49 Ark. 51 | Ark. | 1886
The demurrer to the bill raises the question of the jurisdiction of a court of equity to enforce the collection of a claim probated against the estate of a deceased debtor which is still in course of administration, out of lands belonging to the estate.
The jurisdiction of courts of equity in probate matters is more restricted in this State than it was under the English rule before the establishment of our probate system, and it is less liberal than is now exercised by many of the States. See 3 Pom. Eq., sec. 1154 et seq. With us the Probate Court has exclusive jurisdiction in the matter of the administration of the estates of decedents (Art. 7, sec. 34, Const., 1874); and it has been frequently determined by this court that equity has no power to lift the administration out of the Probate Court for the purpose of proceeding with it. Reinhardt v. Gartrell, 33 Ark., 727; West v. Waddell, id., 575; Mock v. Pleasants, 34 id., 63; Shegogg v. Perkins, id., 117; Flash, Lewis & Co. v. Gresham. 36 id., 529; Hankins v. Layne, 48 Ark., 544.
It is a matter of regret that this litigation cannot be ended here. It is thirty years since the appellee first brought suit to collect the demand which he is now seeking to enforce, and it has twice before been before this court. Watkins v. Rogers, 21 Ark., 298; Holland as Adm'r. v. Rogers, 33 id., 251. But the power vested by the Constitution exclusively in the Probate Court cannot be borrowed by another tribunal for the purpose of expediting his cause.
The decree must be reversed and the cause remanded, with instructions to sustain the demurrer to the bill.