Opinion ID: 1271967
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Southern Parcel

Text: 1. Thomas P. Brower, Robert Brower, David Brower, Sadie Neakok, Arnold Brower, Maria Ahgeak, Mary Stotts, Kate Sakeagak, and Harry Brower own equally a life estate in that portion of U.S. Survey 1432 lying south of the old trail or private road, each party's interest measured by his or her own life. 2. The remainder fee interest in the southern portion of U.S. Survey 1432 is vested in all fourteen children of Charles Brower, their heirs or assigns, as modified by a letter agreement of January 10, 1978 and certain January, 1971, quitclaim deeds to Thomas Brower. Accordingly, the fee remainder to the southern parcel is owned as follows: Thomas P. Brower, 3/14ths; all other brothers and sisters, (except Flora Loveridge Kalbargh and Elizabeth Kelly), their heirs and assigns, 1/14th each. [4] Appellants contend that they hold remainder fee interests in the entire area of U.S. Survey 1432, rather than in just the residence and southern portion. To reach this result, appellants argue that in granting each child a 1/14th fee remainder to U.S. Survey 1432, the probate decree did not distinguish between the northern and southern portions of the survey; that by distributing interests to U.S. Survey 1432 the probate court impliedly determined that the deeds to sons Thomas and David did not convey any realty; that this determination by the probate court is res judicata ; that the entire survey was in the estate of Charles Brower and subject to distribution; that as residual holders of remainder interests, appellants have an interest in the entire survey; and finally, that appellants are entitled to a partition of the remainder interests. Thus appellants raise three grounds of error. First, that the superior court erred in concluding that the 1948 probate decree did not grant appellants a remainder interest in the entire survey area. Second, that the superior court erred in relying on extrinsic evidence to uphold the validity of and construe the scope of the 1943 deeds. Third, that the superior court erred in holding that non-possessory holders of remainder interests cannot maintain an action for partition. Appellees position is that the probate court could not distribute land not in the estate; that the deeds conveyed all land used in the partnership business, i.e., all land north of the old trail or private road (excepting the residence) to Thomas and David Brower; that appellants' remainder interests are therefore necessarily limited to the residence and to the southern portion of U.S. Survey 1432; and that non-possessory holders of remainder interests cannot seek a partition without the consent of the life tenants. We affirm the superior court's ruling as to the existing interests in U.S. Survey 1432, but we conclude it erred in holding that appellants cannot maintain an action for the partition of the remainder interest.
Appellants argue that the 1948 probate decree is conclusive and res judicata as to the parties' interests in U.S. Survey 1432. They assert that the administrator made no distinction between the north and south portion of the survey in distributing the remainder interest, [5] and thus each of Charles Brower's children hold a 1/14th remainder interest, in fee, to the entire parcel. Appellees counter that the northern half of the survey was conveyed by the testator prior to his death and, therefore, was unavailable for distribution by the probate court. Before we reach the issue of the scope of the 1943 deeds, we must first determine whether the superior court erred in going beyond the face of the probate decree to adjudicate the respective interests in the land. Appellants correctly state that a decree of a United States Commissioner, sitting in probate, is entitled to the same finality as judgments by other courts. First National Bank v. Martin, 16 Alaska 313, 323-24 (1956). [6] As a general rule such decrees are conclusive and not subject to collateral attack absent mistake, fraud or collusion. Grant v. National Surety, 7 Alaska 179, 185 (1924). [7] There is, however, an additional exception to this rule which allowed the trial court to review the 1948 decree. This exception is based on the jurisdictional argument that the decree cannot distribute rights in property not owned by the decedent, Charles Brower. Appellees thus argue that if the decree purports to grant appellants a remainder interest in both the south and north portion of U.S. Survey 1432 it cannot be res judicata, since the 1943 deeds conveyed out of Charles Brower's estate that northern portion of the survey area used in the partnership's business. There is ample support for this position. [8] The recent case of Matter of Estate of Swandal, 587 P.2d 368 (Mont. 1978), provides a factually analogous example. In that case the probate court's decree of settlement of final account and distribution of estate granted each heir a fractional interest in certain lease and mineral rights previously conveyed out of the estate. Nine months after the executor was discharged and the estate was closed, the executor petitioned to reopen the estate and amend the final decree. The heirs objected on the ground that the decree was res judicata, since no appeal was taken. The trial court rejected the argument, took evidence regarding the prior conveyances, and amended the order of distribution to the extent that it disposed of property not within the estate. In affirming, the Montana Supreme Court stated: upon principles of res judicata, the order of distribution is binding on everyone, even if the court has committed manifest error  except ... that it is not binding as to property not owned by the decedent. ..... Manifestly, if the decedent does not own the property, which is the situation in the case at bar, the decree of distribution does not pass title. ..... The District Court here was without power or authority to distribute items which were not properly included in the inventory of the estate. (citations omitted, emphasis in original). Id. at 370-71. The court subsequently allowed the original order of distribution to be amended under the authority of its Civil Rule 60, analogous to Alaska Rule of Civil Procedure 60. Appellants argue, however, that by failing to use limiting language in its order of distribution, the probate court necessarily adjudicated title to the entire parcel. Even if the question of title was fully litigated during the probate proceedings, [9] the order of distribution could not distribute interests in realty no longer in Charles Brower's estate. To the extent that property was conveyed out of the estate, such a conveyance worked a pro-tanto reduction of the devise of the remainder; that is, a portion of the specific devise was adeemed. [10] After considering the evidence, the superior court found that the estate's administrator believed that the northern portion of the survey was not within the assets of Charles Brower's estate, and, furthermore, that the testator's intent was to leave each child a remainder interest in that portion of the survey not necessary to the partnership's operation. A review of the record fails to indicate that these findings are clearly erroneous. Thus, we conclude that the superior court properly reached the question of whether the 1943 deeds conveyed a portion of Survey 1432.
Contemporaneous to the 1943 formation of the partnership between Charles Brower and sons Thomas and David, Charles executed identical documents in favor of both Thomas and David. These documents were entitled deeds and provided, in relevant part: DEED ..... That the party of the first part ... does hereby grant and release one-third (1/3) right, title and claim on the following property located at Point Barrow, Alaska: Inventory, Merchandise Stock $8,367.20 Merchandise purchased and coming in by boat 11,848.86 Store and Equipment 2,500.00 Warehouse Number 1 300.00 Warehouse Number 2 200.00 Warehouse Number 3 500.00 Warehouse Number 4 150.00 Warehouse Number 5 300.00 Warehouse Number 6 150.00 Two Whale Boats and Equipment 800.00 Four Lighters 100.00 __________ Total $25,216.06 Together with all the appurtenances and all the estate and rights of the party of the first part in and to said premises, TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the premises herein granted unto the party of the second part, his heirs and assigns forever. And the party of the first part covenants that it has not done or suffered anything whereby the said premises have been encumbered in any way whatever. (emphasis added). Resolution of the parties' respective interests in U.S. Survey 1432 turns on the validity, scope, and effect of these deeds. Three possible constructions exist: the deeds conveyed title to only the named buildings; the deeds conveyed title to the named buildings and the land situated directly underneath; or, the deeds conveyed title to the named buildings and the subjacent and adjacent land necessary to the proper and beneficial use of the buildings as a partnership asset. Appellants urge a narrow and formalistic construction, namely, that the 1943 documents do not have the attributes of a deed and therefore did not convey any land. [11] Appellees, on the other hand, argue that the superior court correctly concluded that the deeds did convey real estate and, further, that the court properly admitted and relied upon extrinsic evidence to determine the amount of property conveyed.
The superior court found that the 1943 deeds were intended to convey to sons Thomas and David a one-third interest each in the property, including land, used in the operation of the Cape Smythe Whaling and Trading Co. This determination is supported by the facts and case law. The superior court found that the deeds followed the format customarily used in rural Alaska for the conveyance of real property. The form of each deed closely adhered to the then existing statutory requirement pertaining to conveyances of real property. At that time, Section 22-3-9 ACLA 1949 required that deeds be executed in the presence of two witnesses, who were then required to sign the deed. [12] Each deed complied with this requirement. The documents contain additional attributes of a deed. For example, they are entitled deeds; they contain a habendum clause, [13] characteristic of real property conveyances; [14] they specifically describe certain buildings; and they contain language typically indicative of deeds, e.g., grant, [15] appurtenances, [16] and premises. [17] An instrument in the form of a deed is presumed to be a deed, and this presumption is strengthened by the presence of attestation which occurred here, 3 American Law of Property § 12.97, at 394 (A. Casner ed. 1974). This strong presumption, and the foregoing facts support the superior court's conclusion that a conveyance of real property was intended. Appellants strongly urge that the deeds are mere bills of sale and do not convey real property. A similar argument was rejected in Pottkamp v. Buss, 3 Cal. Unrep.Cas. 694, 31 P. 1121, 1122 (1892). In that case, the court construed a conveyance of a store, ... and the bakery attached thereto to convey the named buildings, the land on which they stood, and so much of the surrounding land owned by the grantor as was necessary for the ordinary use of the buildings. [18] We hold that a conveyance of title to named buildings can convey title to subjacent and adjacent realty. Thus, where an intention to do so is established, undescribed land may be conveyed when it is incidental or appurtenant to the grant. Seefus v. Briley, 185 Neb. 202, 174 N.W.2d 339, 343 (1970). E.g., Black v. Ervin, 132 Ind. App. 470, 176 N.E.2d 142, 144 (1961) (lease or deed of a building includes adjacent land of the lessor or grantor which is used with the building or is necessary to its proper occupation for the intended purpose); Tadlock v. Mizell, 195 N.C. 473, 142 S.E. 713, 714 (1928) (conveyance of house conveyed the building, lot, and outbuildings customarily used in connection with the residence); Bogard v. Barhan, 56 Or. 269, 108 P. 214, 216 (1910) (conveyance of the brick store building conveyed both the building and underlying, though undescribed, land); Wade v. Odle, 21 Tex.Civ.App. 656, 54 S.W. 786, 788 (1899) (to same effect). [19] Appellants cite Noland v. Coon, 1 Alaska 36, 38 (1890) as contrary authority. In that case a water right was held not appurtenant to the conveyance of certain mining grounds. The court noted that a conveyance of the land which itself carried the water would include, as incidental or appurtenant, the right to such water. But in Noland, where the water was appropriated from other land, mere conveyance of the benefitted land did not also impliedly convey a right to the appropriated water. Moreover, the court in Noland noted that a water right is separate and apart from the mining property it is used for. Id. at 38-39. The unique facts of that case make it inapposite to the issues involved here.
We must next determine whether the superior court erred in relying on extrinsic evidence in concluding that the deeds conveyed a one-third fee interest in both the named buildings and the surrounding land (i.e., the northern parcel of U.S. Survey 1432) which was necessary to the beneficial use of those buildings in the partnership business. As shown above, the superior court was justified in concluding that the documents were in fact deeds. The superior court was also justified, under the authority of Shilts v. Young, 567 P.2d 769 (Alaska 1977), in utilizing extrinsic evidence to determine the scope of the conveyance. In Shilts, we established that where a deed is vague or ambiguous, resort may be had to extrinsic evidence to construe the deed: A valid deed must designate the land intended to be conveyed with reasonable certainty. However, `. .. [t]he purpose of a deed description is not to identify the land, but to furnish the means of identification.' Thus, a description is sufficient if it contains information permitting identification of the property to the exclusion of all others. Older cases suggest that where the terms of the grant or deed leave the identity of the real property completely uncertain, the deed is void. The general rule, however, is that where possible, deeds will be made operative and the intentions of the parties given effect. A deed is not void for uncertainty of description if the quantity, identity or boundaries of the property can be determined by reference to extrinsic evidence. Such evidence may include parol and subsequent conduct of the parties as well as other documents. There appear to be few restrictions on the use of extrinsic evidence in ambiguous or uncertain deed cases, although at least one court has cautioned that `there must be sufficient information in the property description to base title substantially on written evidence and not principally on parol evidence.' (footnotes omitted). Id., at 773-74. In Shilts, the deed conveyed six blocks of land within a certain survey. The deed specified numbered blocks, identified as to location by reference to named streets and more particularly described on Survey No. 691... . Id., at 771. The named survey was never located, and no evidence at trial showed the existence or location of any of the named streets. Id. Nevertheless, we upheld the use of extrinsic evidence to identify the land conveyed so as to uphold the deed's validity. Id. In the case at bar, the trial court was able to identify the property allegedly conveyed. Relying on testimonial evidence, the court concluded that the northern portion of U.S. Survey 1432 was used in connection with the buildings conveyed, and that the parties intended the conveyance of fractional interests in the buildings to carry with it title to the surrounding land. This is supported by the trial court's finding that Charles Brower intended to leave each child a remainder interest in that portion of the survey not necessary to the partnership's operations. Since the scope of the conveyance is a question of fact, [20] the superior court's conclusion that two-thirds of Charles Brower's interest in the northern portion of U.S. Survey 1432 (excepting the residence) was conveyed in fee by the 1943 deeds must stand unless clearly erroneous. Alaska R.Civ.P. 52(a). The court's findings are supported by uncontradicted evidence and, therefore, we affirm its determination of the parties' interests in U.S. Survey 1432.
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.