Blanchard v. Calderwood

• Decision Date: 30 December 1969
• Docket Number: No. 5675,5675
• Citation: 110 N.H. 29,260 A.2d 118
• Parties: Isaac Kenton BLANCHARD v. Walter A. CALDERWOOD, Adm'r, d.b.n. Winifrid R. BLANCHARD v. Walter A. CALDERWOOD, Adm'r, d.b.n.
• Court: New Hampshire Supreme Court

Page 118

260 A.2d 118

110 N.H. 29

Isaac Kenton BLANCHARD v. Walter A. CALDERWOOD, Adm'r, d.b.n.

Winifrid R. BLANCHARD v. Walter A. CALDERWOOD, Adm'r, d.b.n.

No. 5675.

Supreme Court of New Hampshire.

Argued Feb. 6, 1968.

Decided Dec. 30, 1969.

Cheever & Sullivan, Wilton, and McLane, Carleton, Graf, Greene & Brown and Charles A. DeGrandpre, Manchester, for plaintiffs.

Calderwood, Silverman & Ouellette, Dover (Raymond R. Ouellette, Dover, orally), for defendant.

DUNCAN, Justice.

The plaintiffs seek by these actions to recover from the estate of Ernest F. Blanchard, late of Wilton, for services alleged to have been rendered to the decedent during the last seven and one-half years of his life, in expectation of compensation therefor. The writ of the plaintiff Isaac contains two counts, one alleging a contract by which the decedent Ernest agreed that the plaintiff would receive all of Ernest's property upon his death, the second alleging a promise by Ernest to pay for services rendered 'by leaving all of his property to the plaintiff.'

The plaintiff Winifrid, who is the wife of Isaac, by her writ alleges a promise by Ernest to pay her for services, and breach thereof.

Ernest died intestate on October 8, 1963 leaving both real and personal property. The plaintiffs allege that from April 1, 1956 to the time of Ernest's death they furnished him with personal and financial aid and assistance. In the fall of 1959 Ernest left his home to live in the Curtis home in Wilton, and the plaintiffs claim that they continued to attend to his affairs for him under a power or attorney given to Isaac in 1961.

At pretrial held on October 10, 1966, the defendant denied that services performed by the plaintiffs were at the decedent's request, or pursuant to contract, or in anticipation or expectation of payment; and denied that any services were performed by Winifrid. The defendant also then raised the defense of the statute of frauds; and the plaintiffs claimed that under the rules of court the defense was raised too late.

The cases came on for trial by jury before Loughlin, J. The defendant's motion to strike the first count of the plaintiff Isaac's weit because the alleged contract was unenforceable under the statute of frauds was granted subject to the plaintiffs' exception. Also subject to their exception, and in advance of the receipt of evidence, the Trial Court ruled that evidence relative to the plaintiffs' services would be limited to the six years prior to the death of the decedent.

In the course of direct examination of their first winess, the plaintiffs sought a ruling in conference at the bench to permit the introduction of testimony that the decedent had promised the plaintiff Isaac that he would leave him his entire estate. In the course of discussion the defendant's counsel stated that he would agree that any services by the plaintiffs were rendered under an agreement that they would be compensated for. The court ruled the evidence of the decedent's declaration inadmissible, and the jury was told of the agreement of counsel that the services were to be compensated for. Examination of the same witness continued and the witness referred to a declaration made by the decedent in 1961 in connection with the execution of the power of attorney, to the effect that 'everything belongs to Ken (the plaintiff Isaac) anyway.' Upon the defendant's motion, a mistrial was declared, subject to the plaintiffs' exception.

All questions of law presented by the pleadings and the exceptions of the parties were then transferred to this court by reserved case stating: 'Clarification of the validity and application of Lemire v. Haley, 91 N.H. 357, (19 A.2d 436); 92 N.H. 10 (23 A.2d 769); 92 N.H. 358, (31 A.2d 62); 93 N.H. 206 (39 A.2d 10), to these actions is necessary prior to a new trial.'

Following mistrial, the plaintiff Isaac brought a second action against the administrator by writ containing counts in detinue, debt, and trover, seeking to establish his right to a joint checking account in the Wilton National Bank in the sum of $11,951.10 which stood in the names of the decedent and the plaintiff. Each count alleged that the plaintiff was entitled to the account by virtue of RSA 384:28-32. The defendant's motion to dismiss the action upon the ground that the plaintiff had failed to comply with RSA 556:3 and 5 was denied subject to the defendant's exception. By amendment to the reserved case, this and other exceptions relating to the new action were reserved and transferred by the Presiding Justice (Loughin, J.).

The statute of frauds requires that in order to be enforceable a 'contract for the sale of land,' or some memorandum thereof, shall be in writing. RSA 506:1. In Lemire v. Haley, 91 N.H. 357, 19 A.2d 436, it was held that an oral promise that 'everything I have shall be yours when I'm gone' was wholly unenforceable under the statute, where the promisor's estate at his decease consisted of both real and personal property.

The plaintiffs herein urge reconsideration and modification of this holding, suggesting that the statute should not be held to apply to oral agreements 'not clearly barred' by it, and that adequate protection against fraud may be afforded by application of the rule that the oral agreement must be proven by clear and convincing evidence. Sullivan v. Dumaine, 106 N.H. 102, 205 A.2d 848. As a preliminary matter, they argue that the statute is not here available as a defense because it was not seasonably pleaded as required by RSA 515:3, and Rule 22 of the Superior Court. RSA 491:App.R. 22.

The plaintiffs' writs concededly did not specify whether the contract declared upon was written or oral. It has been held that circumstances may warrant permission to plead the statute as late as the close of the evidence; and that under the general issue: 'All defenses * * * were available and by that plea the court had notice of them.' McCrillis v. American Heel Company, 85 N.H. 165, 169, 155 A. 410, 413. The contention now advanced was broached at pretrial, but so far as appears was not renewed at the trial. In support of their objection and exception to the order striking the first count of the plaintiff Isaac's writ, the plaintiffs suggested to the Trial Court that but for the order their proof would have disclosed that the decedent's execution of a petition for a conservator, and of a power of attorney constituted sufficient written memoranda of the agreement declared upon.

While the weight of authority appears to support the proposition that the defense of the statute must be seasonably pleaded (Annot. 158 ALR 89), the Trial Court was not without discretion to permit it to be raised at the trial, particularly in view of the notice given at pretrial that the defendant would rely upon it.

In support of their argument that the statute should not apply to promises to leave an entire estate, the plaintiffs place substantial reliance upon Schnebley, Contracts to Make Wills, 24 Mich.L.Rev. 749, and a comment by Professor Corbin: 'On the question of divisibility (of the contract) and enforcement in part, there seems to be practically never an adequate presentation of the point by counsel or a careful consideration of it by the court.' 2 Corbin, Contracts § 314 p. 130. The plaintiffs' argument gives scant recognition to the decided cases which have granted specific performance of an oral contract, where enforcement of the statute would work a fraud upon the plaintiff. White v. Poole, 74 N.H. 71, 65 A. 255; Emery v. Dana, 76 N.H. 483, 84 A. 976; Cf. Muir v. Bartlett, 78 N.H. 313, 99 A. 553. Compare also Shives v. Borgman, 194 Md. 29, 69 A.2d 802, the rule of which the plaintiffs recommend for adoption by this court.

The authorities generally appear to be at odds with the views advanced by the plaintiffs. Sparks, Contracts to Make Wills, 42 (1956)...