Riley v. New York Trust Company

Georgia executors of Mrs. Julia M. Hungerford probated her will in Georgia, where the court determined that Hungerford was domiciled. The New York Trust Company, which was not a party to the Georgia action, was appointed by a New York court as an administrator of Hungerford’s estate for the benefit of New York beneficiaries and creditors. The estate included shares in the Coca-Cola International Corporation (Coke), which were claimed by both the Georgia executors and the New York administrator. The stock certificates were in Georgia, but all parties agreed that the situs of the stock was Delaware, which is where Coke was incorporated. Coke filed an interpleader action in a Delaware court, which ordered the Georgia executors and the New York administrator to interplead their claims to the Coke stock. The Georgia executors claimed that the Georgia court’s determination that Hungerford was domiciled in Georgia conclusively established Georgia as the place for distribution against all claimants and asked the court to issue them new Coke stock certificates. The New York administrator argued that the Georgia judgment was not binding on it. The New York administrator asked the court to issue new Coke stock certificates to it. The trial court ruled that Hungerford was domiciled in Georgia. The Delaware Supreme Court reversed and found that Hungerford was domiciled in New York and ordered Coke to issue the stock certificates to the New York administrator. The Georgia executors appealed.