Case Name: Greenway vs. Hunter
Court: Tennessee Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Tennessee
Decision Date: 1838-06-06
Citations: 1 Meigs 73
Docket Number: 
Parties: Greenway vs. Hunter.
Judges: 
Reporter: Tennessee Reports
Volume: 19
Pages: 73–75

Head Matter:
Greenway vs. Hunter.
Íüxecdtors And Administrator s. .Limitation of actions against by st’s. 1789, c 23,1829, c 57, and 1831, c 123.
The acts of 3829, and 1831, prohibiting suits against persoual representatives, fot* six months from their qualification, do not, that long, extend the periods within which, by the act of 1789, they must be sued, and must close their administration.
Alfred Hunter, in his life time, was indebted by bills single to Greenway, in the sum of four hundred and thirty-one dollars, sixty-four and a half cents. Hunter died, and administration of his estate was granted by the county court of Green to Elizabeth Hunter, the defendant, on-the 28th of October, 1833. On the 26th of March, 1836, Greenway sued the administratix in debt on said bills, in the circuit court of Hawkins. She pleaded payment by the intestate, fully administered, and the statute of 1789, c 23, § 4, limiting actions against executors and administrators. Upon the two first pleas issues of fact were joined. To the last, the plaintiff demurred upon the ground, that as the acts of 1&29, c 57, § 2, and 1831, c 23, § 2, prohibit suits against per sonal representatives within six months from their qualification, the periods of two and three years within which actions against them, are limited to be brought by the act of 1789, does not begin to run till the expiration of said period of six months. The defendant joined in demurrer; and at August term, 1837, his Honor, the circuit Judge overruled it, and gave judgment for the defendant, that the plea> was a bar to the action. The plaintiff appealed in error.
June 6.
Lucky, for the plaintiff.
R. J. McKinney, for the defendant.

Opinion:
Reese, J.
delivered the opinion of the court.
We are called upon, by the question raised upon this record, to determine — whetherthe act of 1831, c 23, prohibiting the institution of a suit against the personal representative of a decedent within six months from his qualification, has the effect to extend six months.longer, the time (two years prescribed by the act of 1789, c 23,) within which, the administration must be closed, and within which, actions against personal representatives, are barred.
We are satisfied, that the act of 1831 can have no such effect. The object of that act, in protecting the personal representative, for six months, against the institution of suits, was, to enable him, more effectually, and with more safety to close his administration, within the time prescribed by the act of 1789. Within the six months, the creditor has a right to exhibit his claims for settlement and payment, and the representative can adjust or pay them; both parties can inform themselves of the liabilities and means of the estate, and of the precedence, to which creditors may be entitled, in the liquidation of their claims; arid so far from this state of things making a prolongation of the time, for the administration, necessary, its effect perhaps, is of a contrary character.
This point has been, more than once, incidentally determined, in cases, heretofore, before this court. But we are glad that the question has been distinctly made; for the act of 1789 is one of much importance, and it has, so repeatedly, and in so many aspects, been presented- for judicial exposition, that it is desirable, that all questions, with regard to it, should be finally settled.
.Note. The limitation of actions against personal representatives takes effect—
1. Against a creditor, in being, 3 Murphy, 595 — 6; 3 Devereaux, 181; who having a debt due, 3 Yerger, 3!8, 9 Id. 433, is therefore capable of suing.
2. In behalf of a deceased debtor's personal representative, who having qualified, and survived six months, 1829, c 57, 1831, c23; is therefore capable of being sued, 10 Yerger, 484.
3. in two years from the qualification, if the creditor reside within, and three years, if without the state, at the time, 10 Yerger, 484, of the death or qualification, not counting the time of a definite indulgence granted to the debtor's representative, at his special request, 9 Yerger, 433.
4. Or in one year after the creditor's disability is removed, if an infant, feme vovert, or non compos, at the time of the qualification, 5 Haywood, 236.
5. And it will take effect whether the advertisement, mentioned in the 5th section, of the-actof 1789, be made or omitted, 5 Haywood, 1,224; 3 Y'erger, 1,, 43J* that section only being directory.
It has been argued, in this case, that, to give to the act of 1831, the effect of prolonging, for six months, the time in which claims against a personal representative shall be barred, and yet, hold him liable to close his administration, at the end of two years, would place him in a most difficult and perilous situation; and yet it has not been contended that the act of 1831 can have the effect to extend the time within which the administration must be terminated.
We entertain, therefore, no doubt of the correctness of the judgment of the circuit court, and it must be affirmed.