Court Opinion

ID: 9702457
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 23:12:14.73044+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:37.701695
License: Public Domain

Boslaugh, J.,
dissenting.
It is not clear to me why these cases should be remanded to the District Court for further proceedings. I am not aware of any rule of law that prevents this court from deciding these cases upon the basis of the issues presented by the parties.
The controlling issue appears to be a construction of the will of Alven Evans, deceased. In general terms the question is whether the will gave Elizabeth K. Evans a life interest with a power of disposition or an interest in fee simple. This is a question of law which is argued in the briefs of both parties.
Ordinarily, the reason for decision relied upon by the trial court does not affect the decision of the case by this court. In many, if not most, of the cases decided by this court the record does not show the reason for decision upon which the trial court relied. A judgment will not be reversed if the trial court reached the right result even though the reason for decision was erroneous.
The opinion in these cases decides nothing and subjects the parties to further delay and expense which is unnecessary. In my opinion the cases should have been decided upon the issues presented.