Castner v. Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance

Plaintiffs sued upon a policy of insurance-issued to them jointly on a dwelling and personal property-contained in it, both of which were destroyed by fire. The house was occupied by both — being mother and son — but each occupied separate portions, and the son owned the fee subject to his mother’s life interest. The personal property was also owned in severalty, the son’s property being the largest part. The fire caught from a dry-house near the dwelling, as was shown by plaintiffs.

The defense urged on the trial was — -first, that the property was not joint; second, that the policy was…