Opinion ID: 1271967
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Partition of the Remainder Interests

Text: Appellants sought a partition of the remainder held by them and the appellees in U.S. Survey 1432. The superior court denied relief, holding that appellants could not maintain a partition action because they held no present possessory interest in the land. Appellees ask up to uphold this possession requirement and to further hold that remaindermen cannot sue for partition absent the life tenant's consent. Thus, the issue is whether a non-possessory fractional holder of a fee remainder interest can maintain an action for partition of the remainder, as a tenant-in-common, against other remaindermen, even though one or more of the other remaindermen are life tenants of the same land and do not consent to the action. Resolving this issue turns on the construction of AS 09.45.260: When several persons own real property as tenants in common, in which one or more of them have an estate of inheritance or for life or years, or when real property is subject to a life estate with remainder over, an action may be brought by one or more of those persons or by the life tenant for a portion of it according to the respective rights of the interested persons, and for a sale of the property or a part of it if it appears that a partition cannot be had without great prejudice to the parties. The requirement of a possessory interest, which the superior court imposed, is not found in the statute. In fact, such a condition was dropped from the earlier version of the statute when AS 09.45.260 was enacted in 1962. [21] This subsequent amendment of the statute evidences a legislative intent to abolish the possession requirement. We hold that the superior court erred in imposing such a requirement. We must next determine whether the statute authorizes remaindermen to sue for partition. Appellees argue that it does not. They cite Akagi v. Ishioka, 47 Cal. App.3d 426, 120 Cal. Rptr. 807 (1975), which construed a similar California statute as not authorizing a sole remainderman to sue a sole life tenant for partition. However, appellants are suing appellees in their capacity as co-holders of remainder interests in U.S. Survey 1432. Thus, the issue becomes whether under AS 09.45.260 remaindermen can sue remaindermen for partition of the remainder over the objection of a life tenant. The statute defines two classes authorized to sue, but is susceptible to varying interpretations. Appellees argue that the statute provides for two situations: a) `When several persons own real property as tenants in common, in which one or more of them have an estate of inheritance or for life or years' then any co-tenant can sue; or b) `[W]hen real property is subject to a life estate with remainder over' then a life tenant can sue. Thus, appellees argue, appellants cannot sue for partition because they are neither (a) tenants in common where one or more holds an estate of inheritance, life or years, nor (b) holders of a life estate. But the appellees and appellants are tenants in common [22] in the remainder, and at least one of the appellees, Thomas Brower, holds a life estate in the property. Thus, even under appellees' construction, the appellants are authorized to sue for a partition of the remainder. Further, those persons necessarily refers to the class of co-tenants rather than just to life tenants. We hold that remaindermen can sue co-tenants in the remainder, in their capacity as remaindermen, for a partition of the remainder. See Geary v. DeEspinosa, 51 Cal. App. 52, 196 P. 90, 92 (1921). Finally, no authority appears to support appellees' position that a life tenant can preclude an action for partition of a remainder by withholding consent. Alaska Statute 09.45.320 provides that partition can be ordered subject to the life tenancy, [23] and appellants correctly note that various courts have so held. [24] In addition, AS 09.45.450 provides that a court can even order the sale of the life estate if appropriate under the circumstances. [25] Neither of these statutes, nor any provision of the Alaska statutes pertaining to partition, specify that a life tenant can preclude partition of the remainder by withholding consent. In sum, the superior court erred in requiring possession as a condition to maintaining an action for partition. We hold that AS 09.45.260 allows appellants, as remaindermen, to sue appellees, as co-tenants in the remainder, for partition of that remainder notwithstanding the latter's objection in their capacity as life tenants. We do not consider a number of problems which may result from a partition of the interests here, leaving those problems to be addressed by the superior court. AFFIRMED in part, REVERSED in part, and REMANDED.