1) Julian Wolfson died without a will, leaving his only heir as his sister Rosina.
2) Before Rosina could settle Julian's estate, she died, leaving a will naming the University of Michigan as her residuary legatee.
3) The plaintiff filed motions to intervene in the estate proceedings of both Julian and Rosina, which were denied. He did not appeal these denials.
4) The court ruled the plaintiff was not entitled to intervene or receive notices about the estate proceedings, as his motions to intervene had been denied and he did not appeal those denials. The denials operated to bar him from participating in settling the estates.
1) Julian Wolfson died without a will, leaving his only heir as his sister Rosina.
2) Before Rosina could settle Julian's estate, she died, leaving a will naming the University of Michigan as her residuary legatee.
3) The plaintiff filed motions to intervene in the estate proceedings of both Julian and Rosina, which were denied. He did not appeal these denials.
4) The court ruled the plaintiff was not entitled to intervene or receive notices about the estate proceedings, as his motions to intervene had been denied and he did not appeal those denials. The denials operated to bar him from participating in settling the estates.
1) Julian Wolfson died without a will, leaving his only heir as his sister Rosina.
2) Before Rosina could settle Julian's estate, she died, leaving a will naming the University of Michigan as her residuary legatee.
3) The plaintiff filed motions to intervene in the estate proceedings of both Julian and Rosina, which were denied. He did not appeal these denials.
4) The court ruled the plaintiff was not entitled to intervene or receive notices about the estate proceedings, as his motions to intervene had been denied and he did not appeal those denials. The denials operated to bar him from participating in settling the estates.
G.R. No. L-29235, L-28947, L-30935, sister, the decedent Rosina Marguerite January 17, 1973 Wolfson was called upon to comply," which motion was opposed on November Facts: Julian A. Wolfson, an American 10, 1966 by administrator Ricardo Vito resident of the Philippines, died in Manila Cruz on the ground that: on June 15, 1964 without a will. Intestate proceedings were instituted on June 16, ... the claim of Atty. Macias has already 1964 by petitioner-appellant Atty. Manuel been filed in the Intestate Estate of Rosina Macias for the settlement of Julian's estate Marguerite Wolfson, Special Proceeding and for the appointment of Ricardo Vito No. 63866 pending in Branch 8 of this Cruz as administrator, docketed as Special Honorable Court. That being the case, he Proceedings No. 57405 before Branch IV cannot file the same claim in this of the Manila Court First Instance now proceeding just to enable him to have a presided over by Judge Serafin R. Cuevas. standing in this case. (P. 34, rec. on Because he died a bachelor without any appeal.) ascendant nor descendant, his only sister Rosina Marguerite Wolfson, an American On November 10, 1966, in said Special resident, was his sole heir in intestacy. Proceeding No. 57405 over Julian's estate, The court appointed Ricardo Vito Cruz as the trial court denied the said motion of administrator of Julian's estate. petitioner-appellant, thus: However, Julian left a Memorandum to his sister, Rosina In view of the opposition of the administrator through counsel, dated Before she could comply with the November 9, 1966 to the motion of Atty. aforesaid Memorandum of Julian, Rosina Manuel Y. Macias dated October 23, 1966, died on September 14, 1965 in San praying that he be furnished with copies Francisco, California, U.S.A., leaving a will of all notices, orders and processes and and three codicils duly probated by the pleadings filed or to be filed in the above- California court, and under which the entitled case, the Court hereby denies University of Michigan is named as the said motion. residuary legatee. Her estate is pending settlement in Special Proceeding No. from which petitioner-appellant admittedly 63866 before Branch VIII of the Manila did not appeal (pp. 34-35, rec. on appeal; Court of First Instance, then presided over pp. 4-5, appellant's consolidate reply by former Judge, now Court of Appeals brief). Justice Manuel P. Barcelona. Thereafter, petitioner-appellant did not On November 4, 1966, petitioner- make any attempt to further intervene in appellant Atty. Manuel Y. Macias filed a said Special Proceeding No. 57405 in any motion in the intestate estate of Julian capacity whatsoever. (Sp. Proc. No. 57405), praying that he be In said Special Proceeding No. 57405 given copies of all notices of the before Branch IV, administrator Ricardo proceedings on the ground that he is "a Vito Cruz filed on May 10, 1967 a motion beneficiary of this (Mr. Wolfson's) estate, for partial distribution of the estate. Then having been named specifically as such in Judge Felix Q. Antonio, now Associate the last written instructions made by the Justice of the Supreme Court, in an order dated May 12, 1967, granted said motion, appellant did not appeal from said orders declared the late Rosina as the sole heir of of denial (p. 2, appellant's brief in G.R. the deceased Julian, and directed the No. L-29235; pp. 34-35, ROA; p. 45, immediate delivery and transfer of certain appellant's consolidated reply brief in L- real properties and securities specified 28947). Neither did he file mandamus therein to Rosina's estate, and, as proceedings to compel the trial judge to payment of their respective fees, to allow him to intervene. Such failure to administrator Ricardo Vito Cruz, to Attys. appeal or file the petition for mandamus, Quijano and Arroyo, to Attys. Ross, Selph, precludes petitioner-appellant from further Salcedo, del Rosario, Bito and Misa (pp. 9, intervening in the two special proceedings 121-123, ROA). over the estates of Rosina and Julian. Consequently, he is not entitled to copies Upon learning of the aforesaid order of of notices, orders, process and pleadings May 12, 1967, petitioner-appellant, still in said two special proceedings; because insisting on his pretension that he is such the orders denying his motions therefor, a beneficiary of Julian's estate, filed a which had already become final, operated petition for relief dated July 20, 1967 to bar him from intervening in the (more than six months after the order of settlement of both estates of Julian and November 10, 1966) from the aforesaid Rosina. order of May 12, 1967 claiming that the said order is null and void ab initio This Court so ruled as early as the 1909 case of Ortiz vs. Trent.4 In said case Ortiz claimed the right to intervene as purchaser and owner of the interest of one Issue: Whether plaintiff is entitled to of the heirs of the estate, which was intervene denied by the court, from which denial he filed an appeal. When the trial court refused to allow the appeal, he filed a Ruling: No, A motion for intervention is petition for mandamus to compel the addressed to the sound discretion of the allowance of his appeal. WE ruled therein court,1 which "shall consider whether or that not the intervention will unduly delay or prejudice the adjudication of the rights of the order in question was a final order so the original parties and whether or not the far as Ortiz was concerned, because it intervenor's rights may be fully protected effectively excluded him from participation in a separate proceeding."2 Any arbitrary in the proceeding relating to the or capricious denial of the said motion is settlement of the estate. As to him, no correctible by mandamus, if an ordinary further order would be made in the case. appeal would not be an adequate and A person who claims the right to intervene speedy remedy.3 in the settlement of the estate of a deceased person and who is denied such a Plaintiff-appellant's motions for right, is a person legally interested in the intervention in the two Special order denying him such a right. In holding Proceedings Nos. 57405 and 63866 that the appeal should be allowed, WE, of respectively over the estates of Rosina course, make no ruling upon the questions and Julian were denied respectively on decided by the court below. We do not November 10 and 15, 1966. Petitioner- decide whether or not Ortiz has acquired the rights of Doña Matilde Aramburu, one entitled to notice of the order of May 12, of the heirs, nor do We decide whether, if 1967 granting the motion of administrator he has acquired such right, he has a right Ricardo Vito Cruz for partial distribution of to intervene in the proceedings. We the estate of Julian or of any other orders, simply decide that he has a right to have processes or pleadings in Special these questions argued and determined in Proceeding No. 57405 (L-28947). And the this court by means of an appeal from the motion for partial distribution carried the order. 5 express conformity of all the parties whose interest in the estate was The orders dated November 10 and 15, recognized by the court. Moreover, his 1966 are final in character, not merely claim in the amount of P500.00 is amply interlocutory; because they put an end to covered by the remainder of the estate. the particular claim of petitioner-appellant As a matter of fact, the said amount of that he has an interest in both estates, on P500.00 has been set aside for his claim, which he anchored his prayer that he be to be paid to him on demand. furnished all copies of notices, orders, processes and pleadings issued and/or filed in Special Proceedings Nos. 57405 and 63866. Said orders are not Hence, his petition for relief from said provisional, because they do not leave any order of May 12, 1967 was properly substantial proceeding to be heard in dismissed by the lower court in its orders connection with petitioner-appellant's dated November 24, 1967 and January assertion of material interest in said 13, 1968, as he was no longer entitled to estates.6 notice of the order dated May 12, 1967 and all other orders issued in Special As heretofore stated, his failure to appeal Proceeding No. 57405 after November 10, from the aforesaid orders of November 10 1966 and November 15, 1966 when his and 15, 1966 or to file a mandamus suit motions (— in effect — for intervention) to to allow his intervention, resulted in the be furnished copies of all orders, notices, forfeiture of his right to participate in the processes and pleadings in Special two special proceedings over the estates Proceedings Nos. 57405 and 63866 were of Julian and Rosina. As a matter of fact, denied. in Special Proceeding No. 57405, petitioner-appellant did not make any attempt to further intervene after the order of November 10, 1966. Neither did he file any petition for relief from said orders of November 10 and 15, 1966 issued in the two cases. Instead he filed a petition for relief from the order of May 12, 1967.
As an inevitable consequence, after the
lower court denied recognition to his alleged interest, petitioner-appellant cannot seek sanctuary in the due process clause as thereafter he was no longer
Report of the Decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, and the Opinions of the Judges Thereof, in the Case of Dred Scott versus John F.A. Sandford
December Term, 1856.