Title: Homer Osborne Johnson and Schurlock Holland v. Cheryl Neal and Corburt Chisley

State: alabama

Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court

Document:

Rel 10/23/2009 
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 
OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 
1070443 
Homer Osborne Johnson and S c h u r l o c k H o l l a n d 
v. 
C h e r y l Neal and C o r b u r t C h i s l e y 
Appeal from Macon C i r c u i t Court 
(CV-06-48) 
PER CURIAM. 
Homer O s b o r n e J o h n s o n a n d S c h u r l o c k H o l l a n d 
( h e r e i n a f t e r 
c o l l e c t i v e l y 
r e f e r r e d t o as " t h e 
p r o p o n e n t s " ) 
a p p e a l 
f r o m a 
j u d g m e n t e n t e r e d b y t h e 
Macon C i r c u i t C o u r t 
s e t t i n g a s i d e 
t h e 
Macon 
P r o b a t e 
C o u r t ' s 
a d m i s s i o n 
t o p r o b a t e 
o f Homer C. 
O s b o r n e ' s 
w i l l 
("the w i l l " ) . 
We v a c a t e t h e j u d g m e n t a n d 
d i s m i s s t h e a p p e a l . 
1070443 
F a c t s and P r o c e d u r a l H i s t o r y 
Homer C. O s b o r n e 
d i e d on J u l y 17, 1 
973. 
On A u g u s t 3, 
2 0 0 4 , 
t h e 
p r o p o n e n t s , 
who 
a r e 
two 
o f 
O s b o r n e ' s 
s o n s , 
p e t i t i o n e d t h e Macon P r o b a t e C o u r t t o p r o b a t e a w i l l 
t h a t h a d 
p u r p o r t e d l y b e e n e x e c u t e d b y O s b o r n e . 
The p e t i t i o n e x p l a i n e d 
t h a t t h e p r o p o n e n t s d i d 
n o t know o f t h e e x i s t e n c e o f t h e w i l l 
u n t i l t h e y d i s c o v e r e d i t 
a t t h e home o f O s b o r n e ' s o t h e r s o n , 
O t h a J e w e l O s b o r n e ( " O t h a " ) , on A u g u s t 4, 2003. 
A c c o r d i n g t o 
t h e p e t i t i o n , O t h a was i n c o m p e t e n t and u n a b l e t o c o m m u n i c a t e . 
The w i l l was d a t e d November 8, 1962, and l e f t 
a l l 
O s b o r n e ' s 
p r o p e r t y 
i n t e r e s t s 
t o 
J o h n s o n , 
H o l l a n d , 
and 
O t h a . 
On 
S e p t e m b e r 9, 2004, t h e Macon P r o b a t e C o u r t a d m i t t e d t h e 
w i l l 
t o 
p r o b a t e . 
On F e b r u a r y 24, 2006, 
C h e r y l N e a l and C o r b u r t 
C h i s l e y 
( h e r e i n a f t e r 
c o l l e c t i v e l y 
r e f e r r e d t o as " t h e c o n t e s t a n t s " ) 
f i l e d 
a 
" w i l l 
c o n t e s t i n t h e e s t a t e o f Homer 
C. 
O s b o r n e , 
d e c e a s e d , " 
i n t h e 
Macon 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t , 
c o n t e s t i n g 
t h e 
a d m i s s i o n o f t h e w i l l t o p r o b a t e . 
The c o n t e s t a n t s a r e t h e 
c h i l d r e n 
o f B e t t y R u t h O s b o r n e 
C h i s l e y , 
who was 
O s b o r n e ' s 
f i r s t 
c o u s i n . 
The w i l l 
c o n t e s t a l l e g e d as 
f o l l o w s : 
" ( 1 ) The [ c o n t e s t a n t s ] b e l i e v e t h a t 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 i n t h i s m a t t e r was u n t i m e l y i n 
2 
1070443 
t h a t i t 
was p r e s e n t e d more t h a n f i v e y e a r s a f t e r t h e 
d e a t h o f t h e t e s t a t o r , c o n t r a r y t o Code 1975, § 43-
8 - [ 1 6 1 ] , f o r m e r l y Code 1975, § 4 3 - 1 - 7 9 , and 
e a r l i e r 
Code 1940, T.61, § 64. 
F u r t h e r , no n o t i c e was 
g i v e n 
i n 
t h i s 
m a t t e r t o t h e r i g h t f u l 
owners o f 
p r o p e r t y 
l o c a t e d o u t s i d e t h e s t a t e o f A l a b a m a t h a t s a i d h e i r s 
o f t h e t e s t a t o r a r e now m a k i n g c l a i m [ ; ] 
t h e r e f o r e , 
t h e 
[ c o n t e s t a n t s ] , 
t h e 
l a w f u l 
owners 
o f 
s a i d 
p r o p e r t y , 
were unaware 
o f 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 
u n t i l 
r e c e n t l y . 
"(2) A t t h e t i m e o f Homer O s b o r n e ' s d e a t h , t h e 
h e i r s were a l l 
o f l e g a l age y e t made no a t t e m p t t o 
p r o b a t e 
t h i s 
e s t a t e 
by 
f i l i n g 
f o r 
l e t t e r s 
o f 
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . 
A t 
t h e 
t i m e 
o f 
t h e 
d e c e d e n t ' s 
d e a t h , t h e h e i r s were aware t h a t a w i l l 
e x i s t e d , b u t 
d i d 
n o t know o f i t s l o c a t i o n . 
F u r t h e r m o r e , 
t h e 
h e i r s were aware a t t h e t i m e o f h i s d e a t h t h a t t h e 
d e c e d e n t m i g h t have owned p r o p e r t y 
i n t h e s t a t e o f 
L o u i s i a n a , b u t made no e f f o r t t o t a k e p o s s e s s i o n 
o f 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y . 
"(3) 
The 
w i l l 
was 
a d m i t t e d 
f o r p r o b a t e 
some 
t h i r t y y e a r s a f t e r t h e d e a t h o f Homer C. O s b o r n e , a 
t i m e 
w e l l 
b e y o n d 
t h e 
s t a t u t e 
o f 
l i m i t a t i o n s f o r 
p r e s e n t a t i o n 
o f w i l l s t o p r o b a t e . 
No n o t i c e s 
were 
i s s u e d i n s p i t e o f t h e f a c t t h a t t h e h e i r s knew t h a t 
t h e i r 
i n t e n t i o n s i n p r o b a t i n g 
t h e w i l l were t o l a y 
c l a i m t o p r o p e r t y 
l o c a t e d i n t h e s t a t e o f L o u i s i a n a , 
and t h e h e i r s knew o f t h e s e i n t e r e s t e d p a r t i e s . 
The 
i n t e r e s t e d p a r t i e s have y e t t o r e c e i v e n o t i c e o f t h e 
p r o b a t e a c t i o n 
f i l e d i n A u g u s t 2004. 
The i n t e r e s t e d 
p a r t i e s have b e e n t o l d by a t h i r d p a r t y 
t h a t a 
w i l l 
had 
b e e n 
p r o b a t e d 
i n 
Macon 
C o u n t y , 
and 
upon 
i n v e s t i g a t i o n by t h e u n d e r s i g n e d , h a v e f o u n d t h a t a 
w i l l was p r o b a t e d w i t h o u t 
n o t i f i c a t i o n t o them. 
" T h e r e f o r e , 
t h e i n t e r e s t e d p a r t i e s , C h e r y l 
N e a l 
and 
C o r b u r t C h i s l e y , c h i l d r e n o f B e t t y R u t h O s b o r n e 
C h i s l e y , 
a 
f i r s t 
c o u s i n 
o f t h e d e c e d e n t , Homer C. 
O s b o r n e , r e p r e s e n t e d 
by t h e u n d e r s i g n e d r e s p e c t f u l l y 
r e q u e s t 
t h a t u n d e r t h e d i r e c t i o n o f t h i s 
h o n o r a b l e 
3 
1070443 
c o u r t , 
t h e i r 
o b j e c t i o n s and 
i s s u e s 
c o n t e s t i n g 
t h e 
v a l i d i t y o f t h e w i l l be h e a r d , t r i e d , and d e c i d e d 
by 
a b e n c h 
t r i a l . " 
S i m u l t a n e o u s l y 
w i t h 
f i l i n g 
t h e 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t 
i n t h e 
Macon 
C i r c u i t C o u r t , t h e c o n t e s t a n t s 
f i l e d a " n o t i c e o f w i l l 
c o n t e s t 
and p e t i t i o n f o r r e m o v a l " i n t h e Macon P r o b a t e 
C o u r t . 
On 
A p r i l 
25, 
2006, 
t h e p r o p o n e n t s 
f i l e d 
a 
" m o t i o n 
t o 
d i s m i s s " t h e w i l l 
c o n t e s t . 
The m o t i o n a l l e g e d t h a t t h e 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t was 
due t o be d i s m i s s e d f o r f a i l u r e t o s t a t e a c l a i m 
upon w h i c h r e l i e f c a n be g r a n t e d b e c a u s e , t h e p r o p o n e n t s s a y , 
t h e c o n t e s t a n t s a r e n e i t h e r O s b o r n e ' s 
h e i r s n o r 
b e n e f i c i a r i e s 
u n d e r 
h i s w i l l . 
The 
p r o p o n e n t s 
a t t a c h e d 
t o 
t h e i r 
m o t i o n 
a 
c e r t i f i e d 
c o p y 
o f 
t h e 
e n t i r e 
p r o b a t e 
c o u r t 
f i l e , 
w h i c h 
i n c l u d e d t h e w i l l and t h e o r d e r a d m i t t i n g t h e w i l l t o p r o b a t e . 
On A u g u s t 3, 2006, Judge Howard F. B r y a n s e t a l l p e n d i n g 
m o t i o n s 
f o r a h e a r i n g 
on O c t o b e r 
5, 2006. 
A p p a r e n t l y 
t h a t 
h e a r i n g was 
h e l d , b u t Judge B r y a n 
r e t i r e d 
w i t h o u t 
r u l i n g 
on 
t h e p r o p o n e n t s ' m o t i o n 
t o d i s m i s s . 
On M a r c h 
27, 2007, 
t h e 
p r o p o n e n t s moved 
t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
t o 
r e s e t 
t h e i r 
p e n d i n g 
m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s t h e 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t f o r a n o t h e r h e a r i n g . 
On 
M a r c h 
30, 
2007, 
t h e 
c o n t e s t a n t s 
f i l e d 
a " m o t i o n 
f o r 
f i n a l 
o r d e r . " 
I n t h a t m o t i o n , t h e c o n t e s t a n t s a r g u e d 
(1) t h a t t h e 
4 
1070443 
p r o p o n e n t 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 was 
u n t i m e l y b e c a u s e 
i t 
was 
f i l e d 
more 
t h a n 
f i v e 
y e a r s 
a f t e r 
t h e 
d e a t h 
o f 
t h e 
t e s t a t o r i n v i o l a t i o n 
o f § 4 3 - 8 - 1 6 1 , A l a . Code 1975, 
and 
(2) 
t h a t 
t h e 
c o n t e s t a n t s were i n t e r e s t e d p a r t i e s u n d e r t h e 
w i l l 
and t h u s had s t a n d i n g t o c o n t e s t t h e w i l l . 
On 
A p r i l 27, 2007, 
t h e p r o p o n e n t s 
f i l e d a " s u g g e s t i o n 
o f d e a t h upon t h e 
r e c o r d , " 
s t a t i n g t h a t O t h a d i e d on M a r c h 13, 2006, w h i l e 
t h i s 
a c t i o n 
was 
p e n d i n g . 
J u d g e Ray D. M a r t i n h e l d a h e a r i n g on a l l 
p e n d i n g m o t i o n s 
on J u l y 24, 2007. 
A f t e r t h e h e a r i n g , t h e c o n t e s t a n t s and 
t h e 
p r o p o n e n t s 
s u b m i t t e d 
b r i e f s 
t o t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t , 
o u t l i n i n g 
t h e l e g a l i s s u e s b e f o r e t h e c o u r t and a r g u i n g t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e 
p o s i t i o n s . 
The 
o n l y i s s u e s o u t l i n e d i n t h o s e b r i e f s w e r e : (1) 
W h e t h e r 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 
u n t i m e l y u n d e r § 
4 3 - 8 - 1 6 1 , A l a . Code 1975, 
b e c a u s e i t was 
f i l e d more t h a n 
f i v e 
y e a r s 
a f t e r O s b o r n e ' s d e a t h ; 
(2) w h e t h e r t h e p r o p o n e n t s 
c o u l d 
a r g u e t h a t t h e 
f a i l u r e t o t i m e l y f i l 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 
o c c a s i o n e d by f r a u d and, 
i f s o , w h e t h e r t h e 
f i v e -
y e a r 
s t a t u t e o f l i m i t a t i o n s 
i n § 43-8-161 was 
t o l l e d u n d e r § 
4 3 - 8 - 5 , A l a . Code 1 9 7 5 ; 
and 
(3) w h e t h e r t h e c o n t e s t a n t s were 
5 
1070443 
p e r s o n s 
i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e w i l l 
u n d e r § 4 3 - 8 - 1 9 9 , A l a . Code 
1975, 
so t h a t t h e y h a d s t a n d i n g t o c o n t e s t t h e w i l l . 
I n 
t h e i r 
b r i e f , 
as 
a 
" m a t t e r 
o f 
c o m p l e t e n e s s , " 
t h e 
c o n t e s t a n t s 
t e r s e l y a r g u e d t h a t " t h e w i l l 
c o n t e s t was b r o u g h t 
i n 
a 
t i m e l y manner 
i n t h a t 
t h e [ p r o p o n e n t s ] f r a u d u l e n t l y 
f a i l e d t o g i v e 
n o t i c e t o t h e [ c o n t e s t a n t s ] " and t h a t 
" i t 
i s 
o b v i o u s t h a t no n o t i c e o f t h e p r o c e e d i n g s 
[ w a s ] e v e r g i v e n t o 
t h e 
[ c o n t e s t a n t s ] i n o r d e r 
t o c i r c u m v e n t 
t h e p r o v i s i o n s o r 
p u r p o s e s 
o f 
t h e 
l a w s 
o f 
A l a b a m a , 
and 
i t i s 
e n t i r e l y 
a p p r o p r i a t e t h a t t h e [ c o n t e s t a n t s ] b r o u g h t t h i s m a t t e r 
b e f o r e 
t h i s 
c o u r t as s o o n as [ t h e y ] h a d n o t i c e o f t h e 
p r o c e e d i n g s . " 
The c o n t e s t a n t s 
a l s o a t t a c h e d t o t h e i r 
b r i e f a t i t l e 
o p i n i o n 
c o n c e r n i n g 
t h e 
r e a l 
p r o p e r t y 
l o c a t e d 
i n L o u i s i a n a 
t h a t 
a l l e g e d l y w o u l d be a f f e c t e d i f t h e a d m i s s i o n 
o f t h e w i l l t o 
p r o b a t e was a l l o w e d t o s t a n d . 
On November 20, 2007, t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
s e t a s i d e t h e 
p r o b a t e 
c o u r t ' s 
o r d e r 
a d m i t t i n g 
t h e w i l l 
t o p r o b a t e . 
The 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t ' s o r d e r 
s t a t e d : 
"The m a t t e r s b e f o r e 
t h i s c o u r t a r e t h e i s s u e s o f 
w h e t h e r a w i l l 
s u b m i t t e d 
f o r p r o b a t e more t h a n 
f i v e 
y e a r s 
a f t e r t h e t e s t a t o r ' s d e a t h was e f f e c t i v e , and 
f u r t h e r , 
w h e t h e r 
o r 
n o t 
t h e 
[ c o n t e s t a n t s ] 
h a d 
s t a n d i n g 
t o b r i n g 
t h e 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t . 
A f t e r 
o r a l 
a r g u m e n t s 
and t h e 
s u b m i s s i o n 
o f 
b r i e f s 
f o r b o t h 
6 
1070443 
p a r t i e s , t h e o r d e r a d m i t t i n g t h e w i l l t o p r o b a t e 
and 
r e c o r d 
i s s u e d by t h e P r o b a t e C o u r t o f Macon C o u n t y 
on S e p t e m b e r 9, 2004, i s s e t 
a s i d e . 
" I t i s t h e r e f o r e o r d e r e d , a d j u d g e d , and 
d e c r e e d 
as 
f o l l o w s : 
" 1 . 
The S e p t e m b e r 9, 2004, o r d e r o f t h e P r o b a t e 
C o u r t 
o f 
Macon 
C o u n t y 
a d m i t t i n g 
t h e 
November 1962 
w i l l 
o f Homer C. O s b o r n e t o 
p r o b a t e and r e c o r d i s no l o n g e r i n e f f e c t . 
"2. 
The 
P r o b a t e 
C o u r t 
o f Macon 
C o u n t y 
s h a l l 
amend i t s r e c o r d s 
a c c o r d i n g l y . " 
The p r o p o n e n t s 
a p p e a l e d . 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
Q u e s t i o n s 
o f 
l a w 
a r e 
r e v i e w e d 
de 
n o v o . 
C h r i s t i a n 
v. 
M u r r a y , 
915 
So. 
2d 
23, 
25 
( A l a . 2005) 
( c i t i n g 
S t a t e 
v. 
A m e r i c a n T o b a c c o Co., 
772 
So. 2d 417, 
419 
( A l a . 2 0 0 0 ) ) . 
D i s c u s s i o n 
On a p p e a l , t h e p r o p o n e n t s a r g u e , among o t h e r t h i n g s , 
t h a t 
u n d e r § 4 3 - 8 - 1 9 9 , A l a . Code 1975, 
t h e 
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 
o v e r t h e w i l l c o n t e s t b e c a u s e t h e 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t was 
f i l e d 
i n t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t more t h a n 
s i x 
months 
a f t e r 
t h e 
w i l l 
had 
b e e n 
a d m i t t e d 
t o p r o b a t e . 
The 
c o n t e s t a n t s r e s p o n d 
(1) t h a t t h e p r o p o n e n t s 
f a i l e d t o p r e s e r v e 
t h a t i s s u e f o r a p p e l l a t e r e v i e w b e c a u s e t h e y 
f a i l e d t o 
r a i s e 
t h e i s s u e b e f o r e t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t and 
(2) t h a t t h e t i m e i n 
7 
1070443 
w h i c h 
t o 
f i l e 
t h e 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t 
was 
t o l l e d 
b y t h e 
f r a u d 
p r o v i s i o n 
i n § 
4 3 - 8 - 5 , 
A l a . Code 
1975, 
b e c a u s e , 
t h e 
c o n t e s t a n t s s a y , t h e p r o p o n e n t s 
f r a u d u l e n t l y f a i l e d t o g i v e 
n o t i c e t o t h e c o n t e s t a n t s o f t h e p r o c e e d i n g s 
i n t h e p r o b a t e 
c o u r t . C o n t e s t a n t s ' b r i e f , a t 13, 2 6 - 2 7 . 
S e c t i o n 4 3 - 8 - 1 9 9 , A l a . 
Code 1975, 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 h a s n o t 
c o n t e s t e d 
t h e same 
u n d e r 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 t i m e 
w i t h i n t h e s i x months 
a f t e r t h e a d m i s s i o n o f s u c h 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 c o u n t y i n 
w h i c h s u c h 
w i l l was 
p r o b a t e d . " 
I n t h e p r e s e n t 
c a s e , 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 
S e p t e m b e r 9, 2004. 
Thus, when t h e w i l l 
c o n t e s t was 
f i l e d on 
F e b r u a r y 
24, 2006, t h e s i x - m o n t h p e r i o d f o r c o n t e s t i n g t h e 
w i l l 
p r o v i d e d f o r 
b y § 43-8-199 h a d p a s s e d . 
T h i s 
C o u r t 
h a s h e l d 
t h a t 
" [ j ] u r i s d i c t i o n 
f o r a 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t i s s t a t u t o r i l y 
c o n f e r r e d ; t h u s , a w i l l 
c o n t e s t 
must 
s t r i c t l y 
c o m p l y 
w i t h 
t h e 
s t a t u t e , 
i n c l u d i n g 
any 
t i m e 
l i m i t a t i o n s . " 
C h r i s t i a n , 
915 So. 2d a t 26. 
See a l s o E v a n s v .  
W a d d e l l , 
689 
So. 
2d 
23, 
27 
( A l a . 1997) 
( h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
" [ b ] e c a u s e a c i r c u i t c o u r t ' s j u r i s d i c t i o n o v e r a w i l l 
c o n t e s t 
i s 
s t a t u t o r i l y 
c o n f e r r e d and l i m i t e d , 
a p r o c e e d i n g 
i n i t i a t e d 
8 
1070443 
u n d e r § 43-8-199 must c o m p l y e x a c t l y w i t h t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s o f 
t h a t s t a t u t e " ) , and E u s t a c e v. B r o w n i n g , [Ms. 2 0 7 1 2 3 4 , J u l y 2, 
2009] 
So. 3d 
, 
( A l a . 
C i v . App. 2009) 
( h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
" [ w ] h e t h e r a w i l l 
c o n t e s t 
was 
f i l e d 
i n c o m p l i a n c e 
w i t h 
t h e 
a p p l i c a b l e 
s t a t u t e s 
i s 
an 
i s s u e 
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 " ) . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
t h e p r o p o n e n t s i n t h e p r e s e n t c a s e 
c o r r e c t l y 
a r g u e 
t h a t 
t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t ' s 
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 i s a f f e c t e d by t h e c o n t e s t a n t s ' 
f a i l u r e t o c o m p l y 
w i t h t h e t i m e l i m i t a t i o n s i n § 4 3 - 8 - 1 9 9 . 
C o n t r a r y 
t o t h e 
c o n t e s t a n t s ' 
a r g u m e n t 
on 
a p p e a l , 
t h e 
p r o p o n e n t s 
d i d 
n o t 
w a i v e 
t h e 
i s s u e 
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 b y f a i l i n g t o a r g u e i t b e f o r e t h e c i r c u i t 
c o u r t . 
T h i s C o u r t has s p e c i f i c a l l y h e l d t h a t "a c i r c u i t c o u r t ' s 
l a c k 
o f 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o v e r 
a 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t 
c a n be 
r a i s e d a t any 
t i m e . " 
K a l l e r ex r e l . Conway v . R i g d o n , 480 So. 2d 536, 539 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 5 ) . 
See a l s o R i l e y v. Hughes, [Ms. 1080006, F e b r u a r y 
6, 
200 9] 
So. 
3d 
, 
( A l a . 2009) 
( h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
" 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 
c a n n o t be w a i v e d b y t h e 
f a i l u r e 
t o a r g u e i t 
as an i s s u e " ) , and Ex p a r t e S m i t h , 438 So. 2d 766, 
768 
( A l a . 1983) 
( h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
" [ 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 
may n o t be w a i v e d b y t h e p a r t i e s and i t i s t h e 
9 
1070443 
d u t y o f an a p p e l l a t e c o u r t t o c o n s i d e 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 
ex mero 
m o t u " ) . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
t h e 
p r o p o n e n t s ' 
f a i l u r e t o p r e s e n t t h e i s s u e 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 t o 
t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t d i d 
n o t w a i v e t h e i s s u e f o r a p p e l l a t e 
r e v i e w 
o r r e l e a s e 
t h i s C o u r t f r o m i t s 
d u t y t o c o n s i d e r w h e t h e r t h e 
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 o v e r t h e w i l l 
c o n t e s t . 
N e x t , t h e c o n t e s t a n t s 
a r g u e 
t h a t t h e t i m e i n w h i c h t o 
f i l e 
t h e w i l l 
c o n t e s t was 
t o l l e d by t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e 
f r a u d p r o v i s i o n o f § 4 3 - 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 
b e e n 
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 
o r i n any s t a t e m e n t 
f i l e d 
u n d e r 
t h i s 
c h a p t e r 
o r i f f r a u d 
i s u s e d t o 
a v o i d o r c i r c u m v e n t 
t h e p r o v i s i o n s o r p u r p o s e s o f 
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 
t h e p e r p e t r a t o r o f t h e 
f r a u d o r r e s t i t u t i o n 
f r o m any p e r s o n 
( o t h e r t h a n a 
b o n a 
f i d e 
p u r c h a s e r ) 
b e n e f i t t i n g f r o m 
t h e 
f r a u d , 
w h e t h e r 
i n n o c e n t 
o r n o t . Any 
p r o c e e d i n g 
must 
be 
commenced w i t h i n one y e a r 
a f t e r t h e d i s c o v e r y o f t h e 
f r a u d o r f r o m t h e t i m e when t h e f r a u d 
s h o u l d 
h a v e 
b e e n 
d i s c o v e r e d , 
b u t 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 n o t a p e r p e t r a t o r 
o f t h e f r a u d 
l a t e r 
t h a n f i v e y e a r s 
a f t e r t h e t i m e o f t h e c o m m i s s i o n o f 
t h e 
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 r e m e d i e s 
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 d e c e d e n t 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 
t h e 
s u c c e s s i o n 
o f 
h i s 
e s t a t e . " 
I n C h r i s t i a n , 
t h i s C o u r t i n d i c a t e d i t s 
a g r e e m e n t w i t h a 
p r i o r d e c i s i o n o f t h e C o u r t o f C i v i l A p p e a l s , 
h o l d i n g : 
10 
1070443 
" [ A ] p p r o p r i a t e 
r e l i e f f o r one i n j u r e d b y t h e f r a u d 
c o n t e m p l a t e d b y A l a . Code 
1975, § 4 3 - 8 - 5 , 
w o u l d 
i n c l u d e t h e t o l l i n g o f t h e t i m e w i t h i n w h i c h t o f i l e 
a w i l l 
c o n t e s t when ' t h e f a c t s upon w h i c h a 
c o n t e s t 
c o u l d be b a s e d were m i s r e p r e s e n t e d 
and c o n c e a l e d b y 
t h e f r a u d u l e n t a c t s o f t h e p r o p o n e n t s ' o f t h e w i l l . " 
C h r i s t i a n , 915 So. 2d a t 27 ( q u o t i n g H o l w a y v . Wanschek, 690 
So. 2d 429, 433 ( A l a . C i v . 
App. 1 9 9 7 ) ) . 
I n d e c i d i n g w h e t h e r 
c o n d u c t amounts t o f r a u d 
s u f f i c i e n t 
t o 
t o l l t h e s i x - m o n t h 
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 
a 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t , 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
c o n c l u d e d 
t h a t 
" t h e L e g i s l a t u r e 
i n t e n d e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
f r a u d 
n e c e s s a r y t o t o l l t h e t i m e 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 o f f r a u d 
t h a t w o u l d 
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 . ' " C h r i s t i a n , 915 So. 2d a t 28. 
T h i s C o u r t p r o c e e d e d t o 
d e f i n e 
" f r a u d on a c o u r t " as f o l l o w s : 
" ' T h i s C o u r t h a s d e f i n e d 
" f r a u d upon t h e c o u r t " 
as t h a t s p e c i e s o f f r a u d t h a t d e f i l e s o r a t t e m p t s t o 
d e f i l e 
t h e 
c o u r t 
i t s e l f 
o r 
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 o f t h e c o u r t , and i t d o e s 
n o t 
i n c l u d e f r a u d among t h e p a r t i e s , w i t h o u t 
more.' 
W a t e r s v . J o l l y , 582 So. 2d 1048, 1055 ( A l a . 1991) 
( c i t i n g Brown v . K i n g s b e r r y M o r t g a g e Co., 349 So. 2d 
564 
( A l a . 1 9 7 7 ) , 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 
) ) . 
B l a c k ' s 
Law 
 
D i c t i o n a r y 686 ( 8 t h 
e d . 2004) d e f i n e s 
' f r a u d on t h e 
c o u r t ' 
as 
f o l l o w s : 
' I n a 
j u d i c i a l 
p r o c e e d i n g , 
a 
l a w y e r ' s o r p a r t y ' s 
m i s c o n d u c t so s e r i o u s 
t h a t i t 
u n d e r m i n e s o r i s i n t e n d e d t o u n d e r m i n e t h e i n t e g r i t y 
o f t h e p r o c e e d i n g . ' 
See Ex p a r t e 
F r e e , 
910 So. 2d 
753 
( A l a . 2 0 0 5 ) . The c a s e s i n w h i c h 
f r a u d on t h e 
c o u r t h a s b e e n f o u n d , f o r t h e most p a r t , h a v e b e e n 
c a s e s i n w h i c h t h e r e was ' t h e 
most e g r e g i o u s c o n d u c t 
11 
1070443 
i n v o l v i n g 
a 
c o r r u p t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
j u d i c i a l 
p r o c e s s 
i t s e l f , ' 
s u c h 
as 
t h e 
b r i b e r y 
o f 
a 
j u d g e 
o r 
t h e 
e m p l o y m e n t 
o f c o u n s e l t o 
i m p r o p e r l y i n f l u e n c e 
t h e 
c o u r t . 11 C h a r l e s A. W r i g h t e t a l . , F e d e r a l P r a c t i c e  
& P r o c e d u r e C i v . 2 d § 2870 
( 1 9 9 5 ) . " 
C h r i s t i a n , 
915 So. 2d a t 28. 
F i n a l l y , 
t h i s C o u r t s t a t e d 
t h a t 
" [ c ] o u r t s 
a r e t o w e i g h t h e 
i n t e r e s t 
o f 
j u s t i c e 
a g a i n s t t h e 
n e e d f o r f i n a l i t y 
o f j u d g m e n t s i n e x a m i n i n g a c l a i m o f 
f r a u d 
on t h e c o u r t , " and 
" t h e 
i n t e r e s t 
i n f i n a l i t y 
o f t h e 
p r o b a t e 
c o u r t ' s 
j u d g m e n t 
a d m i t t i n g t h e 
... 
w i l l 
t o p r o b a t e 
i s 
... 
g r e a t , as e x p r e s s e d by t h e a c t o f t h e L e g i s l a t u r e t o l i m i t 
t h e 
t i m e f o r f i l i n g a w i l l c o n t e s t and t o l i m i t i t t o s i x m o n t h s . " 
C h r i s t i a n , 
915 So. 2d a t 
29. 
I n 
t h e 
p r e s e n t 
c a s e , 
t h e 
c o n t e s t a n t s s i m p l y have 
n o t 
a l l e g e d 
any 
s p e c i f i c 
c o n d u c t 
by 
t h e 
p r o p o n e n t s 
t h a t 
w o u l d 
amount t o f r a u d 
s u f f i c i e n t t o 
t o l l 
t h e s i x - m o n t h 
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 
a w i l l 
c o n t e s t . 
B e f o r e t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
and 
on 
a p p e a l , 
t h e 
c o n t e s t a n t s 
h a v e 
made 
o n l y 
a 
b a r e 
a l l e g a t i o n t h a t " t h e [ p r o p o n e n t s ] f r a u d u l e n t l y 
f a i l e d t o g i v e 
n o t i c e 
[ o f 
t h e 
p r o c e e d i n g s 
i n 
t h e 
p r o b a t e 
c o u r t ] 
t o 
t h e 
[ c o n t e s t a n t s ] . " 
However, t h e c o n t e s t a n t s h a v e n o t 
c i t e d 
any 
a u t h o r i t y r e q u i r i n g t h a t any t y p e o f n o t i c e o f t h e p r o c e e d i n g s 
be g i v e n t o them, and we a r e n o t aware o f any s u c h 
a u t h o r i t y . 
12 
1070443 
The 
c o n t e s t a n t s 
a l s o have n o t a l l e g e d any 
s p e c i f i c 
f r a u d u l e n t 
c o n d u c t by 
t h e p r o p o n e n t s 
i n 
f a i l i n g 
t o g i v e s u c h n o t i c e 
t o 
t h e 
c o n t e s t a n t s . 
F u r t h e r m o r e , 
t h e 
c o n t e s t a n t s 
h a v e 
n o t 
a l l e g e d w i t h 
any 
d e g r e e o f 
s p e c i f i c i t y 
how 
" ' t h e 
f a c t s upon 
w h i c h 
a 
c o n t e s t 
c o u l d 
be 
b a s e d 
were 
m i s r e p r e s e n t e d 
and 
c o n c e a l e d 
by 
t h e 
f r a u d u l e n t 
a c t s 
o f 
t h e 
p r o p o n e n t s ' 
o f 
t h e 
w i l l . " 
C h r i s t i a n , 
915 
So. 
2d a t 
27. 
On 
i t s f a c e , 
§ 43-8-199 d o e s n o t 
g i v e 
t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
t o e n t e r t a i n a w i l l c o n t e s t more t h a n s i x months 
a f t e r t h e 
w i l l 
b e i n g 
c o n t e s t e d 
has b e e n a d m i t t e d 
t o 
p r o b a t e . 
The 
c o n t e s t a n t s 
had 
t h e 
b u r d e n 
o f 
e s t a b l i s h i n g 
t h a t 
t h e 
c i r c u i t 
c o u r t 
had 
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 
o v e r 
t h e 
w i l l 
c o n t e s t . See 
C r u t c h e r 
v. W i l l i a m s , 12 So. 
3d 631, 635-36 ( A l a . 
2008) 
( h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
" [ t ] h e 
b u r d e n 
o f 
e s t a b l i s h i n g 
t h e 
e x i s t e n c e 
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 
f a l l s 
on 
t h e 
p a r t y 
i n v o k i n g 
t h a t 
j u r i s d i c t i o n " ) . 
The 
c o n t e s t a n t s 
h a v e n o t 
met 
t h a t b u r d e n . 
C o n s i d e r i n g 
t h a t t h e i n t e r e s t i n t h e 
f i n a l i t y 
o f 
t h e 
p r o b a t e 
c o u r t ' s 
j u d g m e n t 
a f t e r 
s i x months 
i s g r e a t 
and 
t h a t t h e c o n t e s t a n t s h a v e n o t a l l e g e d f r a u d s u f f i c i e n t 
t o 
t o l l 
t h e s i x - m o n t h l i m i t a t i o n s p e r i o d , we c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e 
c i r c u i t 
13 
1070443 
c o u r t d i d 
n o t h a v e 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 
o v e r t h e w i l l 
c o n t e s t i n t h e p r e s e n t 
c a s e . 
F i n a l l y , 
t h i s C o u r t ' s 
h o l d i n g t h a t t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t d i d 
n o t 
h a v e 
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 
o v e r 
t h e w i l l 
c o n t e s t 
makes i t 
u n n e c e s s a r y f o r 
us t o a d d r e s s w h e t h e r t h e c o n t e s t a n t s 
were 
" p e r s o n [ s ] 
i n t e r e s t e d 
i n [ t h e ] w i l l " 
so as t o h a v e 
s t a n d i n g t o commence t h e w i l l 
c o n t e s t u n d e r § 4 3 - 8 - 1 9 9 , 
A l a . 
Code 1975. 
Any a c t i o n t a k e n b y a t r i a l c o u r t w i t h o u t 
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 i s 
v o i d . S t a t e v. P r o p e r t y a t 2018 R a i n b o w D r i v e , 
740 So. 2d 1025, 1029 ( A l a . 
1 9 9 9 ) . 
F u r t h e r m o r e , "a v o i d 
o r d e r 
o r j u d g m e n t 
w i l l 
n o t s u p p o r t 
an a p p e a l . " 
G a l l a g h e r 
B a s s e t t 
 
S e r v s . , 
I n c . v. P h i l l i p s , 991 So. 2d 697 
, 701 ( A l a . 2 0 0 8 ) . 
B e c a u s e t h e 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 , 
i t s j u d g m e n t i s v o i d and w i l l n o t s u p p o r t 
t h i s 
a p p e a l . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
The j u d g m e n t i n f a v o r o f t h e c o n t e s t a n t s i s v o i d and due 
t o be v a c a t e d . 
F u r t h e r m o r e , b e c a u s e a v o i d j u d g m e n t w i l l n o t 
s u p p o r t an a p p e a l , 
t h i s 
a p p e a l i s d i s m i s s e d . 
JUDGMENT VACATED; APPEAL DISMISSED. 
14 
1070443 
Cobb, C . J . , and W o o d a l l , 
S m i t h , 
P a r k e r , and Shaw, 
J J . , 
c o n c u r . 
15