Case Name: Benjamin H. SAUNDERS, Executor, Estate of Sophus Dee Hanson, deceased, et al., Appellants, v. Anne Baker Bein HANSON, Appellee
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1963-12-26
Citations: 327 F.2d 889
Docket Number: No. 17508
Parties: Benjamin H. SAUNDERS, Executor, Estate of Sophus Dee Hanson, deceased, et al., Appellants, v. Anne Baker Bein HANSON, Appellee.
Judges: 
Reporter: Federal Reporter 2d Series
Volume: 327
Pages: 889–893

Head Matter:
Benjamin H. SAUNDERS, Executor, Estate of Sophus Dee Hanson, deceased, et al., Appellants, v. Anne Baker Bein HANSON, Appellee.
No. 17508.
United States Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit.
Argued June 6, 1963.
Decided Dec. 26, 1963.
Petition for Rehearing En Banc Denied Feb. 28, 1964.
Mr. John A. Beck, Washington, D. C., with whom Mr. Ellis N. Slack, Washington, D. C., was on the brief, for appellants.
Mr. John Alexander, Washington, D. C. , with whom Mr. Walter W. Johnson, Jr., Washington, D. C., was on the brief for appellee.
Before Edgerton, Senior Circuit Judge, and Danaher and Burger, Circuit Judges.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
This appeal involves the right of appellee to receive a statutory share of the estate of her former husband, who died within six months after the entry of a decree of divorce but before that decree became final under D.C.Code, § 16-421 (1951). The statute says "no such final decree [for absolute divorce] shall become absolute and take effect until the expiration of six months after its date." This court in Oliver v. Oliver, 87 U.S.App.D. C. 334, 336, 185 F.2d 429, 431 (1950), pointed out:
"This contemplates a provisional decree of divorce only, which cannot mature and become effective until lapse of the intervening time."
We held in Wesley v. Brown that death of one of the parties during the six-month period following a divorce decree abated the action. Again, in Dillard v. Dillard, discussing the underlying policy of our law, we said the District of Columbia statute
"adopts and clearly expresses the broad policy of postponing for six months, and for all purposes, the effective date of any decree of absolute divorce granted in the District of Columbia."' (Emphasis added.)
It is our view that the District Court, Tamm, J., clearly discerned and applied the law as interpreted by repeated decisions of this court.
Other contentions advanced on brief and in argument have been sufficiently treated in the opinion of the District Judge. The judgment is
Affirmed.
. 90 U.S.App.D.C. 351, 196 F.2d 859 (1952).
. 107 U.S.App.D.C. 214, 218, 275 F.2d 878, 882 (1960).
. In re Hanson's Estate, 210 F.Supp. 377 (D.C.1962).