57 Ala. 242 | Ala. | 1876
Section 2371 of the Revised Code declares that “ all the property of the wife, held by her previous to the marriage, or which she may become entitled to after the marriage, in any manner, is the separate estate of the wife, and is not subject to the payment of the debts of the husband.” If the statute had stopped at this point, the wife would have had all the power to bind or dispose of the property, as if the same had not been what it called an equitable separate estate, or estate made separate by the instrument creating it. She then would have held it precisely as married women held property under the act “ securing to married women their separate estates, and for other purposes,” approved March 1, 1848, Pamph. Acts 1847-8, p. 79. Under that statute we have held that the wife could alien and encumber her property to the same extent she could her equitable separate estate.—See Hooper v. Smith, 23 Ala. 639; Reel v. Overall, 39 Ala. 138. For the extent of her power to alien or charge her equitable separate-estate, see 2 Brick. Dig. 86, §§ 211, 212, et seq.
The act “ to alter and amend an act securing to married women their separate estates, and for other purposes,” approved 13th February, 1850, wrought material changes in the act of 1848. The later statute, with slight modifications, is embodied in the article of the Revised Code, commencing' with section 2371, above copied. Section 2372 declares that such property is trust property, and vests in the husband as trustee, who has the right to manage and control the same, without liability to account with the wife, her heirs or legal representatives for the rents, income, and profits. Section 2373 authorizes the husband and wife to sell and convey such separate property jointly, by instrument in writing, attested by two witnesses; or, section 1551, acknowledged in the mode, and before some officer authorized to take and certify acknowledgments of conveyances. Section 2374 authorizes the investment or use of the proceeds of separate property thus sold, “ by the husband in such manner as is most beneficial for the wife;” declares that the property in which such proceeds are reinvested “is also the separate-estate of the wife;” and that “ husband and wife can not
Under sections 2383, 2384 of the Revised Code, if the husband be removed from the trusteeship of his wife’s separate estate, the result is that the husband no longer has “ any control over the estate of his wife, or the rents, issues, or profits thereof;” and under section 2379, he loses all right to share in the succession of her property. This takes away from him all the powers, rights, and interests in and over his wife’s property which the statute had conferred on him, and, without more, would leave her in the possession and enjoyment, untrammeled of all the powers over her property which section 2371 would confer, if that section stood alone. But the argument is stronger than this. Section 2384 says, the wife, thus relieved, “ shall have the same control over her estate, and the rents, issues, and profits thereof, as if she were a feme-sole, and may sue and be sued in her own name.” Language stronger than this can not be well conceived. It is too plain and pointed to require or admit of elucidation. It is its own best interpreter. The chancellor correctly construed the statute.
The assignments of error and the arguments of counsel in this cause, raise only the single question considered and -decided above.
The decree of the chancellor is affirmed.