This case involves the settlement of the estate of a French born individual who acquired American citizenship at the age of 51 and died at the age of 79 in his domicile which was in Switzerland. He was survived by his wife a French national, and an acknowledged illegitimate son also a French citizen. The decedent left a will leaving all of his properties to his widow and leaving nothing to the said acknowledged illegitimate son. At the time of his death, the testator left properties in Switzerland, New York and France. The widow filed with a proceeding with the New York Surrogate court in order to claim the properties left by the testator and presenting the will for determination in the said court. The court admitted the will of the testator and took cognizance of the case and later on made a decree settling the estate administration by ordering that the properties net of any encumbrances and other obligations be released to the widow.
The acknowledged illegitimate son assailed the decision of the Surrogate Court of New York and filed an appeal for the revocation of the decrees made by the said court first when it assumed jurisdiction and second when it distributed the properties to the widow to the detriment of the share that the petitioner-son was supposed to be entitled if the case was tried in the court of Switzerland. The petitioner further alleged that since the decedent was a resident of Switzerland and he had considerable personal properties in the said country and only limited personalty in New York, then the court that has jurisdiction and the laws to be applied should be according to the Swiss law as envisioned in the 1850 Treaty between the United States and Switzerland that envisioned such a scenario happening with their citizens.
A New York Probate Lawyer said the petitioner then is of the opinion that the Surrogate Court of New York had no jurisdiction to try the issues involving this particular case. The petitioner also argued that there were personal properties in Switzerland that was brought by the widow to New York just so that it can be covered by the laws of New York which is according to him highly irregular and should also be struck down as a violation of the law.