Bonge v. Risinger, No. 48A04-8703-CV-87

Docket NºNo. 48A04-8703-CV-87
Citation511 N.E.2d 1082
Case DateAugust 24, 1987
CourtCourt of Appeals of Indiana

Page 1082

511 N.E.2d 1082
Jack Lee BONGE, Executor of the Estate of Hortense Bonge
Hull, Appellant (Petitioner Below),
v.
Bettie Jo RISINGER, Guardian of Raouel Basil Hull, Appellee
(Respondent Below).
No. 48A04-8703-CV-87.
Court of Appeals of Indiana,
Fourth District.
Aug. 24, 1987.
Rehearing Denied Sept. 29, 1987.

Page 1083

Robert L. Austin, Busby, Austin, Cooper & Farr, Anderson, for appellant.

Billie W.C. Schuyler, John E. Eisele, Schuyler, Eisele & Lockwood, Anderson, for appellee.

CONOVER, Judge.

Jack Lee Bonge (Bonge) as executor of the estate of Hortense Bonge Hull (Hull estate) appeals the Madison Circuit Court's judgment that Bettie Jo Risinger (Risinger), guardian of decedent's husband Raouel Basil Hull (Raouel), had timely filed an election against decedent's will although no prior court approval had been obtained to make such election.

We affirm.

ISSUES

This appeal presents a single issue, namely, whether the guardian of an incompetent surviving spouse must first obtain court authorization before filing on behalf of the incompetent an election to take against the will of a deceased spouse.

FACTS

At the time Hortense and Raouel were married, they each had children of their own. No children were born of their marriage. Hortense died on September 9, 1985, her will was admitted to probate 9 days later on September 18, 1985. Although Hortense's will was executed while she and Raouel were married, it contained no provisions regarding Raouel. Notice of the opening of Hull's estate was duly published.

On January 15, 1986, Risinger, Raouel's daughter, was appointed his guardian. The next day she filed Raouel's election to take against Hortense's will with the probate court without having obtained a court order authorizing its filing on his behalf. After the time for filing of such elections had run, Raouel's guardian obtained a court order which retroactively authorized the prior filing.

Hull's estate then filed a motion for summary judgment which claimed Raouel's election was invalid. It was overruled. Hull's estate later filed an intermediate accounting which disregarded Raouel's election to take against the will. The trial court entered a judgment modifying the proposed distribution to include distribution to Raouel, finding Risinger had timely and effectively exercised Raouel's right of election to take against Hortense's will.

Hull's estate appeals.

DISCUSSION AND DECISION

Three provisions of the probate code are of...

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6 practice notes
  • In re Whyte, Bankruptcy No. 90-60289. Adv. No. 90-6115.
    • United States
    • United States Bankruptcy Courts. Seventh Circuit. U.S. Bankruptcy Court — Northern District of Indiana
    • September 20, 1993
    ...statute does not say as it is to recognize what it does say. Irmscher v. McCue, 504 N.E.2d 1034, 1037 (Ind.App.1987); Bonge v. Risinger, 511 N.E.2d 1082, 1084 (Ind.App.1987), reh. denied, transfer denied; Adult Group Properties, Ltd. v. Imler, 505 N.E.2d 459, 463 (Ind. App.1987) reh. denied......
  • Bailey v. Menzie, No. 20A03-8806-CV-195
    • United States
    • Indiana Court of Appeals of Indiana
    • August 24, 1989
    ...the context of statutory construction to acknowledge what a statute addresses and what it does not, Bonge v. Risinger (1987), Ind.App., 511 N.E.2d 1082, a recognition of what this court has and has not held is indispensable to an understanding of this decision. All that this court's 1984 ru......
  • Foman v. Moss, No. 18A02-9511-CV-669
    • United States
    • Indiana Court of Appeals of Indiana
    • June 5, 1997
    ...this requirement. Burns Annotated § 6-304 (1953) (repealed) (as added by Acts 1953, ch. 112, § 304, p. 295). In Bonge v. Risinger, 511 N.E.2d 1082 (Ind.Ct.App.1987), reh'g denied, trans. denied, this court held that a guardian was not required to consult the court before electing to take ag......
  • Fort Wayne Educ. Ass'n, Inc. v. Aldrich, No. 02A03-8609-CV-255
    • United States
    • Indiana Court of Appeals of Indiana
    • August 24, 1988
    ...recognizing what the statute does not say is just as important as recognizing what it does say. Bonge v. Risinger (1987), Ind.App., 511 N.E.2d 1082, 1084, reh. denied, trans. While the intent of the legislature is controlling, United Rural, supra, at 1138, "[t]he best evidence of legislativ......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
6 cases
  • In re Whyte, Bankruptcy No. 90-60289. Adv. No. 90-6115.
    • United States
    • United States Bankruptcy Courts. Seventh Circuit. U.S. Bankruptcy Court — Northern District of Indiana
    • September 20, 1993
    ...statute does not say as it is to recognize what it does say. Irmscher v. McCue, 504 N.E.2d 1034, 1037 (Ind.App.1987); Bonge v. Risinger, 511 N.E.2d 1082, 1084 (Ind.App.1987), reh. denied, transfer denied; Adult Group Properties, Ltd. v. Imler, 505 N.E.2d 459, 463 (Ind. App.1987) reh. denied......
  • Bailey v. Menzie, No. 20A03-8806-CV-195
    • United States
    • Indiana Court of Appeals of Indiana
    • August 24, 1989
    ...the context of statutory construction to acknowledge what a statute addresses and what it does not, Bonge v. Risinger (1987), Ind.App., 511 N.E.2d 1082, a recognition of what this court has and has not held is indispensable to an understanding of this decision. All that this court's 1984 ru......
  • Foman v. Moss, No. 18A02-9511-CV-669
    • United States
    • Indiana Court of Appeals of Indiana
    • June 5, 1997
    ...this requirement. Burns Annotated § 6-304 (1953) (repealed) (as added by Acts 1953, ch. 112, § 304, p. 295). In Bonge v. Risinger, 511 N.E.2d 1082 (Ind.Ct.App.1987), reh'g denied, trans. denied, this court held that a guardian was not required to consult the court before electing to take ag......
  • Fort Wayne Educ. Ass'n, Inc. v. Aldrich, No. 02A03-8609-CV-255
    • United States
    • Indiana Court of Appeals of Indiana
    • August 24, 1988
    ...recognizing what the statute does not say is just as important as recognizing what it does say. Bonge v. Risinger (1987), Ind.App., 511 N.E.2d 1082, 1084, reh. denied, trans. While the intent of the legislature is controlling, United Rural, supra, at 1138, "[t]he best evidence of legislativ......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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