98 So. 61 | Miss. | 1923
delivered the opinion of the court.
This is an action at law brought by the appellees, minors,
A copy of the decree of the chancery court authorizing the settlement and of the release executed by the guardian were filed with the plea, from which it appears that the consideration for the release was the payment to the guardian of the sum of sixty-two dollars and fifty cents for each' of the guardian’s wards. A demurrer to this plea was sustained, and the’cause proceeded to trial, resulting in a judgment for the appellees in the sum of ten thousand dollars.
Under section 2421, Code of 1906 (Hemingway’s Code, section 1982), a guardian may be authorized by an order of a chancery court or chancellor to sell or compromise claims due their wards. ' >
The only contentions of counsel for the appellees to which we deem it necessary to specifically respond are: (1) That the claims which the statute empowers the chancery court or chancellor to authorize a guardian to settle are such only as arise ex contractu; and (2) that the chancery court is without jurisdiction to determine the amount of the damages recoverable for a wrongful death, the right to which is created and measured by chapter 214, Laws of 1914.
The contention that damages arising ex delicto are not
The order of the chancery court by which appellees’ guardian was authorized to settle their claims against the appellant was not rendered in a proceeding to enforce their right of recovery against the appellant under' the statute creating it, but was simply an order approving a prospective adjustment thereof which had been agreed on by the appellant and their gfiardian. It is beyond doubt that each adult beneficiary entitled to share in the damages for a wrongful death under chapter 214, Laws of 1914, has the right to compromise and settle his claim therefor, and section 2421, Code of 1906 (Hemingway’s Code, section 1982), was meant to confer upon the court the power to authorize guardians to settle for their wards any claims the wards could settle for themselves were they adults.
The judgment of the court below will be reversed, and the cause remanded.
Reversed and remanded.