Court Opinion

ID: 6700812
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-07-20 22:08:40.354448+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:01:24.789411
License: Public Domain

PARKER, J.,
concurring in the majority opinion. The court below made an erroneous adjudication in respect to the vitally important question of the distribution of the proceeds of the sale of the estate by the entirety, as clearly set forth in the majority opinion. To remand this special proceeding to the superior court without deciding that question would probably result in a similar erroneous adjudication which would necessitate another appeal to this Court, the cost and expenses of which would impair the corpus of the estate -by the entirety. Florence Johnson Perry is an incompetent person, and as such it is unquestionable that she is a ward of the superior court of Franklin County which has full equitable powers and jurisdiction of her person. It is the special duty of this court having such jurisdiction to conserve her estate by the entirety. 44 C.J.S., Insane Persons, secs. 57 and 79. What was said in Latta v. Trustees of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, 213 N.C. 462, 196 S.E. 862, in respect to infants is equally applicable in respect to incompetents like Florence Johnson Perry:
*316“In all suits or legal proceedings of whatever nature, in which the personal or property rights of a minor are involved, the protective powers of a court of chancery may be invoked whenever it becomes necessary to fully protect such rights. When necessary the courts will go so far as to take notice ex mero motu that the rights of infants are endangered and will take such action as will properly protect them.”
“Normally questions not determinative of the appeal are not decided,” but in this instance I feel that the majority opinion is not only justified in stating the law applicable to the fund in this case, which is a pure question of law, but that this court should do so to discharge its duty to a ward of the court in order to conserve the estate by the entirety for the benefit of the incompetent. I find precedent for my opinion in De Bruhl v. Highway Commission, 245 N.C. 139, 95 S.E. 2d 553; In re Davis, 248 N.C. 423, 103 S.E. 2d 503.