MINNIE LEE FORT, ET AL., APPELLANTS,
v.
CORA RIGDON, ET AL., APPELLEES

Fla. | 1930-07-31
Whitfield, P. J., and Strum, J., concur., Terrell, C. J., and Ellis and Brown, J. J., concur in the opinion and judgment.
100 Fla. 398 Florida Supreme Court (1930) Positive Treatment
Cited by 9 cases

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Synopsis

This case concerns the designation of a homestead from a larger tract of land. The court affirmed the lower court's decision, holding that the chancellor's designation of the homestead was not clearly erroneous and followed established legal principles regarding homestead exemptions.


Holding

No, the chancellor did not err. The court held that the designation of the homestead, including the 80 acres adjoining the dwelling, was within the chancellor's discretion and not clearly erroneous based on the facts and relevant law.


Key Quotes

“We know of no rule of law which would require the chancellor to have followed this suggestion.”

Establishes that the court does not recognize a requirement for the chancellor to select the most valuable land for the homestead.

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Facts & Procedural History

Mitchell Rigdon, Sr. died owning 560 acres of land without having designated a homestead. The appellants, his heirs, filed a bill to have a homestead …

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Opinion of the Court
Bupord, J.-

Bupord, J.-

— Mitchell Rigdon, Sr., died in July, 1927. He left a last will and testament. This fact, however, is not involved in the decision of the case at bar. At the time of his death he was seized and possessed of a body of land made up of several different tracts purchased by him at different times comprising one contiguous body of 560 acres. "Mitchell Rigdon, Sr., had not designated the lands embracing his homestead under the provisions of Sec. 3875, Rev. Gen. Stats., 5782 Comp. Gen. Laws, or otherwise prior to his death. The bill was filed by the appellants here, amongst other things praying a decree for the circuit court to set apart and determine which of the lands owned by Mitchell Rigdon, Sr., to the extent of full 160 acres should constitute the homestead.

The lands owned by Rigdon are described as follows:

“The Northwest Quarter (NW14) of the Southwest Quarter (SW^) and the South Half (S%) of the-Southwest Quarter (SW^4) and the Northwest Quarter (NW%) of the Southeast Quarter (SE14) of Section Twenty-eight (28) in Township Seventeen (17) South of Range Twenty-six East,
“And also
“The Northeast Quarter (NE1^) of the Northeast Quarter (NE^4) of Section Twenty-nine (29) in Township Seventeen (17) South of Range Twenty-six East,
*400“And also
“The West Half (W%) of the Northeast Quarter (NE1^) and the Northwest Quarter (NW%) of the Southeast Quarter (SE14) and the Northwest Quarter (NW%) and the North Half (N%) of the Southwest Quarter (SW1/^) of Section Thirty-three (33) in Township Seventeen (17) South of Range Twenty-six (26) East, said lands being Five Hundred Sixty (560) acres, more or less.”

The decree of the chancellor from which appeal is taken designated as the homestead the South Half (S%) of the Southwest Quarter (SW1^) of Section Twentjr-eight (28) and the North Half (N%) of the Northwest Quarter (NW%) of Section Thirty-three (33) in Township Seventeen (17) South, Range Twenty-six (26) East.

The home, that is the place of residence, with the barns, outhouses, etc., occupied by Rigdon and his family during his lifetime and by him and his wife and some members of his family at the time of his death was located in the Southwest Quarter (SWx/4) of the Southwest Quarter (SW%) of the above mentioned Section Twenty-eight (28).

The complainants desired the homestead to be set aside in such manner that the homestead would include all of the most valuable portions of the land owned by Rigdon because of certain improvements on these lands.

We know of no rule of law which would require the chancellor to have followed this suggestion. There appears to be no question but that the chancellor was bound under all the facts and circumstances to designate the South Half of the Southwest Quarter (S% of SW%) of Section Twentyreight (28) as a part of the homestead, leaving-eighty (80) acres of the remainder of the land to be selected. It also follows that the chancellor was bound to se*401lect that eighty (80) aeres so that it would not be detached from the eighty acres on which the dwelling and barns were located. See Milton v. Milton, 63 Fla. 533, 58 So. R. 718; Brandies v. Perry, 39 Fla. 172, 22 So. R. 268.

In McDougal et al. v. Meginniss et al., 21 Fla. 362, this Court held:

“The Constitution of this State, Section 1, Article 9, exempts a homestead to the extent of one hundred and sixty acres of land outside an incorporated city or town to the head of a family residing in this State, with the improvements on the real estate, without regard to the use that may be made of that portion of the tract not covered by the residence and enclosures.”
And further, in the same ease, the Court say:
“Our Constitution says: ‘A homestead to the extent of 160 acres of land * * # owned by the head of a family residing in this State * * # and the improvements on the real estate,’ shall be exempt from levy and sale. This language in our view is too plain for elaboration or argument. ¥e have no authority, if the person who claims the land for a homestead resides thereon, is a resident of the State, the head of a family, and there is no more than 160 acres in the tract, to add to any other conditions than those expressed in the Constitution. To say how the homesteader should use his land, whether as a ‘farm’ or for a ‘saw-mill’ or a ‘grist-mill,’ or a ‘carding and fulling mill,’ would be to impose a judicial condition not found in the Constitution of the State. The Constitution does not prescribe the manner in which the tract shall be used beyond residing thereon.
‘ ‘ In the case of Grigg v. Bostwick, 33 California 220; the complainants filed a bill in equity to restrain a *402judgment creditor from selling under execution certain lands claimed as a homestead. The California Act, unlike our Constitution, does not prescribe the quantity of land exempted, but limits it as to value, to-wit, $5,000.00. Chief Justice Randall in delivering. the opinion of the Court in Oliver v. Snowden, 18 Fla. 823, commenting on this California statute, says: ‘ This extract shows the difference between the statutory regulations as to the extent of the homestead in that State and in Florida. In this State the extent of the homestead is measured by quantity and not value’.”

The learned chancellor after considering the evidence in the case designated the 80 acres next south of and adjoining the 80 acres on which the dwelling and barns were located as the remainder of the homestead. It is a well settled rule in this, as well as other jurisdictions, that the decree of a chancellor based upon finding of facts will not be- disturbed by an appellate court, unless such findings are clearly shown to be erroneous. (Norton v. Baya, 88 Fla. 1, 102 So. R. 361; Douglas et al. v. Ogle, 80 Fla. 42, 85 So. R. 243, and cases there cited.)

It has not been made to clearly appear that the order of the chancellor appealed from was erroneous. Therefore, it should be affirmed and it is so ordered.

Affirmed.

Whitfield, P. J., and Strum, J., concur.

Terrell, C. J., and Ellis and Brown, J. J., concur in the opinion and judgment.


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Citator

Cited By

  • W. Union Tel. Co. v. Suit, 153 Fla. 490 (Fla. 1943)
    …tern Union Tel. Co. v. Wells, 50 Fla. 474, 39 So. 830, and in Dunahoo v. Bess, 146 Fla. 182, [*492] 200 So. 441. In cases of this kind arising since the enactment of this statute, we have, of course, held otherwise. Western Union Tel. Co. v. Taylor, 100 Fla. 398, 100 So. 163, and Western Union Tel. Co. v. Redding, 100 Fla. 495, 129 So. 473. We also have a statute under which the parents of a minor child can recover damages for the loss of services and the mental pain and suffering caused by the wrongful or…
  • …eing in the unincorporated area, the limitations on the extent of homestead relating to property within an incorporated area1 are not applicable to property in a rural area. Armour & Company v. Hulvey, 73 Fla. 294, [*762] 74 So. 212; Fort v. Rigdon, 100 Fla. 398, 129 So. 847; Yowell v. Rogers, 128 Fla. 881, 175 So. 772. Therefore, for the reasons stated, the order under review be and it is hereby affirmed. Affirmed. . The constitutional provision applicable to this matter at this time was Art. 10, See. 1…
  • Davis v. Davis, 864 So. 2d 458 (Fla. 1st DCA 2003)
    …house of the owner” was inapplicable to homesteads located outside municipalities. Buckels v. Tomer, 78 So. 2d 861 (Fla.1955); Armour & Co. v. Hulvey, 73 Fla. 294, 74 So. 212 (1917); McDougall v. Meginniss, 21 Fla. 362 (1885); accord Fort v. Rigdon, 100 Fla. 398, 129 So. 847 (1930). In construing the 1885 constitution, the supreme court found it significant that the framers maintained the same language as contained in the 1868 provision despite the liberal interpretation afforded the prior version by the co…

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