Source: http://masscases.com/cases/sjc/337/337mass480.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 14:59:09+00:00

Document:
DORA BLOOM & another vs. LOUIS BLOOM & others.
A suit in equity by legatees under a will against the executors and others whereby the plaintiffs sought to raise anew matters which had been heard by the Probate Court in passing upon the executors' accounts constituted an attempt to attack collaterally decrees of the Probate Court allowing the accounts and could not be maintained.
BILL IN EQUITY, filed in the Superior Court on November 25, 1955.
The suit was heard by Lurie, J., on a "motion to dismiss."
Max Kabatznick, George M. Belsky, & Erwin E. Cooper, for the plaintiffs, submitted a brief.
Magnus Greenman, for the defendants.
business of the partnership J. Bloom Company for a nominal sum. The bill further alleges that Louis deceived his coexecutors by representing to them that Jacob was competent when he executed these documents, whereas in fact he was not; that he also deceived his coexecutors by misrepresenting the value of J. Bloom Company and its good will; and that as a result of the fraudulent conduct of Louis the plaintiffs, who are legatees under Jacob's will, received less than they should have received.
The defendants Louis, Bessie, and J. Bloom Company filed a motion to dismiss, which in substance stated that the matters complained of in the bill had been adjudicated after full hearing by the Probate Court for Middlesex County in connection with the allowance of the executors' first and second and final accounts; that decrees allowing these accounts had been entered by that court; and that these decrees could not be attacked collaterally in the present proceeding. The judge treated the motion to dismiss as a plea and so informed the parties. See E. S. Parks Shellac Co. v. Jones, 265 Mass. 108, 110.
not be attacked collaterally in the present proceeding. A decree was entered sustaining the defendants' plea and ordering the bill dismissed. The plaintiffs appealed.
It is plain that the purpose of the present bill is to attack collaterally decrees rendered by the Probate Court with respect to matters within its jurisdiction, namely, the executors' accounts. That this cannot be done is well settled. In a long line of decisions it has been said repeatedly that a decree of the Probate Court within its jurisdiction is good unless it is set aside; that it cannot be attacked collaterally; that such decrees are conclusive upon the courts of common law, and cannot be reversed by writ of error or certiorari; and that they cannot be set aside in equity, even for fraud. Farquhar v. New England Trust Co. 261 Mass. 209, 213, and cases cited. Wilbur v. Hallett, 305 Mass. 554, 558. Mahoney v. Nollman, 309 Mass. 522, 525. Grassie v. Grassie, 318 Mass. 346, 348-349. Beede v. Old Colony Trust Co. 321 Mass. 115, 121. Old Colony Trust Co. v. Porter, 324 Mass. 581, 590. These principles are applicable here and are decisive of the case.

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