SWAIN v. SWAN

SWAIN v. SWAN
1930 OK 249
294 P. 153
147 Okla. 33
Case Number: 19595
Decided: 05/13/1930
Supreme Court of Oklahoma

SWAIN, Judge, et al.
v.
SWAN, Judge.

Syllabus

¶0 1. Courts--Probate Jurisdiction of County Court -- Superior Court's Jurisdiction Only on Appeal.
The county court has exclusive original probate jurisdiction. The superior court only acquires jurisdiction on appeal. The superior court is without jurisdiction to exercise supervisory control over the county court in probate matters pending before the county court.
2. Same--Guardian and Ward--Appeal not Authorized from County Court's Action on Motion to Quash Service of Notice or Summons.
Under section 1410, C. O. S. 1921, an appeal will lie from the county court to the superior court on granting or refusing letters of guardianship, and will not lie from an order of the county court sustaining or refusing to quash service of notice or summons.
3. Insane Persons--Appointment of Guardian for Incompetent--Superior Court upon Appeal Authorized to Issue Writ of Supersedeas to Prevent Guardian from Functioning Pending Appeal.
Where an alleged incompetent appeals from an order of the county court, appointing for the incompetent a guardian, to the superior court, after said appeal is lodged in the superior court, the superior court has jurisdiction to issue a writ of supersedeas to prevent the guardian from assuming the functions of his office pending an appeal from the order appointing him.

Original action by Orlando Swain, Judge of County Court of Okmulgee County, and another against J. H. Swan, Judge of the Superior Court, seeking a writ of certiorari and prohibition. Writ granted.

G. R. Horner, Robt. R. Smith, and Sid White, for relators.
Carroll & Whipple, for respondent.

CLARK, J.

¶1 This is an original action filed in this court on July 24, 1928, by Orlando Swain, judge of the county court of Okmulgee county, Okla., and C. W. Roodhouse, as guardian, relators, seeking a writ of certiorari and prohibition against respondent, J. H. Swan, superior judge of Okmulgee county, Okla. This cause was begun in the county court of Okmulgee county by the filing of a petition in said county court seeking to have Hanna Anderson declared an incompetent, and a guardian appointed for the person and estate of said Hanna Anderson. The cause came on for hearing before the county court on motion to quash service of summons on the said Hanna Anderson, which motion was by the county court overruled. In which action of the county court the said Hanna Anderson, by her attorneys, appealed to the superior court of Okmulgee county. Thereafter, the superior judge at a hearing quashed said service of summons and reversed the order and judgment of the trial court.

¶2 It is contended by the relators that an appeal will not lie from an order of the county court refusing to quash service of summons, and that the superior court was without jurisdiction to hear and determine said appeal. Section 1410, C. O. S. 1921, provides:

"An appeal may be taken to the district court from a judgment, decree, or order of the county court: First. Granting, or refusing, or revoking letters testamentary or of administration, or of guardianship."

¶3 This clearly gives the right of appeal from the granting or refusing letters of guardianship. The right of appeal being a statutory right, and the order appealed from, neither granting nor refusing letters of guardianship, was not an appealable order, and the superior court exceeded its jurisdiction in attempting to hear and determine on appeal a motion to quash service of notice or summons on the alleged incompetent. Said proceeding being beyond the jurisdiction of the superior court, the same is vacated and held for naught.

¶4 Thereafter, a hearing was had in the county court and C. W. Roodhouse was appointed guardian of the said Hanna Anderson. Thereafter, on July 23, 1928, the superior court of Okmulgee county issued an alternative writ of prohibition prohibiting and restraining the county judge from taking any further proceeding in probate matter No. 2850, except such as necessary to admit said Hanna Anderson to perfect her appeal. Section 10, article 7, Constitution of Oklahoma, gives the district courts or any judge thereof power to issue writs of prohibition or other writs, remedial or otherwise, necessary or proper to carry into effect their orders, judgments, or decrees.

¶5 The statute gave the superior court of Okmulgee county appellate jurisdiction in probate matters, and, if it is conceded it has the same jurisdiction as district courts, it did not have supervisory control of the county court in probate matters and was without jurisdiction to issue a writ of prohibition to the county court, except when necessary or proper to carry into effect its orders, judgments, or decrees. Said writ of prohibition is vacated and held for naught.

¶6 Thereafter, Hanna Anderson, through her attorneys, appealed from the judgment of the county court adjudging her an incompetent, and from the appointment of C. W. Roodhouse, as guardian, to the superior court of Okmulgee county. This cause was lodged in the superior court and is designated in the superior court as appeal No. 2968. This cause is properly before the superior court for determination. Thereafter, the superior court of Okmulgee county issued its writ to the judge of the county court of Okmulgee county and C. W. Roodhouse, as guardian, commanding and enjoining the said county judge "to desist and refrain from any further proceedings in said probate matter No. 2850, and from in any manner, by virtue of the proceedings heretofore had in said probate matter No. 2850, undertaking to act or assuming to act touching and concerning the person and estate of said Hanna Anderson, all pending the determination of said appeal and the further order of this court."

¶7 It is contended by respondents that this was intended as a writ of supersedeas, superseding the judgment of the county court pending the appeal of Hanna Anderson from the order appointing a guardian of her person and estate. Relators contend the superior court is without jurisdiction to issue this writ and should be prohibited from enforcing the same. Relators contend section 1430, C. O. S. 1921, recognizes the right of the guardian to act for an incompetent pending determination of the appointment on appeal.

¶8 The only case cited by either party directly in point is the case of Coburn v. Hynes, 120 P. 26, wherein the Supreme Court of California, in the first syllabus, says:

"A guardian of an incompetent person is properly prevented by writ of supersedeas from assuming the functions of his office pending an appeal from the order appointing him, notwithstanding Code Civil Procedure, 966, which provides that when an order appointing a guardian is reversed for error, but not for want of jurisdiction, all lawful actions performed by the guardian are valid."