Case Title: Jones v. McGuirt

Citation: 416 So. 2d 970

Docket Number: 

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Date: 1982-05-28T00:00:00Z

Document:
416 So. 2d 970 (1982)
Marion J. JONES, Jr.
v.
Elsie Jo Anthony McGUIRT, et al.
80-727, 80-727A.

Supreme Court of Alabama.
May 28, 1982.
Rehearing Denied July 9, 1982.
*971 E. H. Graves, Jr., Eufaula, for appellant.
Roy H. Phillips of Phillips & Funderburk, Phenix City, for appellees.
ALMON, Justice.
By the terms of his last will and testament, Glenn W. Anthony appointed Marion J. Jones, Jr., as the executor of his estate and also trustee of a trust created by his will. Upon the granting of letters testamentary to Jones by the Probate Court of Russell County, the heirs of Glenn W. Anthony filed a petition for appointment of an administrator cum testamento annexo and requested that Jones be removed as executor of the Anthony estate and as trustee. The heirs alleged that Jones was unfit to serve as executor or trustee because he had been convicted of an infamous crime; he was incompetent; and had been imprisoned or sentenced to hard labor for a term of 12 months or more. After a hearing the probate court entered an order revoking the letters testamentary issued to Jones and removing him as executor. The court specifically found Jones was not a suitable person to serve as executor under Code 1975, § 43-2-290(1). The heirs appealed the order granting letters testamentary to Jones to the Russell County Circuit Court, but the circuit court found their appeal was moot due to the prior revocation of the letters testamentary. Jones appealed the order of the probate court removing him as executor to the circuit court. The circuit court affirmed the removal of Jones as executor. The heirs subsequently petitioned the circuit court to have Jones removed as trustee pursuant to Code 1975, § 19-3-211. The circuit court issued an order on March 16, 1981, removing Jones as trustee and appointing a successor trustee. Jones filed an application for reconsideration of the orders removing him as executor and trustee. The circuit court denied the application and Jones appealed to this Court.
Jones alleges the probate court erred in removing him as executor of the last will and testament of Glenn W. Anthony. The probate court based its decision on § 43-2-290(1), which reads:
Among the evidence presented to the probate court was the following:
In addition, at the circuit court hearing there was testimony by the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Russell County, that Jones owed court costs in the amount of $789.15 involving 32 cases.
Based on this evidence, we cannot say that the court abused its discretion in removing Jones as executor. There was sufficient evidence to support the court's finding that based on Jones's conduct or character, he was not a suitable person to have in charge and control of the estate.
Jones also claims error in his removal as trustee by the circuit court. The circuit court stated in its order that:
The removal of a trustee is a matter which rests in the discretion of the trial court and on appeal our scope of review is limited to determining whether the court has abused its discretion. In re Estate of Amason, 369 So. 2d 786 (Ala.1979). Jones cites Amason for the proposition that the removal of a trustee is a drastic action which should only be taken when the estate is actually endangered and intervention is necessary to save trust property. From an examination of the record and the order of the circuit court, we cannot say that the court abused its discretion. Based on the evidence before it, the court could reasonably have determined that Jones was an unsuitable person to execute the trust, that the estate was in danger, and that intervention was necessary to save the trust property.
Accordingly, the orders of the Probate and Circuit Courts of Russell County, removing Marion J. Jones, Jr., as the executor and trustee of the Estate of Glenn W. Anthony, are hereby affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
MADDOX, FAULKNER, EMBRY and ADAMS, JJ., concur.