Hatcher v. Hall
Supreme Court of Virginia
Appeal from decree of circuit court of Chesterfield county. This case was argued at Richmond hut decided at WytheYille. Held: John Hewlett died in 1851, testate. To the appellees, as his residuary legatees, he devised certain lands.
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Appeal from decree of circuit court of Chesterfield county. This case was argued at Richmond hut decided at WytheYille. Held: John Hewlett died in 1851, testate. To the appellees, as his residuary legatees, he devised certain lands. Soon after his decease, his executors, of whom one was Benjamin Hatcher, sold all his personalty not specifically bequeathed, and in January, 1852, they filed in the county court of said county, their bill averring the insufficiency of the personalty sold, to pay the debts, and the necessity for selling the land devised, and praying for a decree therefor. The…
1Opinion of the Court
Lewis, P.,
delivered the opinion of the court.
After stating the case, the learned president proceeded:
The circuit court, by its decree, recognized the validity of the sale of the land under the decree of the county court, and its *576subsequent acquisition by Hatcher; and of that decree the appellees are not here complaining. The appellants insist that it is erroneous on the ground, mainly, of the lapse of .time and the laches of the appellees.
Upon this subject the law is well settled. It is an inherent doctrine of courts of equity to refuse relief where there has been gross laches in prosecuting…
2Cited by15 opinions
- Tapscott v. CobbsSupreme Court of Virginia · 1854
- Bell v. HudsonCalifornia Supreme Court · 1887
- Wendover v. BakerSupreme Court of Missouri · 1894
- Morrison's Ex'or v. Householder's Adm'rSupreme Court of Virginia · 1884
- Wissler v. Craig's Adm'rSupreme Court of Virginia · 1885
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