did not work a benefit that 

would support cost-shifting. See In re the Real Prop.: Tax Parcel No. 26-012.20-

080 generally known as 2300 W. Seventeenth St., Wilmington DE 19807, 2021 WL 

4999114, at *3 (Del. Ch. Oct. 20, 2021) (explaining that “in a typical partition action, 

neither party produces a benefit that does not already exist”). I therefore recommend 

that the Court exercise its discretion to deny Petitioner’s request for filing fees.

45 Dkt. 40 at 2.
14

III. CONCLUSION

Based on the analysis above, Petitioner is entitled to $78,157.74 and 

Respondent is entitled to $13,157.74 from the proceeds of the partition sale. The 

following tables summarize the calculations. This is a final report under Court of 

Chancery Rule 144(a). Any exceptions to this report must be filed within eleven 

days.46

Proceeds From Second Sale $95,336.49

Remaining Expenses From First Sale ($4,021.00)

Proceeds Remaining for Distribution $91,315.49

Petitioner Patrick J. Connell Respondent Christina Klebart

50% Interest $45,657.74 50% Interest $45,657.74

Credit for 

Expenses From 

First Sale

$5,000.00 Debit for 

Expenses From 

First Sale

($5,000.00)

Credit for Rent $30,000.00 Debit for Rent ($30,000.00)

Debit for Taxes ($2,500.00) Credit for Taxes $2,500.00

Distribution to 

Petitioner:

$78,157.74 Distribution to 

Respondent:

$13,157.74

46 See Ct. Ch. R. 144(d)(1) (“In actions that are not summary in nature or in which the 

Court has not ordered expedited proceedings, any party taking exception shall file a notice 

of exceptions within eleven days of the date of the report.”). Pursuant to Court of Chancery 

Rule 144(c), “[i]f the Magistrate in Chancery files a draft report, then the only exceptions 

that a party may take to a final report are (i) exceptions to the draft report that were timely 

filed and disallowed and (ii) exceptions to any differences between the draft report and the 

final report.” Ct. Ch. R. 144(c). I note that the parties did not file exceptions to the January 

16 Draft Report and there are no substantive differences between the January 16 Draft 

Report and this final report.