Court Opinion

ID: 9628743
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 09:30:51.205346+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:07:10.773393
License: Public Domain

McQUADE, Justice.
I concur in the result.
The conduct of this court’s resolution of the ademption issue here presented is controlled by I.C. § 73-116, which provides:
“Common law in force. — -The common law of England, so far as it is not repugnant to, or inconsistent with, the constitution or laws of the United States, in all cases not provided for in these compiled laws, is the rule of decision in all courts of this state.” (First enacted in Terr. Laws 1863-1864, p. 527, § 1; became law on January 4, 1864.)
See Idaho Const. art. II § 1; cf., Moon v. Bullock, 65 Idaho 594, 603, 151 P.2d 765 (1944).
Although the Idaho legislature has not specifically directed the manner of distribution of the proceeds in question, and in this regard the case may be “of first impression”, nevertheless I.C. § 73-116 points to the body of law which determines the issue.
The English common law rule in effect on January 4, 1864, when the provision contained in I.C. § 73-116 was first enacted, is the governing law. See In Re Kilgore’s Estate, 84 Idaho 226, 370 P.2d 512 (1962); cf. State ex rel. Rich v. Idaho Power Company, 81 Idaho 487, 501, 346 P.2d 596 (1959). English statutes then in force are included in the received “common law”. See In Re Killgore’s Estate, supra; Sutherland, Statutory Construction § 2504 (3d ed. Horade 1943).
The early English rule held that when devised real property was sold under authorization of the court in lunacy, converting the nature of testator’s interest from realty to personalty and so divesting his interest in the devised realty, the sale worked a complete ademption. Oxenden v. Lord Compton, 2 Ves. Jun. 69, 30 Eng. Rep. 527 (Ch.1793). However, Parliament modified this rule in the Lunacy Regulation Act of 1853, § 119,1 which provides that sur*412plus proceeds from the court authorized sale of a “lunatic’s” land shall pass under his will just as the land would have passed had it not been sold. See Re Freer, 22 Ch.D. 622 (1882); Jarman, Wills pp. 163-164 (6 ed. Sweet 1910). This statute, the English rule on January 4, 1864, when Idaho adopted its reception statute, now I.C. § 73-116, determines the manner of distribution of the proceeds in issue.

. Lunacy Regulation Act, 1853, 16 & 17 Vict., c. 70, § 119. “On any Monies being raised by Sale, Mortgage, Charge, or other Disposition of Land made in pursuance of any of the foregoing Provisions [court approved transactions to obtain funds for the support of a lunatic] the Person whose Estate is sold, mortgaged, charged, or otherwise disposed of, and his Heirs, next of Kin, Devisees, Legatees, Executors, Administrators, and Assigns, shall have such and the like Interest in the surplus Monies remaining after the Purposes for which the Monies have been raised shall have been answered as he or they would have had in the Estate if no Sale, Mortgage, Charge, or other Disposition thereof had been made, *412and the surplus Monies shall be of the same Nature and Character as the Estate sold, mortgaged, charged, or otherwise disposed of; * * * ” Re-enacted in substantially the same words in the Lunacy Act, 1890, 53 & 54 Vict., c. 5, § 123(1). See 8 Chitty, English Statutes 479 (6th ed. Aggs 1912).