Difference between revisions of "Braxton v. Lee's heirs"

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[[Media: Hening&MunfordsReports1811V4BraxtonvLee'sHeirs.pdf|''Braxton v. Lee's heirs'']], Hening and Munford Vol. IV 376 (1806),<ref>William Hening and William Munford, ''[[Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Court of Appeals of Virginia: with Select Cases, Relating Chiefly to Points of Practice, Decided by the Superior Court of Chancery for the Richmond District]],'' (New York: I. Riley, 1811), 376.</ref> discussed whether decrees against children could later be challenged by the child when it had come of age.
 
[[Media: Hening&MunfordsReports1811V4BraxtonvLee'sHeirs.pdf|''Braxton v. Lee's heirs'']], Hening and Munford Vol. IV 376 (1806),<ref>William Hening and William Munford, ''[[Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Court of Appeals of Virginia: with Select Cases, Relating Chiefly to Points of Practice, Decided by the Superior Court of Chancery for the Richmond District]],'' (New York: I. Riley, 1811), 376.</ref> discussed whether decrees against children could later be challenged by the child when it had come of age.
 
==Background==
 
==Background==
After her husband’s death, Elizabeth Braxton sued in the Court of Chancery to recover her life estate (dower) in 25,000 acres of land. Among the defendants were Francis Lee’s heirs, Sophia and William, who were minors. Since the Lee children were called as defendants, the court appointed Nancy Lee to be their guardian in defending them in court. However, Nancy Lee never appeared nor filed an answer on the children’s behalf. Since Nancy Lee never showed in court, the Commissioners (who were appointed for the purpose of the processing this issue, found in favor of Ms. Braxton and demanded that the 100 acres possessed by the Lee children be returned to her and to pay to Widow Braxton the sum of rent and profits accumulated from the time of the demand until she finally regained possession. In response to the judgment, John Dillard a friend of the still minor Lee children, filed an appeal on their behalf stating among other things that they weren’t properly represented and that their grandfather had actually purchased the property from Mr. Braxton.  
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After her husband’s death, Elizabeth Braxton sued in the Court of Chancery to recover her life estate (dower) in 25,000 acres of land. Among the defendants were Francis Lee’s heirs, Sophia and William, who were minors. Since the Lee children were called as defendants, the court appointed Nancy Lee as their legal guardian and representative. However, Nancy Lee never appeared nor filed an answer on the children’s behalf. Since Nancy Lee never appeared in court, the Commissioners (appointed to process the issue), found in favor of Ms. Braxton and demanded that the 100 acres possessed by the Lee children be returned to her. The court also demanded the Lee children, through their guardian, to pay Ms. Braxton the sum of any rent and profits accumulated from the time of the demand until she regained possession. In response to the judgment, John Dillard, a friend of the still minor Lee children, filed an appeal stating among other things that the children were not properly represented and that their grandfather had actually purchased the property from Mr. Braxton, prior to his death.  
  
 
===The Court's Decision===
 
===The Court's Decision===
On March 6, 1802, Chancellor Wythe rejected to hear the defenses of the Lee children and was reversed by the Court of Appeals. Upon hearing the facts of the case in full on March 12, 1803, Wythe, again, ruled in favor of Ms. Braxton. The Court of Appeals reversed again and ordered a new trial based on the merits of the case. On September 20, 1806, the case came before the second judge of the Superior Court of Chancery, Creed Taylor, who found in favor of the plaintiffs. To this decision, the Court of appeals reversed in part and affirmed in part.
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On March 21, 1803, Chancellor Wythe "after considering the said bill and hearing counsel on both sides", rejected to hear additional evidence and found in favor of Ms. Braxton. On April 17, 1805, the Court of Appeals reversed the decision and found that the case should have proceeded. After George Wythe's death, the case returned to the Superior Court of Chancery on September 20, 1806. Chancellor Creed Taylor found in favor of the plaintiffs after hearing the additional facts of the case. To this decision, the Court of Appeals reversed in part and affirmed in part.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==

Revision as of 10:14, 15 December 2017

File:Hening&MunfordsReports1811V4BraxtonvLee'sHeirs.pdf

Braxton v. Lee's heirs, Hening and Munford Vol. IV 376 (1806),[1] discussed whether decrees against children could later be challenged by the child when it had come of age.

Background

After her husband’s death, Elizabeth Braxton sued in the Court of Chancery to recover her life estate (dower) in 25,000 acres of land. Among the defendants were Francis Lee’s heirs, Sophia and William, who were minors. Since the Lee children were called as defendants, the court appointed Nancy Lee as their legal guardian and representative. However, Nancy Lee never appeared nor filed an answer on the children’s behalf. Since Nancy Lee never appeared in court, the Commissioners (appointed to process the issue), found in favor of Ms. Braxton and demanded that the 100 acres possessed by the Lee children be returned to her. The court also demanded the Lee children, through their guardian, to pay Ms. Braxton the sum of any rent and profits accumulated from the time of the demand until she regained possession. In response to the judgment, John Dillard, a friend of the still minor Lee children, filed an appeal stating among other things that the children were not properly represented and that their grandfather had actually purchased the property from Mr. Braxton, prior to his death.

The Court's Decision

On March 21, 1803, Chancellor Wythe "after considering the said bill and hearing counsel on both sides", rejected to hear additional evidence and found in favor of Ms. Braxton. On April 17, 1805, the Court of Appeals reversed the decision and found that the case should have proceeded. After George Wythe's death, the case returned to the Superior Court of Chancery on September 20, 1806. Chancellor Creed Taylor found in favor of the plaintiffs after hearing the additional facts of the case. To this decision, the Court of Appeals reversed in part and affirmed in part.

See also

References

  1. William Hening and William Munford, Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Court of Appeals of Virginia: with Select Cases, Relating Chiefly to Points of Practice, Decided by the Superior Court of Chancery for the Richmond District, (New York: I. Riley, 1811), 376.