Case Title: Kinkead v. Spillers

Citation: 

Docket Number: 

State: arkansas

Court: Arkansas Supreme Court

Date: 1997-03-17T00:00:00Z

Document:
Robert Harrold KINKEAD and Joyce Kinkead, His
Wife, Appellants v. Carol Ann Kinkead
SPILLERS and Jeannine Lea Kinkead Mathis,
Appellees; Boatmen's National Bank of
Arkansas, Intervenor

96-1433                                            ___ S.W.2d ___

                    Supreme Court of Arkansas
                Opinion delivered March 17, 1997


Appeal & error -- final order not entered -- appeal dismissed. -- Where the
     supreme court's review of the record reflected that confusion
     existed concerning intervenor's lien claim, which was not
     merely collateral to the parties' claims and should be decided
     when disposing of the parties' dispute, the court concluded
     that, based upon the confused state of the record, the only
     disposition that could be made was to dismiss the cause for
     failure to comply with the dictates of ARCP Rule 54(b);
     because the record reflected that the chancellor had not
     entered a final order in this matter, the supreme court agreed
     with appellant's alternative plea that his appeal should be
     dismissed without prejudice.

     Appeal from Pulaski Chancery Court; Ellen B. Brantley,
Chancellor; appeal dismissed.
     Joyce Kinkead, for appellant/pro se.
     Tommy E. Smith, for appellees.
     Sandra Elizabeth Jackson, for intervenor.
     Tom Glaze, Justice.
     On September 27, 1994, appellees Carol Kinkead Spillers and
Jeannine Kinkead Stroud filed a petition for partition.  They along
with their brothers Harold and Robert had obtained a one-fourth
interest in the property.  Harold died, leaving his one-fourth
interest to Carol and Jeannine, so that the sisters each owned a
three-eighths interest in the property at the time the partition
action was filed.  Carol and Jeannine requested that the property
be sold, but Robert wanted the property to be divided in kind. 
Robert's wife, Joyce, having a dower interest, was made a party to
the action.
     The chancellor appointed three commissioners, who reported
that the property could not be partitioned in kind.  On
December 27, 1995, the chancellor confirmed the commissioners'
report and directed the property sold.  The bid offered by Carol
and Jeannine was the highest at $155,000, and on May 31, 1996, the
chancellor entered an order confirming the sale and directed the
chancery clerk to execute a commissioner's deed.  Robert objected,
challenging the chancellor's jurisdiction.  He also questioned the
sale price, claiming the market value of the property was $350,000. 
On June 23, 1996, Robert filed a notice of appeal from the May 31,
1996 order.
     Also, on May 31, 1996, Boatmen's National Bank of Arkansas
moved to intervene, alleging it had an interest in the property
through mortgages and a November 1, 1993 judgment against Robert
and his wife in the amount of $49,812.  See Kinkead v. Union Nat'l
Bank, 51 Ark. App. 4,