In re Estate of Bohl , 2016 Ohio 637 ( 2016 )

[Cite as In re Estate of Bohl, 2016-Ohio-637.]
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS
TWELFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT OF OHIO
BROWN COUNTY
IN RE: :
CASE NOS. CA2015-01-005
ESTATE OF RUBY BOHL a.k.a. : CA2015-01-006
Ruby Lee Bohl
: OPINION
2/22/2016
:
:
APPEAL FROM BROWN COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
PROBATE DIVISION
Case No. 2012 1154
T. David Burgess, 110 North Third Street, Williamsburg, Ohio 45176-1322, for
appellant/cross-appellee, Larry Bohl, Executor
John Woliver, 204 North Street, Batavia, Ohio 45103, for appellee/cross-appellant, Pamela
Throckmorton
RINGLAND, J.
{¶ 1} Appellant/cross-appellee, Larry Bohl ("Larry"), appeals from the judgment of the
Brown County Court of Common Pleas, Probate Division, denying his claim for
reimbursement of certain expenses against the estate of his deceased mother, Ruby Bohl
("Ruby"). Appellee/cross-appellant, Pamela Throckmorton ("Pamela"), who is one of Larry's
two sisters, cross-appeals from the same judgment that allowed some of the claims made by
Larry and their sister, Shirley Mardis ("Shirley"), for reimbursement of certain expenses
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against Ruby's estate. For the reasons that follow, we affirm in part and reverse in part the
judgment of the probate court, and remand the matter for further proceedings.
{¶ 2} Ruby and her husband, Clarence Bohl ("Clarence"), owned a 115-acre farm in
Georgetown, Ohio. They had four children: Larry, Shirley, Pamela, and Roger Bohl
("Roger"). All of the children eventually moved away from the farm except Larry, who, except
for a brief stint in the service, has lived and worked at the farm all of his life. In addition to
helping his parents with farm-related duties, Larry also worked full-time at Cincinnati Milacron
until 2007, at which time he took early retirement.
{¶ 3} The total income from the farm that Ruby and Clarence received during
Clarence's lifetime came from raising tobacco and selling it during the fall, or selling cattle or
hogs periodically during the year. Money was always an issue for Clarence and Ruby, and
neither of them paid enough into Social Security to entitle them to any payments from that
program at the time of their retirement.
{¶ 4} Clarence passed away in September 2004. At the time of his death, the last
two cows had been sold and there were no hogs. Larry raised the tobacco crop that year,
but the crop would not be sold until the following year. The only income that Ruby received
following Clarence's death came from a "tobacco buyout" program funded by major tobacco
companies at the government's behest, which was designed to encourage tobacco farmers
like the Bohls not to raise tobacco. From 2005 until 2011, Ruby received a total of
$12,370.53 as a result of the tobacco buyout, giving her a monthly average payment of
$128.86.
{¶ 5} Ruby died in July 2012 at the age of 93. Ruby's will named Larry as her
executor, and directed that her estate, which consisted primarily of the 115-acre farm, be
divided equally among Larry, Pamela, Shirley, and Roger. Larry was formally appointed by
the probate court as executor of Ruby's will on August 15, 2012. In November 2012, Larry
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submitted a claim for reimbursement against the estate for $101,084.20. The amount
consisted of $45,556.32 in medical bills for Ruby, from 2004 to 2011; $38,218.22 in "farm
maintenance bills," from 2004 to 2012; $8,329 in farm insurance, from 2004 to 2012; and
$8,980.66 in real estate taxes, from 2005 to 2012. In January 2013, Shirley submitted a
claim for reimbursement against Ruby's estate for $32,600 that she paid to Larry to help him
pay for a home caregiver, Lugene Teal, whom Larry hired for Ruby prior to her death.
Pamela objected to Larry's and Shirley's claims against the estate.
{¶ 6} A hearing was held by a magistrate on Pamela's objections over two days.
Near the start of the first day of the hearing, Larry moved to amend his claim, pursuant to
Civ.R. 15(B) and (C), to seek an additional $17,170.55 in reimbursement against Ruby’s
estate for paying for a portion of the expense of Ruby's home caregiver. Larry made the
motion to amend his claim after noticing that while he had paid Ruby’s home caregiver a total
of $49,770.55, Shirley was making a claim for reimbursement of only $32,600 for helping him
pay for the home caregiver. Upon realizing that the $17,170.55 difference between these
two amounts came out of his own pocket, Larry moved to amend his claim against Ruby’s
estate for this amount.
{¶ 7} During the hearing, Larry was permitted to testify, over the continuing objection
of Pamela's attorney, that he had an "understanding" or "agreement" with his parents that
since he had always lived at the farm and would continue to do so, he would "maintain the
farm" and "take care of [his parents] * * * until they passed," and "would file a claim against
the estate when the time arose[,]" and that he would "be reimbursed for those expenses."
Later, when Pamela's attorney asked Larry on cross-examination, "What was your prior
testimony about filing a claim?" Larry answered as follows:
[M]y mom, my dad, and myself had an agreement that I could
stay there on the farm as long as -- and you know, they knew it
was going to cost money to keep the farm up. They knew that
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they were going to incur medical costs. That I would pay their --
their bills and I would pay to maintain the farm in its present
condition, and when they were gone that I would present a claim
to be reimbursed those expenses.
{¶ 8} The magistrate found that Larry's claim for reimbursement of $101,084.20 was
based on an "understanding" he had with Ruby that he would pay Ruby's expenses "due to
her lack of financial resources and would make a claim against her estate after her
passing[,]" and that Larry's claim was "for the preservation of the assets of the estate,
namely, the farm." The magistrate determined that the "understanding" between Larry and
Ruby constituted an "express contract," for purposes of Hinkle v. Sage, 67 Ohio St. 256(1902). The magistrate also determined that Shirley was entitled to her claim for
reimbursement of the $32,600 she paid to Larry to help pay for Ruby's home caregiver.
Lastly, the magistrate determined that Larry was permitted, under Civ.R. 15(B) and (C), to
amend his claim to seek an additional $17,170.55 in reimbursement that he paid to Ruby's
home caregiver out of his own pocket and that Larry was entitled to be reimbursed for that
additional amount.
{¶ 9} Pamela filed objections to the magistrate's decision. The probate court
overruled Pamela's objections to Larry's claim for reimbursement of $45,556.32 for paying
Ruby's medical bills and to Shirley's claim for reimbursement of $32,600 for helping pay for
Ruby's home caregiver. However, the probate court sustained Pamela's objection to Larry's
claim for reimbursement for farm maintenance expenses, farm insurance, and real estate
taxes. The probate court noted that Larry had claimed the farm expenses as tax deductions
while he lived at the family farm, rent free, and had claimed Ruby as a dependent on his
income tax returns. The probate court concluded that "[t]o permit [Larry] those claims would
be enforcing an agreement he says took place for which the court has no written evidence
and for which there is case law directly on point." The probate court also sustained Pamela's
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objection to Larry's claim for reimbursement of $17,170.55 for paying a portion of the cost of
Ruby's home caregiver, because the claim was presented "past the allowable time."
{¶ 10} Larry now appeals, raising the following assignments of error:
{¶ 11} Assignment of Error No. 1:
{¶ 12} THE COURT ERRED AS A MATTER OF LAW BY REQUIRING THE
APPELLANT TO PRODUCE A WRITTEN AGREEMENT WHERE THE CLAIM WAS NOT
FOR SERVICES BUT FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR FUNDS EXPENDED ACCORDING TO
THE AGREEMENT.
{¶ 13} Assignment of Error No. 2:
{¶ 14} THE COURT ERRED IN FAILING TO RECOGNIZE THE CLAIMS BY THE
APPELLANT WERE NOT FOR SERVICES PROVIDED TO A FAMILY MEMBER BUT
WERE FOR EXPENSES PAID ACCORDING TO AN AGREEMENT AND CONTRACT
PRINCIPLES.
{¶ 15} Assignment of Error No. 3:
{¶ 16} THE COURT ERRED IN DENYING THE AMENDMENT OF THE
APPELLANT'S CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF MONEY PAID FOR HOME CARE TO A
THIRD PARTY.
{¶ 17} Pamela cross-appeals, assigning the following as error:
{¶ 18} THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN BY [sic] ALLOWING THE CLAIMS FOR
MEDICAL BILLS PAID BY APPELLANT LARRY BOHL AND THE CLAIM FOR CARE
SERVICES PAID BY APPELLEE SHIRLEY MARDIS.
{¶ 19} In his first assignment of error, Larry argues the probate court erred by requiring
him to produce a written agreement to prove his claim for reimbursement of certain expenses
against Ruby’s estate, because, contrary to what the probate court found, Hinkle does not
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require that such an agreement be in writing.
{¶ 20} In Hinkle, 67 Ohio St. 256, paragraphs one and two of the syllabus, the Ohio
Supreme Court discussed the effect of the "family member" or "family relationship" rule in
actions brought by one family member to recover compensation for services provided to
another family member, as follows:
1. In an action to recover compensation for services, when it
appears that the plaintiff was a member of the family of the
person for whom the services were rendered, no obligation to
pay for the services will be implied; and the plaintiff cannot
recover in such case unless it be established that there was an
express contract upon the one side to perform the services for
compensation, and upon the other side to accept the services
and pay for them.
2. Such contract may be in writing or it may rest entirely in parol,
and it may be proved by direct or indirect evidence; but to entitle
the plaintiff to recover, the contract must be established by clear
and unequivocal proof.
(Emphasis added.) Thirteen years later, in Merrick v. Ditzler, 91 Ohio St. 256 (1915),
paragraph two of the syllabus, the court modified the standard of proof needed to prove an
express contract in cases where the family member rule applied, from "clear and
unequivocal" to "clear and convincing."
{¶ 21} Under the family member rule, "the general inference or presumption that the
rendering of services brings forth an obligation to pay compensation is replaced by the
inference or presumption that the rendering of services between family members is
gratuitous." Sabin v. Graves, 86 Ohio App.3d 628, 632 (1993), citing Merrick at 263 and
Annotation (1949), 7 A.L.R.2d 8, 12, Section 1. The presumption that the rendering of
services between family members is gratuitous can be overcome by establishing, by clear
and convincing evidence, the existence of an express contract that calls upon one family
member to perform services for compensation and that calls upon another family member to
accept those services and pay for them. Hinkle at paragraph one of the syllabus. The Ohio
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Supreme Court explained in Hinkle that the rationale for this rule is that "[c]ases of this kind
are odious, and are not favored by the courts, because they afford opportunity for fraud
against the estates of deceased persons, and great temptation to perjury, by disappointed or
avaricious relatives." Id. at 262.
{¶ 22} Here, it is clear that the probate court construed Hinkle as requiring that
express contracts between family members be written, in order to be enforceable. The
probate court noted that Pamela had cited Hinkle "for the proposition that only if a written
agreement is presented should a family member be reimbursed for caring for a decedent."
The probate court also noted that "[i]t is not disputed that no written agreement was ever
executed," in this case. The probate court then ruled that "to permit [Larry his claims for farm
maintenance expenses, farm insurance, and real estate taxes] would be enforcing an
agreement he says took place for which the court has no written evidence and for which
there is case law directly on point." Thus, it is clear that the probate court rejected Larry's
claims against Ruby's estate on the basis that there was no written contract between Larry
and his parents. However, Hinkle explicitly states that the express contract that is required to
exist to allow one family member to recover compensation for services performed for another
family member "may be in writing or it may rest entirely in parol[.]"1 (Emphasis added.)
Hinkle at paragraph two of the syllabus. The probate court erred in concluding otherwise.
{¶ 23} Next, Larry asserts that the claims he is raising against Ruby's estate are not
actually governed by Hinkle, because that decision governs claims for reimbursement for
services rendered to a family member but not claims for reimbursement for paying expenses
of a family member.
{¶ 24} For purposes of the family member rule set forth in Hinkle, the term "services,"
1. See Howard v. Thomas, 12 Ohio St. 201, 204-205 (1861) (indicating that "parol evidence" means "oral
evidence"), and Black's Law Dictionary, 1149 (8th Ed.2004).
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has been traditionally defined to include the services for which the plaintiff in Hinkle sought
compensation, i.e., housekeeping and nursing care. Hinkle at 256. See also, Merrick, 91
Ohio St. at 257 (plaintiff worked in defendant's hay, wheat, and corn fields; cared for
defendant's children; and performed household duties). Courts in this state and elsewhere
seldom define what type of services are included in the family member rule. As explained by
one commentator who has reviewed the case law on this subject in a number of states,
[a]lthough general statements may be found in the cases that
"services," or "personal services," or "domestic services,"
rendered by one member of a family to another are presumed to
be gratuitous, the courts, generally, do not set up any specific
standard for determining just what type of services will be
presumed to be gratuitous. In the majority of cases the question
as to the validity of a claim for services rendered by a member of
a family seems to be treated simply as one of fact as to whether
there was an understanding of the parties that compensation
was to be made, with due consideration given to the nature of
the services in the determination of this question.
Since the family relationship is the dominant consideration in
determining the applicability of the presumption, it seems that the
most desirable and logical view would be that the presumption
would be applicable only when it is shown that the services were
such as members of a family usually and ordinarily render to
each other.
Annotation, Recovery For Services Rendered By Member of Household or Family Other
Than Spouse Without Express Agreement For Compensation, 7 A.L.R.2d 8, Section 10
(originally published in 1949).
{¶ 25} Courts in other states have held that services by a child to a parent will give rise
to an implied contract if the services provided are so "extraordinary" that the parent would not
reasonably expect the child to render such services without compensation. See Craig v.
Hickman, 247 Ark. 628 (1969); Russell v. Baumann, 239 Ark. 830 (1965), both of which are
cited in Annotation, 7 A.L.R.2d 8, Section 10. However, we are not aware of any case that
has defined the term "services" in the context of the family member rule to include the type of
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claim that Larry is raising against Ruby's estate in this case, i.e., that he is entitled to be
reimbursed for more than $100,000 for expenses he paid on Ruby's behalf, pursuant to their
alleged, oral contract.
{¶ 26} Nevertheless, because the oral contract involved in the present case is between
family members, the same concerns identified in Hinkle at 262, i.e., that these types of cases
are "odious" and "not favored" by the courts since they afford opportunity for fraud against
the estates of deceased persons and great temptation for disappointed or "avaricious"
relatives to commit perjury, are present in this type of situation. Consequently, we believe
that the rule in Hinkle, as modified by Merrick, should be applied to the transaction at issue.
Therefore, it was incumbent on Larry to establish, by clear and convincing evidence, that
there was an express contract between him and Ruby that called upon him to pay for Ruby's
expenses, with the understanding that he would seek payment from Ruby's estate upon her
death, and that called upon Ruby to accept Larry's payment of the expenses and to allow him
to continue to live at the farm and operate his farming business there, rent free. Hinkle, 67
Ohio St. 256, paragraph one of the syllabus. Additionally, the express contract could be
unwritten or oral; it did not need to be in writing. Id. at paragraph two of the syllabus. Lastly,
as Larry himself acknowledges in his brief, the express contract in this type of case has to be
established by "clear and convincing" evidence. Merrick, 91 Ohio St. 256, paragraph two of
the syllabus.
{¶ 27} Pamela acknowledges that Hinkle does not require that the express contract be
in writing. Nevertheless, Pamela contends that Larry's claim rests primarily on his testimony
at the hearing regarding assurances made to him by their parents, which she argues was
inadmissible under Evid.R. 804(B)(5). Pamela alleges that Evid.R. 804(B)(5) "greatly restricts
the testimony of statements made by a deceased or incompetent person and will not permit a
claimant to testify to the existence of a binding oral contract allegedly made by the deceased
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in support of a claim against the estate." Pamela further alleges, without citation to authority,
that "with the application of [Evidence] Rule 804(B)(5), a family member's claim for
compensation for services necessarily would require the existence of a written contract." We
disagree with this argument.
{¶ 28} Evid.R. 804(B)(5) states as follows:
Statement by a deceased or incompetent person. The statement
was made by a decedent or a mentally incompetent person,
where all of the following apply:
(a) the estate or personal representative of the decedent's estate
or the guardian or trustee of the incompetent person is a party;
(b) the statement was made before the death or the development
of the incompetency;
(c) the statement is offered to rebut testimony by an adverse
party on a matter within the knowledge of the decedent or
incompetent person.
{¶ 29} Contrary to what Pamela contends, Evid.R. 804(B)(5) does not exclude
evidence of statements by a decedent; instead, the rule merely "creates an exception [to the
hearsay rule] to permit introduction into evidence of statements by a decedent that might
otherwise be excluded as hearsay." Richards v. Wasylyshyn, 6th Dist. Lucas No. L-11-1037,
2012-Ohio-3733, ¶18. Specifically, Evid.R. 804(B)(5) establishes "a hearsay exception for
the declarations of a decedent which rebut testimony of an adverse party and is available
only to the party substituting for the decedent [e.g. an executor or representative]." Testa v.
Roberts, 44 Ohio App.3d 161, 167 (6th Dist.1988).
{¶ 30} We acknowledge that the statements that Clarence and Ruby made to Larry at
the time they entered into their alleged oral contract were not admissible under the hearsay
exception contained in Evid.R. 804(B)(5). However, the magistrate did not rely on Evid.R.
804(B)(5) to support his decision to allow Larry to testify about the oral agreement he
reached with his parents before his father's death. Instead, the magistrate determined that
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Larry's testimony about his conversations with his deceased parents was admissible because
it helped explain Larry's understanding of the terms of the oral agreement he reached with
his parents. The magistrate essentially determined that the statements made by Larry's
deceased parents were not offered for the truth of the matter asserted, and thus, were not
hearsay under Evid.R. 801(C).
{¶ 31} Additionally, while the probate court noted that Evid.R. 804(B)(5) had been
raised as an issue in the case, the probate court did not rule on that issue, since it decided
the matter on the basis of its erroneous belief that Hinkle requires express contracts between
family members to be in writing. However, the probate court did not overrule the part of the
magistrate's decision that allowed Larry’s testimony about his conversation with his parents
regarding their alleged oral contract, nor did the probate court err in failing to do so. In light
of the foregoing, we conclude that Evid.R. 804(B)(5) has no application to this case.
{¶ 32} Pamela also argues that Larry’s arguments should fail because the terms of his
alleged oral contract with Ruby "are far less than definite binding promises." We find this
argument unpersuasive.
{¶ 33} To be binding, a contract must be definite and certain. Episcopal Retirement
Homes, Inc. v. Ohio Dept. of Indus. Relations, 61 Ohio St. 3d 366, 369 (1991). While the
parties need not agree on every conceivable circumstance that might arise in order for a
contract to exist, they must agree on the contract's "essential terms." Nilavar v. Osborn, 127
Ohio App. 3d 1, 13-14 (2d Dist.1998), modified on reconsideration. Thus, a valid contract
must be specific as to its essential terms. Alligood v. Procter & Gamble Co., 72 Ohio App. 3d
309, 311 (1st Dist.1991). In a contract that is not for goods, the essential terms are,
generally, the parties to the contract and its subject matter. Mantia v. House, 178 Ohio App.
3d 763, 2008-Ohio-5374, ¶ 9 (2d Dist.2008). A person cannot be subject to a contractual
obligation unless the character of the obligation is definitely fixed by the parties' express or
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implied agreement. General Motors Corp. v. Keener Motors, Inc., 194 F.2d 669, 676 (6th Cir.
1952). An agreement is sufficiently certain for enforcement if it provides a basis for
determining the existence of a breach and for giving an appropriate remedy. Mantia.
{¶ 34} Here, the alleged oral contract identified the names of the parties (Larry and
Ruby) and its subject matter. Id. The contract was fixed by an express agreement between
the parties. General Motors Corp. The contract also provides a basis for determining the
existence of a breach and for giving an appropriate remedy. Mantia. We also note that oral
contracts between persons that call upon one of the parties to provide services for another
and then seek compensation from that other parties' estate are enforceable. Thus, in Moore
v. Curtzweiler, 165 Ohio St. 194, 195-198 (1956), the Ohio Supreme Court indicated that an
alleged oral contract in which a woman performed cleaning and nursing services for a man
who had cancer, with the expectation that she was to receive payment out of the man's
estate at the time of his death, was not an unenforceable oral contract to make a will, but
instead, was an enforceable oral contract.2
{¶ 35} Larry also asserts that the magistrate "was the sole judge of the credibility of
the witnesses[,]" since the magistrate was in the best position to judge the witnesses'
believability by their appearance and manner of testifying, and the reasonableness of their
testimony. Therefore, Larry asserts that the probate court erred in not overruling Pamela's
objection to his claim against the estate, and he requests that we reverse the probate court
and reinstate the magistrate's decision. We decline to do so.
{¶ 36} Larry's contention that the magistrate in this case "was the sole judge of the
credibility of the witnesses" is clearly incorrect. While the trial court is permitted to give
weight to the magistrate's assessment of the credibility of witnesses in view of the
2. R.C. 2107.04 provides that "[n]o agreement to make a will or to make a devise or bequest by will shall be
enforceable unless it is in writing." Moore at 198.
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magistrate's firsthand exposure to their testimony, the trial court must still independently
assess the evidence and reach its own conclusions on the matter. Siegel v. Univ. of
Cincinnati College of Medicine, 10th Dist. Franklin No. 14AP-279, 2015-Ohio-441, ¶ 12. A
magistrate is "an arm of the court" whose decisions carry a "presumption of correctness," but
the trial court is not required to adopt the magistrate's decision. Cox v. Cox, 12th Dist.
Fayette No. CA98-05-007, 1999 WL 74573, *3 (Feb. 16, 1999). When a party files
objections to the magistrate's decision, the trial court must conduct an independent analysis
to ascertain whether the magistrate has properly determined the factual issues and properly
applied the law to those factual findings. Inman v. Inman, 101 Ohio App.3d 115, 118 (2d
Dist.1995). The trial court's review of the record is de novo. Cox. Upon conducting that de
novo review, the trial court may "adopt, reject, or modify the magistrate's decision, hear
additional evidence, recommit the matter to the magistrate with instruction, or hear the
matter." Civ.R. 53(E)(4)(b).
{¶ 37} Here, we have not concluded that the probate court erred in failing to enforce
the alleged oral contract between Larry and Ruby. Instead, we are finding that the probate
court erred in determining that the alleged oral contract between them was unenforceable
since it was not a written agreement. Therefore, we are remanding this case to the probate
court with instructions that it consider whether Larry proved that he and Ruby reached an
express contract, as the magistrate determined, and whether the alleged, express contract
between them is unenforceable for some reason other than the ones we have rejected
above.
{¶ 38} In light of the foregoing, Larry's first assignment of error is sustained to the
extent indicated.
{¶ 39} In his second assignment of error, Larry asserts that the probate court erred by
not granting his claim based on the principles of unjust enrichment. We disagree.
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{¶ 40} "In order to recover on a claim of unjust enrichment, the party asserting the
claim must demonstrate: (1) a benefit conferred by a plaintiff upon a defendant, (2)
knowledge by defendant of the benefit, and (3) retention of the benefit by the defendant
under circumstances where it would be unjust to do so without payment." Aztec Internatl.
Foods, Inc. v. Duenas, 12th Dist. Clermont No. CA2012-01-002, 2013-Ohio-450, ¶ 75. See
also, Hambleton v. R.G. Barry Corp., 12 Ohio St.3d 179, 183 (1984).
{¶ 41} Here, Larry cannot establish the third element necessary to prove an unjust
enrichment claim, to wit: he cannot show that allowing Ruby's estate to retain any benefit
that Larry may have bestowed upon it by paying the farm maintenance expenses, farm
insurance, and real estate taxes would be unjust without payment under the circumstances.
Larry resided on his parents' property and operated his farming business there, rent free, for
many years. Not only did Larry not pay any rent to Ruby, he claimed her as a dependent on
his tax returns. Larry also derived a benefit from paying the farm expenses by reporting them
as deductions from his farm income. The record shows that Larry treated the family farm as
his farm and any losses from the farm as his deductible farm losses. It is simply not
equitable to allow Larry to obtain a double benefit by allowing him to be reimbursed for
paying the expenses in question after he already availed himself of the tax deductions for
paying them. Although Larry claims he can undo the benefit he received from claiming the
expenses as tax deductions by "unclaiming" these expenses once he receives payment from
the estate, the fact remains that the evidence shows that he used these expenses, along with
the farm itself, as if they were his own.
{¶ 42} Consequently, Larry's second assignment of error is overruled.
{¶ 43} In his third assignment of error, Larry contends that the probate court erred in
refusing to allow him to amend his claim against Ruby's estate, under Civ.R. 15(B), to include
a claim for reimbursement against Ruby's estate for the $17,170.55 he paid out of his own
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pocket for Ruby's home caregiver expense, which would then, under Civ.R. 15(C), "relate
back" to the time he filed his original claim against the estate, thereby making the amended
claim timely under R.C. 2117.02.
{¶ 44} The probate court disallowed Larry's claim for an additional $17,170.55 in
reimbursement from Ruby's estate for the reason that the claim was filed "past the allowable
time," apparently, referring to the limitations period in R.C. 2117.02. That statute provides
that "[a]n executor or administrator within three months after the date of appointment shall
present any claim the executor or administrator has against the estate to the probate court
for allowance." The courts in this state have interpreted R.C. 2117.02 as a statute of
limitations. Poling v. Poling, 4th Dist. Hocking No. 03CA3, 2003-Ohio-5601, ¶ 19, citing Allen
v. Hunter, 1 Ohio App.2d 278 (1964); In re Estate of Waterman, 2d Dist. Champaign No.
2002-CA-28, 2003-Ohio-3406, ¶ 7. This court has stated that "the provisions of R.C. 2117.01
through 2117.04 are mandatory and provide the exclusive method for presentation and
allowance of claims by an executor against the estate which he represents." Wilhoit v.
Powell's Estate, 70 Ohio App. 2d 61, 63-64 (12th Dist.1980).
{¶ 45} R.C. 2101.32 provides that "[t]he Rules of Civil Procedure shall govern actions
and proceedings in the probate court as provided in Civil Rule 73." Civ.R. 73(A) states that
the Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure "shall apply to proceedings in the probate division of the
court of common pleas as indicated in this rule. Additionally, all of the Rules of Civil
Procedure, though not specifically mentioned in this rule, shall apply except to the extent that
by their nature they would be clearly inapplicable." (Emphasis added.) The 1970 Staff Notes
to Civ.R. 73 state, in pertinent part, as follows:
Certainly the Rules of Civil Procedure are clearly inapplicable to
many of the ministerial procedures of the probate division such
as the preparation of an inventory, a schedule of debts, or a final
account. On the other hand, any of the Civil Rules will be
applicable to adversary proceedings within the jurisdiction of the
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probate division, particularly those proceedings governed
through reference back by former statutes of civil procedure now
superseded by the Civil Rules. Examples of such proceedings
are: land sales (Chapter 2127. R.C.), will construction (§
2107.40, R.C.), determination of heirship (Chapter 2123, R.C.),
and declaratory judgment (Chapter 2721, R.C.).
{¶ 46} Civ.R. 15 states, in pertinent part, as follows:
(B) Amendments to conform to the evidence
When issues not raised by the pleadings are tried by express or
implied consent of the parties, they shall be treated in all
respects as if they had been raised in the pleadings. Such
amendment of the pleadings as may be necessary to cause
them to conform to the evidence and to raise these issues may
be made upon motion of any party at any time, even after
judgment. Failure to amend as provided herein does not affect
the result of the trial of these issues. If evidence is objected to at
the trial on the ground that it is not within the issues made by the
pleadings, the court may allow the pleadings to be amended and
shall do so freely when the presentation of the merits of the
action will be subserved thereby and the objecting party fails to
satisfy the court that the admission of such evidence would
prejudice him in maintaining his action or defense upon the
merits. The court may grant a continuance to enable the
objecting party to meet such evidence.
(C) Relation back of amendments
Whenever the claim or defense asserted in the amended
pleading arose out of the conduct, transaction, or occurrence set
forth or attempted to be set forth in the original pleading, the
amendment relates back to the date of the original pleading.
{¶ 47} The decision to grant or deny a Civ.R. 15(B) motion to amend pleadings is
within the trial court's discretion, and an appellate court will not reverse the trial court's
decision absent an abuse of discretion, i.e., the trial court's decision was unreasonable,
arbitrary, or unconscionable. Estate of Everhart v. Everhart, 12th Dist. Fayette Nos. CA2013-
07-019 and CA2013-09-026, 2014-Ohio-2476, ¶ 44.
{¶ 48} Here, there is no question that Larry failed to bring his claim for reimbursement
for the $17,170.55 within three months of August 15, 2012, the date he was appointed as
executor of Ruby's estate. In fact, Larry did not bring this claim until October 22, 2013, the
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first day of the hearing held on his claims, which was more than 11 months after he should
have presented any claim he had against Ruby's estate. R.C. 2117.02. The question that
remains is whether Civ.R. 15(B) and (C), by their nature, would be "clearly inapplicable" to
proceedings in probate court regarding an executor's claim against the estate he is
representing. Civ.R. 73(A). For the reasons that follow, we conclude that Civ.R. 15(B) and
(C) are clearly inapplicable to such proceedings.
{¶ 49} One authority has stated that the meaning of Civ. R. 73(A) "is plain: apply the
Civil Rules unless common sense and good and sufficient reason dictate otherwise." 1
Marilyn J. Maag, Ohio Probate Practice and Procedure, Section 4.03[A], at 4-5 (2015 Ed.).
Here, common sense and good and sufficient reason dictate that Civ.R. 15(B) and (C) should
not apply to proceedings brought by an executor to bring a claim against the estate that he
represents. The purpose of statutes that set forth limitations periods governing the
presentment of claims against an estate made by either the estate's executor or by one of its
creditors is to facilitate the prompt administration of estates and to bar claimants who,
because of "indifference, carelessness, or a dilatory attitude," fail to make an effort to file
their claims against the estate on time. Secrest Citizens Natl. Bank of Norwalk, 154 Ohio
App.3d 245, 2003-Ohio-4731 (6th Dist.2003). The General Assembly has created a three-
month statute of limitations period in R.C. 2117.02 for an executor to bring any personal
claim he may have against the estate he is representing. Allowing an executor to use Civ.R.
15(B) and (C) to circumvent that statute of limitations would improperly place the decision as
to how much time an executor should have to bring his personal claim against the estate he
is representing within the discretion of the probate court, while removing that decision from
the purview of the General Assembly where the decision properly belongs.3
3. Compare Smith v. Klem, 6 Ohio St.3d 16, 17-18 (1983),(in will contest actions, amendments may be made to
a complaint to join necessary parties, pursuant to Civ.R. 15, and such amendments will relate back to the date of
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{¶ 50} Given the foregoing, Larry's third assignment of error is overruled.
{¶ 51} In her cross-assignment of error, Pamela, citing Hinkle, argues the probate
court erred in approving Larry's claim for reimbursement of $45,556.32 for Ruby's medical
expenses, because there was no express contract between Larry and his parents that
obligated him to take care of Ruby and that allowed him to seek reimbursement from Ruby's
estate in return. Pamela also argues the probate court erred in approving Shirley's claim for
reimbursement of $32,600 for helping pay Ruby's home caregiver expense, since Shirley
testified that she just wanted to make sure her mother had everything she needed, and thus
did not expect to be paid back. We find these arguments unpersuasive.
{¶ 52} Ruby's medical bills and the cost of her home caregiver were exclusively for
Ruby's care during her lifetime and were easily traceable as expenses that related to
providing care for Ruby alone. Larry was entitled to be reimbursed for the medical bills he
paid on Ruby's behalf and Shirley was entitled to be reimbursed for the money she gave to
Larry to help pay for Ruby's home caregiver, under a theory of unjust enrichment. The
evidence shows that (1) Larry, by paying Ruby's medical bills, and Shirley, by helping to pay
for Ruby's home caregiver, conferred a benefit on Ruby; (2) Ruby knew of these benefits;
and (3) under the circumstances, it would be unjust to permit Ruby's estate to retain those
benefits without repayment. Hambleton, 12 Ohio St.3d at 183. Thus, the probate court did
not err in allowing these claims. Accordingly, Pamela's cross-assignment of error is
overruled.
the original filing, pursuant to Civ.R. 15[C]; court of appeals erred in finding that resort to Civ.R. 15[C] would
operate to extend the jurisdiction of the probate court in violation of Civ.R. 82, since the General Assembly, by
enacting R.C. 2107.72, specifically applied the Rules of Civil Procedure to will contest actions, making Civ.R.
15[C] provisions, for the first time, applicable to such actions; the General Assembly must be presumed to have
been cognizant of the relation back provisions of Civ.R. 15[C] when it enacted R.C. 2107.72, and thus application
of Civ.R. 15[C] to will contest actions no longer operates to expand jurisdiction of probate courts in violation of
Civ.R. 82).
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{¶ 53} The judgment of the probate court is affirmed in part, reversed in part, and this
cause is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
S. POWELL, P.J., and HENDRICKSON, J., concur.
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