Court Opinion

ID: 9549591
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 18:21:44.093584+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:20:34.846457
License: Public Domain

Mr. Justice Clark
dissenting.
While I share with the majority of the court the altruistic motive which apparently prompted the majority opinion, yet I must respectfully dissent therefrom for the reason that I do not believe our statute is sufficiently broad in its provisions to warrant such a generous interpretation. I believe the scope of the statute is limited by the object sought to be accomplished thereby as set forth in section 23 of the Act (§23, c. 93, ’35 C.S.A.), which, in my view, goes no farther than to declare an exemption “from execution and attachment” where, and only in such instances, as same shall arise from attempt to so enforce liability “from any debt, contract or civil obligation entered into or incurred.” I cannot concur in the view that, under our statute, there was intended to be created any interest in land, maintainable against the lawful inheritors upon occurrence of the death of the individual in whose name title stood of record. The “homestead” was already in existence, and making the marginal entry did not create it. What the entry does is simply to declare the claim to exemption as against the demands of creditors. If the estate *601be insolvent, the exemption still is maintainable against creditors, but where solvent and creditors are fully satisfied, the purpose of the exemption is fulfilled and it should not be permitted to concern the distribution of the assets as between the heirs or legatees.
Concerning the views of the trial court, I also believe that the widow claimant of homestead exemption may remain in possession, rent free, until the claims of all creditors are approved and satisfied and the complete solvency of the estate determined.
I would affirm the judgment of the district court. If the statute is to be widened in scope so as to be more nearly in line with many more liberal laws of other jurisdictions, that is a legislative, rather than a judicial, function, and we should not infringe upon that domain.
Mr. Justice Moore authorizes me to say that he concurs in this dissent.