Title: In re: Estate of S.L. Wilson, Sr.

State: alabama

Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court

Document:

REL:09/21/2012 
Notice: T h i s 
o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
r e v i s i o n b e f o r e 
p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e 
advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e 
r e q u e s t e d t o 
n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of Decisions, 
Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 229¬
0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any 
t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may 
be 
made b e f o r e 
t h e o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern 
Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
SPECIAL TERM, 2012 
1111241 
Ex parte Carolyn Wilson Floyd 
PETITION FOR WRIT Of 
MANDAMUS 
(In r e : Estate of 
S.L. 
Wilson, S r . 
v. 
Honorable Thomas 
ap R. Jones e t a l . ) 
(Hale C i r c u i t Court, CV-12-0005) 
BOLIN, 
J u s t i c e . 
C a r o l y n W i l s o n 
F l o y d p e t i t i o n s 
t h i s C o u r t f o r a w r i t o f 
mandamus 
d i r e c t i n g 
Judge Thomas ap R. Jones o f t h e Hale 
C i r c u i t C o u r t t o 
s e t 
a s i d e h i s 
o r d e r d e n y i n g h e r 
m o t i o n t o 
1111241 
d i s m i s s the w i l l c o n t e s t f i l e d by C a r l e a n W i l s o n W a k e f i e l d on 
the ground t h a t the a c t i o n i s b a r r e d by § 43-8-199, A l a . Code 
1975, which p r o v i d e s t h a t an a c t i o n t o c o n t e s t a w i l l must be 
f i l e d 
w i t h i n s i x months a f t e r the a d m i s s i o n 
of the 
w i l l 
t o 
p r o b a t e . We g r a n t the 
p e t i t i o n . 
I . 
F a c t s and P r o c e d u r a l H i s t o r y 
S.L. 
W i l s o n , S r . (sometimes h e r e i n a f t e r r e f e r r e d t o 
as 
" t h e 
f a t h e r " ) , a r e s i d e n t of Hale County, d i e d on March 
17, 
2010. 
A t the time of h i s d e a t h , W i l s o n was 
s u r v i v e d by h i s 
c h i l d r e n : F l o y d , W a k e f i e l d , 
S.L. 
W i l s o n , 
J r . , L u c i 
W i l s o n 
Montgomery, I s a a c W i l s o n , and E d d i e W i l s o n . 
On J u l y 5, 
2010, 
W a k e f i e l d wrote a l e t t e r a d d r e s s e d t o t h r e e Hale County j u d g e s 
( t h e 
c i r c u i t j u d g e , the d i s t r i c t - c o u r t j u d g e , and the p r o b a t e -
c o u r t 
j u d g e ) 
e x p r e s s i n g 
concerns 
r e g a r d i n g 
her 
f a t h e r ' s 
e s t a t e , 
i n q u i r i n g i f her f a t h e r ' s w i l l had been a d m i t t e d t o 
p r o b a t e , and i m p l y i n g t h a t she was g o i n g t o c o n t e s t h i s w i l l ; 
W a k e f i e l d r e c e i v e d no answer. 
On 
F e b r u a r y 
2, 
2011, 
F l o y d , named by 
W i l s o n 
as 
the 
p e r s o n a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of W i l s o n ' s e s t a t e , f i l e d a p e t i t i o n 
i n the Hale County P r o b a t e C o u r t s e e k i n g t o p r o b a t e 
W i l s o n ' s 
w i l l . 
On March 10, 
2011, 
W a k e f i e l d wrote a second 
l e t t e r 
2 
1111241 
a d d r e s s e d t o Hale County P r o b a t e Judge L e l a n d A v e r y i n f o r m i n g 
him, among o t h e r 
t h i n g s , t h a t she " w i s h [ e d ] t o c o n t e s t 
the 
w i l l 
and 
address 
t h i s 
forum 
i n 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t . " 
(Emphasis 
added.) 
A f t e r 
a h e a r i n g , 
which 
W a k e f i e l d 
a t t e n d e d , 
the 
p r o b a t e c o u r t on March 22, 2011, 
a d m i t t e d the w i l l t o p r o b a t e 
and i s s u e d l e t t e r s t e s t a m e n t a r y 
t o F l o y d . 
On A p r i l 20, 
2011, 
W a k e f i e l d wrote a t h i r d l e t t e r a d d r e s s e d t o F l o y d ' s 
a t t o r n e y , 
i n f o r m i n g him t h a t she was 
c o n t e s t i n g the w i l l because " i t 
i s 
b e l i e v e d t o be f a b r i c a t e d t o m i s r e p r e s e n t 
the t r u e i n t e n t of 
S.L. 
W i l s o n , S r . [ ' s ] i n h e r i t a n c e t o h i s h e i r s . " 
On F e b r u a r y 15, 2012, 
W a k e f i e l d 
f i l e d i n the Hale 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t a " c o m p l a i n t c o n t e s t i n g w i l l , " and on F e b r u a r y 16, 
2012, 
she 
o b t a i n e d 
an 
o r d e r 
removing 
the 
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of 
her 
f a t h e r ' s e s t a t e from the p r o b a t e c o u r t t o the Hale 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t . 
F l o y d moved t o d i s m i s s 
the 
c o m p l a i n t 
f i l e d 
i n 
the 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
on 
the ground t h a t the 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
l a c k e d 
s u b j e c t - m a t t e r 
j u r i s d i c t i o n because, she 
s a i d , W a k e f i e l d 
had 
not 
f i l e d her 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t w i t h i n s i x months a f t e r the 
w i l l 
was 
a d m i t t e d 
t o p r o b a t e as r e q u i r e d by § 43-8-199, A l a . Code 
1975. 
W a k e f i e l d opposed the m o t i o n , c l a i m i n g t h a t she d i d not 
l e a r n 
of 
the 
e x i s t e n c e 
of 
the 
p r o b a t e 
p r o c e e d i n g 
u n t i l 
3 
1111241 
F e b r u a r y 12, 2011, 
b u t a l s o c l a i m i n g t h a t h e r l e t t e r s t o 
t h e 
Hale County j u d g e s , t o Judge A v e r y , and t o F l o y d ' s l a w y e r were 
n o t i c e o f h e r i n t e n t t o c o n t e s t t h e w i l l and t o seek 
removal 
of t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n 
o f t h e e s t a t e and/or t h e w i l l c o n t e s t t o 
the 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t . 
W a k e f i e l d 
t h e r e f o r e c l a i m e d 
t h a t h e r 
a c t i o n c o n t e s t i n g t h e w i l l was t i m e l y under § 43-8-190, 
A l a . 
Code 
1975 
( w i l l 
c o n t e s t 
f i l e d 
b e f o r e 
w i l l 
a d m i t t e d t o 
p r o b a t e ) , § 43-8-198 ( t r a n s f e r o f a w i l l c o n t e s t from 
p r o b a t e 
c o u r t t o c i r c u i t c o u r t ) , and § 43-8-199, A l a . Code 1975 
( w i l l 
c o n t e s t 
f i l e d 
a f t e r 
w i l l 
a d m i t t e d t o p r o b a t e ) . 
W a k e f i e l d 
f u r t h e r 
c l a i m e d t h a t t h e s i x - m o n t h 
l i m i t i n § 43-8-199 i s 
i n a p p l i c a b l e because she a l l e g e d f r a u d p u r s u a n t t o § 43-8-5, 
A l a . 
Code 1975, t h e r e b y , she s a y s , 
t o l l i n g t o 
l i m i t a t i o n s 
p e r i o d o f § 43-8-199. The c i r c u i t c o u r t d e n i e d F l o y d ' s motion 
to 
d i s m i s s W a k e f i e l d ' s 
w i l l c o n t e s t . 
F l o y d then 
p e t i t i o n e d 
t h i s C o u r t f o r 
a w r i t o f mandamus. 
I I . S t a n d a r d o f Review 
A p e t i t i o n f o r 
a w r i t o f mandamus i s a p r o p e r means by 
which t o r e v i e w q u e s t i o n s o f s u b j e c t - m a t t e r j u r i s d i c t i o n . Ex 
p a r t e Punturo, 928 So. 2d 1030 ( A l a . 2002). 
"'Mandamus i s 
a d r a s t i c and e x t r a o r d i n a r y w r i t , 
to be i s s u e d o n l y where t h e r e i s (1) a c l e a r 
l e g a l 
4 
1111241 
r i g h t i n t h e p e t i t i o n e r t o t h e o r d e r s o u g h t ; (2) an 
i m p e r a t i v e 
d u t y 
upon t h e respondent 
t o 
p e r f o r m , 
accompanied by a r e f u s a l t o do s o ; (3) t h e l a c k o f 
a n o t h e r 
adequate remedy; and (4) p r o p e r l y i n v o k e d 
j u r i s d i c t i o n of t h e c o u r t . ' Ex p a r t e I n t e g o n Corp., 
672 So. 2d 497, 499 ( A l a . 1995)." 
Ex p a r t e P e r f e c t i o n S i d i n g , I n c . , 
882 So. 2d 307, 309-10 
( A l a . 
2003). 
In Newman v. Savas, 878 So. 2d 1147, 1148-49 ( A l a . 2003), 
t h i s C o u r t s e t out the s t a n d a r d of r e v i e w of a r u l i n g on a 
motion t o d i s m i s s f o r l a c k o f s u b j e c t - m a t t e r 
j u r i s d i c t i o n : 
"A r u l i n g on a motion 
t o d i s m i s s i s r e v i e w e d 
w i t h o u t 
a 
p r e s u m p t i o n 
of 
c o r r e c t n e s s . Nance 
v. 
 
Matthews, 622 So. 2d 297, 299 ( A l a . 1993) . T h i s C o u r t 
must a c c e p t t h e a l l e g a t i o n s of t h e c o m p l a i n t as t r u e . 
C r e o l a Land Dev., I n c . 
v. Bentbrooke Housing, L.L.C., 
828 So. 2d 285, 288 
( A l a . 2002) 
. F u r t h e r m o r e , 
i n 
r e v i e w i n g a r u l i n g on a motion t o d i s m i s s we w i l l not 
c o n s i d e r whether t h e p l e a d e r w i l l u l t i m a t e l y p r e v a i l 
but whether t h e p l e a d e r may p o s s i b l y p r e v a i l . Nance, 
622 So. 2d a t 299." 
I I I . 
D i s c u s s i o n 
In her p e t i t i o n f o r a w r i t of mandamus, F l o y d 
contends 
t h a t t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t exceeded t h e scope of i t s a u t h o r i t y by 
r e f u s i n g 
t o d i s m i s s W a k e f i e l d ' s 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t f o r l a c k of 
s u b j e c t - m a t t e r j u r i s d i c t i o n because, she s a y s , t h e c o n t e s t was 
not 
f i l e d w i t h i n s i x 
months of the a d m i s s i o n of t h e w i l l t o 
p r o b a t e as r e q u i r e d by § 43-8-199, A l a . 
Code 1975. 
W a k e f i e l d , 
5 
1111241 
on the o t h e r hand, c l a i m s t h a t her J u l y 5, 2010, 
l e t t e r s 
t o 
the judges of Hale County and her March 10, 2011, 
l e t t e r 
t o 
Judge A v e r y c o n s t i t u t e d a c o n t e s t of the 
w i l l b e f o r e 
i t was 
a d m i t t e d t o p r o b a t e , as p r o v i d e d i n § 43-8-190. 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
she c l a i m s t h a t her l e t t e r s , which were d a t e d b e f o r e the 
w i l l 
was 
a d m i t t e d t o p r o b a t e , were n o t i c e of her i n t e n t t o c o n t e s t 
the 
w i l l 
and 
t o seek removal of the 
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of 
her 
f a t h e r ' s e s t a t e and/or the w i l l c o n t e s t t o the c i r c u i t c o u r t . 
In 
o t h e r words, W a k e f i e l d c l a i m s t h a t her 
l e t t e r s c o n s t i t u t e 
adequate p l e a d i n g and d o c u m e n t a t i o n of a w i l l c o n t e s t i n the 
p r o b a t e 
c o u r t . 
Alabama law p e r t a i n i n g t o w i l l 
c o n t e s t s i s w e l l 
s e t t l e d 
and 
l o n g - s t a n d i n g : 
"In Alabama a w i l l may be c o n t e s t e d i n two ways: 
(1) under § 43-8-190, Code of Alabama 1975, 
b e f o r e 
p r o b a t e , 
a c o n t e s t may 
be 
i n s t i t u t e d i n the 
p r o b a t e 
c o u r t or (2) under § 43-8-199, Code of Alabama 
1975, 
a f t e r 
p r o b a t e 
and 
w i t h i n 
s i x months 
t h e r e o f , 
a 
c o n t e s t may 
be 
i n s t i t u t e d by 
f i l i n g a c o m p l a i n t 
i n 
the c i r c u i t c o u r t of the c o u n t y i n w h i c h the w i l l 
was 
p r o b a t e d . " 
Stevens v. Gary, 565 So. 2d 73, 74 
( A l a . 1990). 
S e c t i o n 43-8-190 p r o v i d e s : 
"A 
w i l l , 
b e f o r e 
the 
p r o b a t e 
t h e r e o f , 
may 
be 
c o n t e s t e d by any p e r s o n i n t e r e s t e d t h e r e i n , or by 
any 
p e r s o n , 
who, 
i f the 
t e s t a t o r had 
d i e d 
i n t e s t a t e , 
6 
1111241 
would have been an h e i r o r d i s t r i b u t e e o f h i s e s t a t e , 
by 
f i l i n g 
i n t h e c o u r t 
where i t i s o f f e r e d f o r  
p r o b a t e a l l e g a t i o n s i n w r i t i n g t h a t t h e w i l l was n o t 
d u l y e x e c u t e d , o r o f t h e unsoundness o f mind o f 
t h e 
t e s t a t o r , o r o f any o t h e r 
v a l i d o b j e c t i o n s 
t h e r e t o ; 
and t h e r e u p o n an i s s u e must be made up, under t h e 
d i r e c t i o n o f t h e c o u r t , between t h e 
p e r s o n making t h e 
a p p l i c a t i o n , as p l a i n t i f f , and t h e p e r s o n c o n t e s t i n g 
the 
v a l i d i t y o f t h e w i l l , as d e f e n d a n t ; and such 
i s s u e must, on a p p l i c a t i o n o f e i t h e r p a r t y , be t r i e d 
by a j u r y . " 
(Emphasis added.) 
S e c t i o n 43-8-199 p r o v i d e s f o r 
a w i l l c o n t e s t a f t e r a w i l l 
has been a d m i t t e d t o p r o b a t e , which must be b r o u g h t i n 
t h e 
c i r c u i t c o u r t . S e c t i o n 43-8-199 p r o v i d e s : 
"Any p e r s o n i n t e r e s t e d i n any w i l l who has n o t 
c o n t e s t e d 
t h e same under 
t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f 
t h i s 
a r t i c l e , may, a t any time w i t h i n t h e s i x 
months a f t e r 
the a d m i s s i o n o f such w i l l t o p r o b a t e i n t h i s s t a t e , 
c o n t e s t 
t h e 
v a l i d i t y 
o f t h e same by 
f i l i n g 
a 
c o m p l a i n t i n 
t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t i n 
t h e county i n which 
such w i l l was p r o b a t e d . " 
W a k e f i e l d 
c i t e s Ex p a r t e 
Barrows, 892 So. 2d 914, 918 
( A l a . 
2004), f o r 
t h e p r o p o s i t i o n t h a t h e r l e t t e r s a d d r e s s e d t o 
the 
Hale 
County 
judges 
and h e r 
l e t t e r 
t o Judge 
A v e r y 
c o n s t i t u t e d adequate p l e a d i n g and d o c u m e n t a t i o n f o r t h e f i l i n g 
of an i n i t i a l w i l l c o n t e s t i n 
t h e p r o b a t e c o u r t . 
We d i s a g r e e . 
In Ex p a r t e Barrows, 
t h i s C o u r t h e l d t h a t t h e f i l i n g o f t h e 
 
copy o f a c o m p l a i n t p r e v i o u s l y f i l e d i n 
t h e p r o b a t e c o u r t w i t h 
7 
1111241 
the word " p r o b a t e " marked out and the word " c i r c u i t " 
i n s e r t e d 
i n i t s p l a c e i n the s t y l e and the 
f i l i n g of a 
c i r c u i t - c o u r t 
c o v e r s h e e t c o n s t i t u t e d adequate p l e a d i n g and documentation of 
the 
f i l i n g 
o f 
a 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t 
i n 
the 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t . 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
t h i s C o u r t 
s t a t e d : 
" A p p l y i n g the law and the r e a s o n i n g s e t f o r t h i n 
Dunning [v. New E n g l a n d L i f e I n s u r a n c e Co., 
890 
So. 
2d 92 ( A l a . 2 0 0 3 ) ] , we must c o n c l u d e t h a t the 
f i l i n g 
of the copy of the c o m p l a i n t p r e v i o u s l y f i l e d i n the 
p r o b a t e c o u r t w i t h the word 'probate' marked out and 
the word ' c i r c u i t ' i n s e r t e d i n i t s 
p l a c e i n the s t y l e 
and 
the 
f i l i n g 
of 
a 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
c o v e r 
sheet 
c o n s t i t u t e d adequate p l e a d i n g and d o c u m e n t a t i o n f o r 
the f i l i n g o f the w i l l c o n t e s t i n the c i r c u i t 
c o u r t . 
W h i l e the c o m p l a i n t appears t o be a x e r o x e d copy o f 
the c o m p l a i n t o r i g i n a l l y f i l e d i n the p r o b a t e c o u r t , 
the 
c o m p l a i n t p r o p e r l y c o n t a i n s the name of 
the 
c o u r t , the t i t l e of the a c t i o n , the f i l e number, and 
the d e s i g n a t i o n t h a t i t i s a ' c o m p l a i n t 
c o n t e s t i n g 
w i l l . ' 
See R u l e 10, A l a . R. 
C i v . P. 
A d d i t i o n a l l y , 
a p p l y i n g the p r i n c i p l e of law s e t f o r t h i n Dunning 
t h a t a s i g n a t u r e may 
be 
a f f i x e d i n d i f f e r e n t ways, 
the 
a t t o r n e y ' s s i g n a t u r e , 
a l t h o u g h 
not 
o r i g i n a l , 
p r o p e r l y c e r t i f i e d the a l l e g a t i o n s i n the c o m p l a i n t . 
See R u l e 11, A l a . R. C i v . P. See a l s o Dunning, 
s u p r a 
( n o t i n g t h a t R u l e 11 does not p r o v i d e the method by 
which 
a p l e a d i n g i s t o be 
s i g n e d ) . 
A d d i t i o n a l l y , 
S h i e l d s J r . p r o p e r l y f i l e d a c o v e r sheet p u r s u a n t t o 
R u l e 3 ( b ) , A l a . R. C i v . P. L a s t l y , the d o c k e t f e e was 
t i m e l y 
f i l e d . " 
892 So. 2d a t 918. 
C l e a r l y , 
Ex p a r t e Barrows i s d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e 
from 
the 
p r e s e n t case. 
The c o n t e s t a n t t o the w i l l i n Ex p a r t e Barrows 
8 
1111241 
" f i l e d " 
an 
a c t u a l 
c o m p l a i n t , 
a l b e i t 
n o t an 
o r i g i n a l , 
c o n t a i n i n g t h e n e c e s s a r y a l l e g a t i o n s , w i t h t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t 
as e v i d e n c e d by t h e t i m e l y f i l i n g o f t h e d o c k e t f e e . 
S e c t i o n 
43-8-190 
s p e c i f i c a l l y 
s t a t e s 
t h a t 
"[a] w i l l , 
b e f o r e t h e  
p r o b a t e t h e r e o f , may be c o n t e s t e d ... by f i l i n g i n t h e c o u r t 
where i t 
i s o f f e r e d f o r 
p r o b a t e a l l e g a t i o n s i n w r i t i n g 
" 
W a k e f i e l d ' s 
l e t t e r s i n t h e p r e s e n t case were n o t f i l e d 
w i t h 
the 
p r o b a t e c o u r t ; t h e y were not stamped " f i l e d " by t h e c l e r k 
of 
t h e p r o b a t e 
c o u r t . 
I n s t e a d , t h e y were 
m e r e l y 
l e t t e r s 
a d d r e s s e d t o and s e n t t o t h e Hale County j u d g e s , 
i n c l u d i n g 
Judge 
A v e r y , 
e x p r e s s i n g , f o r t h e most 
p a r t , 
W a k e f i e l d ' s 
g e n e r a l 
concerns about a f a m i l y m a t t e r . The 
f i r s t 
l e t t e r , 
d a t e d J u l y 5, 2010, t o t h e t h r e e judges was s e n t seven months 
b e f o r e t h e p e t i t i o n t o p r o b a t e t h e w i l l was 
f i l e d , when no 
p r o c e e d i n g whatsoever was p e n d i n g . 
The second 
l e t t e r , t o 
Judge A v e r y , i n d i c a t e d t h a t W a k e f i e l d w i s h e d t o "address 
t h i s 
forum i n c i r c u i t 
c o u r t . " We note a g a i n t h a t , 
a f t e r 
s e n d i n g 
t h a t 
l e t t e r , 
W a k e f i e l d appeared 
p e r s o n a l l y i n t h e p r o b a t e 
c o u r t on t h e day t h e p r o b a t e c o u r t c o n s i d e r e d and g r a n t e d 
F l o y d ' s 
p e t i t i o n 
t o p r o b a t e t h e w i l l . 
F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e 
c o m p l a i n t i n 
Ex p a r t e Barrows c o n t a i n e d , among o t h e r t h i n g s , 
9 
1111241 
the name of the 
c o u r t , the 
t i t l e of the 
a c t i o n , 
the 
f i l e 
number, and the d e s i g n a t i o n i n the c o m p l a i n t t h a t t h a t a c t i o n 
was a w i l l c o n t e s t . 
W a k e f i e l d ' s l e t t e r s t o Judge A v e r y and t o 
F l o y d ' s 
a t t o r n e y 
i n 
the 
p r e s e n t 
case 
c o n t a i n 
s c a n t 
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of a c o m p l a i n t ; t h e y do not i n c l u d e the 
t i t l e 
of 
the a c t i o n , the 
f i l e number, or any d e s i g n a t i o n t h a t t h e y 
were i n t e n d e d as a w i l l c o n t e s t . I n s t e a d , the w o r d i n g of the 
l e t t e r s 
can be 
i n t e r p r e t e d as showing W a k e f i e l d ' s 
p o s i t i o n 
r e g a r d i n g the w i l l , i . e . , her " d e s i r e " t o c o n t e s t her f a t h e r ' s 
w i l l . A c c o r d i n g l y , the l e t t e r s d i d not c o n s t i t u t e a p r o p e r l y 
d r a f t e d p l e a d i n g and/or 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t 
f i l e d 
i n the 
p r o b a t e 
c o u r t . 
There 
b e i n g 
no 
f u r t h e r 
a c t i o n 
t a k e n 
by 
W a k e f i e l d 
c o n c e r n i n g her p u r p o r t e d attempt 
a t a 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t i n the 
p r o b a t e 
c o u r t b e f o r e the a d m i s s i o n 
of the 
w i l l 
t o 
p r o b a t e , 
t h e r e was 
s i m p l y an e s t a t e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n b e f o r e the 
p r o b a t e 
c o u r t . 
The 
o n l y 
p r o v i s i o n 
a v a i l a b l e 
t o W a k e f i e l d 
f o r 
c o n t e s t i n g 
the 
w i l l 
a f t e r 
i t s a d m i s s i o n 
t o p r o b a t e 
i s § 
43-8-199, A l a . Code 1975, which, as n o t e d above, s t a t e s : 
"Any p e r s o n 
i n t e r e s t e d i n any 
w i l l who 
has 
not 
c o n t e s t e d 
the same under 
the 
p r o v i s i o n s of 
t h i s 
a r t i c l e , may, 
a t any time w i t h i n the s i x months a f t e r  
the a d m i s s i o n of such w i l l t o p r o b a t e i n t h i s 
s t a t e , 
10 
1111241 
c o n t e s t 
t h e 
v a l i d i t y 
of t h e same by 
f i l i n g 
a 
c o m p l a i n t i n the c i r c u i t c o u r t i n t h e county i n w h i c h 
such w i l l was 
p r o b a t e d . " 
(Emphasis added.) 
Because j u r i s d i c t i o n i n a w i l l c o n t e s t i s 
c o n f e r r e d by s t a t u t e , "§ 43-8-199 was e n a c t e d t o p r o v i d e an 
a d d i t i o n a l o p p o r t u n i t y f o r c o n t e s t i n g a w i l l a l r e a d y 
a d m i t t e d 
t o p r o b a t e . " Simpson v. Jones, 460 So. 2d 1282, 1284-85 ( A l a . 
1984). 
In Simpson, t h i s C o u r t s t a t e d : 
"Because 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
i s 
s t a t u t o r i l y 
c o n f e r r e d , p r o c e e d i n g s 
under § 43-8-190 
and § 43-8-199 must comply e x a c t l y w i t h the terms o f 
the 
a p p l i c a b l e 
s t a t u t e . 
' I t i s f a m i l i a r 
law i n 
Alabama, t h e o n l y way t o q u i c k e n 
i n t o 
e x e r c i s e a 
s t a t u t o r y and l i m i t e d j u r i s d i c t i o n i s 
by p u r s u i n g t h e 
mode p r e s c r i b e d by the s t a t u t e . ' Ex p a r t e 
Pearson , 
241 A l a . 467, 469, 3 So. 2d 5, 6 
(1941). 
S e c t i o n 
43-8-199 mandates t h a t , i n o r d e r t o commence a v a l i d 
c o n t e s t of a 
w i l l 
a l r e a d y 
a d m i t t e d 
t o p r o b a t e , 
a 
p e r s o n w i t h an i n t e r e s t i n the w i l l 
f i l e a 
c o m p l a i n t 
i n 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
and 
' q u i c k e n ' 
t h a t 
c o u r t ' s 
j u r i s d i c t i o n o f t h e c o n t e s t . " 
460 So. 2d a t 1284. 
In t h e p r e s e n t 
case, t h e w i l l was a d m i t t e d t o p r o b a t e on 
March 22, 2011. 
W a k e f i e l d 
f i l e d h e r " c o m p l a i n t 
c o n t e s t i n g 
w i l l " on F e b r u a r y 15, 2012. F l o y d moved t o d i s m i s s t h e 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t because i t 
was 
f i l e d w e l l beyond t h e s i x - m o n t h time 
l i m i t a t i o n 
p r e s c r i b e d i n § 43-8-199. 
I n h e r " o p p o s i t i o n t o 
11 
1111241 
m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s , " W a k e f i e l d argues t h a t the time i n w h i c h t o 
f i l e 
the 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t 
was 
t o l l e d 
by 
the 
a p p l i c a t i o n of 
§ 
43-8-5, A l a . Code 1975, w h i c h p r o v i d e s : 
"Whenever 
f r a u d 
has 
been 
p e r p e t r a t e d 
i n 
c o n n e c t i o n 
w i t h any p r o c e e d i n g 
or i n any 
s t a t e m e n t 
f i l e d under t h i s c h a p t e r or i f f r a u d i s used t o a v o i d 
or 
c i r c u m v e n t 
the 
p r o v i s i o n s or p u r p o s e s 
of 
t h i s 
c h a p t e r , 
any 
p e r s o n 
i n j u r e d 
t h e r e b y 
may 
o b t a i n 
a p p r o p r i a t e 
r e l i e f 
a g a i n s t 
the 
p e r p e t r a t o r 
of 
the 
f r a u d or r e s t i t u t i o n from any p e r s o n 
( o t h e r than a 
bona 
f i d e 
p u r c h a s e r ) 
b e n e f i t t i n g from 
the 
f r a u d , 
whether 
i n n o c e n t 
or 
n o t . 
Any 
p r o c e e d i n g 
must 
be 
commenced w i t h i n one year a f t e r the d i s c o v e r y of the 
f r a u d or from the time when the 
f r a u d s h o u l d have 
been d i s c o v e r e d , 
but 
no 
p r o c e e d i n g 
may 
be 
b r o u g h t 
a g a i n s t one not a p e r p e t r a t o r of the f r a u d l a t e r than 
f i v e y e a r s 
a f t e r the time of the commission of 
the 
f r a u d . 
T h i s 
s e c t i o n 
has 
no 
b e a r i n g 
on 
remedies 
r e l a t i n g t o f r a u d p r a c t i c e d on a decedent d u r i n g h i s 
l i f e t i m e which a f f e c t s the s u c c e s s i o n of h i s e s t a t e . " 
" S e c t i o n 43-8-5, A l a . Code 1975, 
was 
e n a c t e d i n 1982, 
and i t 
e x t e n d s , 
under l i m i t e d c i r c u m s t a n c e s , 
the time f o r f i l i n g 
an 
a c t i o n 
r e l a t i n g 
t o 
the 
f r a u d u l e n t 
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n 
of 
an 
e s t a t e . " 
Holway v. Wanschek, 690 
So. 
2d 429, 
433 
( A l a . C i v . 
App. 
1997). 
S e c t i o n 
43-8-5 
s t a t e s , 
i n 
p a r t , 
t h a t 
" [ a ] n y 
p r o c e e d i n g 
must 
be 
commenced 
w i t h i n 
one 
year 
a f t e r 
the 
d i s c o v e r y of the f r a u d or from the time when the f r a u d 
s h o u l d 
have been d i s c o v e r e d . " In C h r i s t i a n v. Murray, 915 So. 
2d 
23 
( A l a . 
2005), 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
c o n c l u d e d 
t h a t 
"the 
L e g i s l a t u r e 
12 
1111241 
i n t e n d e d t h a t the f r a u d n e c e s s a r y t o t o l l the time f o r 
f i l i n g 
a 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t must be 
t h a t k i n d of f r a u d t h a t would 
a l l o w 
r e l i e f f o r ' f r a u d on a c o u r t . ' " 
915 So. 2d a t 28. 
In Waters 
v. 
J o l l y , 
582 
So. 
2d 
1048, 
1055 
( A l a . 1991), 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
d e f i n e d " f r a u d " on the c o u r t " 
as 
" t h a t s p e c i e s 
of f r a u d t h a t d e f i l e s or a t t e m p t s 
t o 
d e f i l e 
the 
c o u r t 
i t s e l f 
or 
t h a t 
i s 
a 
f r a u d 
p e r p e t r a t e d by an o f f i c e r of the c o u r t , and i t does 
not i n c l u d e f r a u d among the p a r t i e s , w i t h o u t more." 
( C i t i n g Brown v. K i n g s b e r r y M o r t g . Co., 
349 
So. 
2d 564 
( A l a . 
1977), and 
S p i n d l o w v. S p i n d l o w , 512 
So. 
2d 
918 
( A l a . C i v . 
App. 
1987).) 
In o t h e r words, the t o l l i n g p r o v i s i o n of § 43-8-5 a p p l i e s 
when a c o n t e s t a n t 
of a w i l l shows t h a t the proponent of 
the 
w i l l 
has 
engaged 
i n 
f r a u d 
i n 
c o n n e c t i o n 
w i t h 
the 
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n 
of 
the 
e s t a t e ; 
t h a t 
Code 
s e c t i o n 
"has 
no 
b e a r i n g on remedies r e l a t i n g t o f r a u d p r a c t i c e d on a decedent 
d u r i n g 
h i s 
l i f e t i m e 
w h i c h 
a f f e c t s 
the 
s u c c e s s i o n 
of 
h i s 
e s t a t e . " 
§ 43-8-5, A l a . Code 1975. 
See, 
e.g. 
In re E s t a t e 
of  
Hudson, 
887 
So. 
2d 
923 
( A l a . 
C i v . 
App. 
2004) ( d u r i n g 
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of e s t a t e , a t t o r n e y f o r e s t a t e 
m i s r e p r e s e n t e d 
amount 
of 
o u t s t a n d i n g 
mortgage 
i n d e b t e d n e s s 
on 
p r o p e r t y ) ; 
Holway, s u p r a 
( d u r i n g time from a d m i s s i o n of w i l l t o p r o b a t e 
13 
1111241 
u n t i l 
c o m p l a i n t 
was 
f i l e d 
i n t h e w i l l 
c o n t e s t , 
p r o p o n e n t s 
c o n c e a l e d 
t h e f a c t t h a t 
t e s t a t o r ' s son was n o t named as a 
b e n e f i c i a r y o f h i s 
mother's e s t a t e ) ; B u r c h v. B u r g e s s , 521 So. 
2d 921 ( A l a . 1988)(son f a i l e d t o c o n t e s t t h e p r o b a t e o f 
h i s 
mother's w i l l because t h e e x e c u t r i x and s o l e b e n e f i c i a r y had 
t o l d t h e son t h a t t h e mother had d i e d w i t h o u t a s s e t s and t h a t 
he need n o t go t o t h e p r o b a t e c o u r t ) ; V a n d e g r i f t v. Lagrone, 
477 
So. 2d 292 ( A l a . 
1 9 8 5 ) ( l i m i t a t i o n s p e r i o d f o r 
f i l i n g 
p e t i t i o n t o p r o b a t e 
w i l l 
t o l l e d as r e s u l t o f p r o p o n e n t ' s 
f a t h e r ' s 
f r a u d u l e n t concealment o f e x i s t e n c e o f p r o p o n e n t ' s 
g r a n d f a t h e r ' s 
w i l l ) ; and F u l l e r v. Q u a l l s , 241 A l a . 673, 4 So. 
2d 
418 
( 1 9 4 1 ) ( l i m i t a t i o n s p e r i o d 
f o r f i l i n g 
p e t i t i o n t o 
p r o b a t e 
w i l l 
t o l l e d when e x i s t e n c e o f t e s t a t o r ' s 
w i l l 
was 
f r a u d u l e n t l y c o n c e a l e d 
from p r o p o n e n t ) . 
The 
a l l e g a t i o n s 
i n 
W a k e f i e l d ' s 
F e b r u a r y 
15, 2012, 
" c o m p l a i n t 
c o n t e s t i n g 
w i l l " 
govern 
t h i s 
C o u r t ' s 
r u l i n g on 
F l o y d ' s 
motion 
t o 
d i s m i s s . 
The 
c o m p l a i n t 
a l l e g e s t h e 
f o l l o w i n g : 
" [ W a k e f i e l d ] would be an h e i r o f t h e decedent... 
" [ W a k e f i e l d ] 
a v e r s t h a t t h e s a i d w i l l was n o t 
e x e c u t e d i n t h e 
mode and manner p r e s c r i b e d by law. 
14 
1111241 
"2. 
[ W a k e f i e l d ] 
a v e r s t h a t t h e 
decedent was o f 
unsound mind and m e n t a l l y 
i n c o m p e t e n t and d i d n o t 
p o s s e s s t e s t a m e n t a r y c a p a c i t y t o 
make and e x e c u t e a 
w i l l on t h e 
1 5 t h 
day o f October, 2009. 
"3. 
[ W a k e f i e l d ] 
a v e r s t h a t t h e w i l l 
... was 
p r o c u r e d 
t h r o u g h undue i n f l u e n c e e x e r c i s e d upon t h e 
decedent by one (or 
more) o f t h e d i s t r i b u t e s o f 
t h e 
e s t a t e 
o f 
s a i d 
decedent 
as s e t f o r t h 
i n s a i d 
c o n t e s t e d 
w i l l , and 
"4. 
That a d i s t r i b u t e e o f t h e e s t a t e was i n 
a 
c o n f i d e n t i a l 
r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h e decedent. 
That 
s a i d d i s t r i b u t e e 
was dominant and c o n t r o l l i n g i n t h i s 
r e l a t i o n s h i p 
and 
e x e r c i s e d 
undue 
a c t i v i t y 
i n 
p r o c u r i n g t h e 
e x e c u t i o n o f t h e w i l l b e i n g 
c o n t e s t e d . 
F u r t h e r m o r e , 
t h a t 
t h e decedent 
was 
i n f i r m and 
i n c o m p e t e n t . 
That 
as a 
r e s u l t o f 
t h i s 
undue 
i n f l u e n c e 
and 
w h i l e 
i n 
t h i s 
c o n d i t i o n 
and 
r e l a t i o n s h i p t h e decedent e x e c u t e d t h e w i l l 
b e i n g 
c o n t e s t e d . 
That t h e decedent was p e r s u a d e d t o s i g n 
the p u r p o r t e d 
w i l l by a b e n e f i c i a r y o f t h e c o n t e s t e d 
w i l l , and such w i l l , because o f t h i s undue i n f l u e n c e 
i s n o t t h e t r u e 
l a s t 
w i l l 
and t e s t a m e n t o f t h e 
deceased. 
"WHEREFORE, [ W a k e f i e l d ] 
p r a y s t h a t t h i s C o u r t 
w i l l s e t h i s m a t t e r f o r a h e a r i n g and t h a t t h e i s s u e s 
i n v o l v e d h e r e i n 
w i l l be made up and t r i e d i n t h i s 
C o u r t t o d e t e r m i n e whether t h e s a i d w i l l i s 
t h e t r u e 
L a s t W i l l and Testament o f t h e s a i d decedent. ... 
" 
The a l l e g a t i o n s i n 
W a k e f i e l d ' s 
c o m p l a i n t a r e 
n o t h i n g more 
than g e n e r a l i z e d 
a s s e r t i o n s o f grounds f o r 
a w i l l 
c o n t e s t , 
i . e . , 
l a c k o f 
due e x e c u t i o n o f 
t h e w i l l , l a c k o f t e s t a m e n t a r y 
c a p a c i t y o f 
t h e 
t e s t a t o r , and 
undue i n f l u e n c e i n 
p r o c u r i n g t h e 
e x e c u t i o n 
o f t h e w i l l 
d u r i n g 
W i l s o n ' s 
l i f e t i m e . 
These 
15 
1111241 
a l l e g a t i o n s n e i t h e r r e l a t e t o f r a u d i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e 
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f W i l s o n ' s 
e s t a t e n o r , more 
p a r t i c u l a r l y , 
equate t o f r a u d upon t h e c o u r t . 
I t i s u n d i s p u t e d 
t h a t 
W i l s o n ' s 
w i l l was a d m i t t e d t o p r o b a t e on March 22, 2011, 
and 
t h a t W a k e f i e l d ' s 
c o n t e s t i n t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t was f i l e d on 
F e b r u a r y 15, 2012, a l m o s t 10 months l a t e r . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , 
t h e 
t o l l i n g p r o v i s i o n s o f 
§ 43-8-5 do n o t a p p l y , because t h e y were 
not a l l e g e d o r embraced i n 
W a k e f i e l d ' s 
c o m p l a i n t . 
IV. C o n c l u s i o n 
Based on t h e f o r e g o i n g , 
F l o y d 
p r o p e r l y 
i n v o k e d t h e 
j u r i s d i c t i o n o f t h i s C o u r t , and she has shown a c l e a r 
l e g a l 
r i g h t t o 
t h e d i s m i s s a l o f 
t h e w i l l c o n t e s t because t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t l a c k e d j u r i s d i c t i o n over t h e c o n t e s t . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r 
a w r i t o f mandamus i s g r a n t e d and t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
i s d i r e c t e d 
t o g r a n t 
F l o y d ' s 
motion 
t o 
d i s m i s s 
W a k e f i e l d ' s 
w i l l c o n t e s t . 
PETITION GRANTED; WRIT ISSUED. 
Malone, C.J., and 
W o o d a l l , Murdock, and 
Main, J J . , concur. 
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