Case Name: Noel & Wife v. Garnett
Court: Court of Appeals of Virginia
Jurisdiction: Virginia
Decision Date: 1786-10
Citations: 4 Call 92
Docket Number: 
Parties: Noel & Wife v. Garnett.
Judges: 
Reporter: Virginia Reports
Volume: 8
Pages: 664–664

Head Matter:
Noel & Wife v. Garnett.
[October, 1786.]
Dower — Failure to Renounce Provision of Will in Prescribed Time — Effect. —If the widow does not relinquish the will, within the prescribed period she is barred from dower in the undevised slaves.
Dower — Failure to Relinquish Provision of Will-Effect. — On this subject, see the principal case cited in Blunt v. Gee, 5 Call 511 ; monographic note on “Dower” appended to Davis v. Davis, 25 Gratt. 587.

Opinion:
Mrs. Noel's first husband devised some slaves to her during her life, or widowhood: but died intestate as to some others of his slaves. Mrs. Noel, formerly Garnett, did not renounce the .provision made for her under the will, but held the estate devised to her nine years, and then married Noel. She and her second husband brought a suit to recover dower, in the undevised slaves of her first husband : but the court of chancery dismissed the bill upon a hearing; and the plaintiffs appealed to. the court of appeals.
The court of appeals were of opinion, that the appellant Elizabeth, by not renouncing her first husband's will, was barred from recovering dower, in the undevised slaves.