IN T H E C O U R T O F A P P E A L S O F T H E S T A T E O F M IS S IS S IP P I

N O . 2 0 1 7 -C A -0 0 2 5 7 -C O A

J E W E L L E A N K O H N K E A P P E L L A N T

v .
B E R T H A J E A N T A T E A P P E L L E E

D A T E O F JU D G M E N T : 0 1 /1 8 /2 0 1 7 T R IA L JU D G E : H O N

. D E B O R A H J. G A M B R E L L C O U R T F R O M WH IC H A P P E A L E D : M A R IO N C O U N T Y C H A N C E R Y C O U R T A T T O R N E Y S F O R

A P P E L L A N T : L A R R Y S T A M P S

A N IT A M . S T A M P S A T T O R N E Y F O R

A P P E L L E E : R . A N D R E W F O X WO R T H N A T U R E O F T H E C A S E : C IV IL - R E A L P R O P E R T Y D I S P O S IT IO N : A F F IR M E D - 1 0 /0 9 /2 0 1 8 M O T IO N F O R

R E H E A R IN G F IL E D : M A N D A T E IS S U E D :

B E F O R E L E E , C .J ., B A R N E S A N D W E S T B R O O K S , J J
.
B A R N E S , J ., F O R T H E C O U R T : ¶1

. B e rth a T ate f

iled a co m p lain t f o r p artitio n o f p ro p erty in th e M ario n C o u n ty C h an cery
C o u rt ag a i n st Jew el K o h n k e an d o th er d ef en d a n ts w h o are co ten an ts o f th e p ro p erty b u t n o t

ap p ellan ts in th i s case. T h e p ro p erty at issu e, ap p ro x im ately th i rty -n in e acres, w as d ev ised

to s ev eral f

am ily m em

b ers in th e w ill o f A n n i e B o o n e, w h o p assed aw ay in 2 0 1 0

. T h e
ch an cery co u rt ap p ro v ed a s u r v e y , o rd e r ed th e p artitio n o f th ree sep arate p arcels, an d

ad j u d icated th e o w n er s o f th e p arcels. K o h n k e a p p ealed , claim in g t h e p artitio n o f th e

p ro p erty w as u n f

air b ecau se it w a s n o t in eq u al v alu e to th e rig h ts o f t h e p ro p erty o w n ers.

F in d in g n o erro r, h o w e v er, w e af f irm

. S T A T E M E N T O F F A C T S A N D P R O C E D U R A L H I S T O R Y¶2

. O n M arch 2 2 , 2 0 1 6 , T ate f i led h er co m

p lain t seek in g a p artitio n o f h er p o r tio n o f real

p ro p erty 1 th at h a d b een d ev ised to h er an d o t h e r relativ es u n d er th e l ast w ill a n d testam en t

o f A n n ie B o o n e, w h o p assed aw ay in Ju ly 2 0 1 0

. 2
¶3

. A n n ie h ad sev en ch ild ren , th ree o f w h o m p red eceased h er b u t lef t ch ild ren o f

th eir

o w n

. In h er w ill, A n n ie d ev ised th e su b j ect p ro p erty b etw e en h er ch ild ren o r th eir

d escen d an ts, an d h er b ro th er, F ran k H o lt, w ith th e f o l lo w in g o w n ersh ip in t erests:

B erth a Jean T ate.............................0 .1 2 5 (o r 1 /8 )

H o w ard B o o n e...............................0 .1 2 5 (o r 1 /8 )

C h risteen B o o n e O w en s .................0 .1 2 5 (o r 1 /8 )

Jew el L ean K o h n k e........................0 .1 2 5 (o r 1 /8 )

L o n n ie M a e M cL eo d ......................0 .1 2 5 (o r 1 /8 )

A n n ie N ell B o o n e 3 ..........................0 .1 2 5 (o r 1 /8 )

F ran k W. H o lt.................................0 .1 2 5 (o r 1 /8 )

Jack ie B o o n e Walto n ......................0

. 0 6 2 5 (o r 1 /1 6 )

1 T h e su b j ect p ro p er t y is l eg ally d escrib ed as: “N E 1 /4 o f th e S E 1 /4 o f S ectio n 1 , T o w n sh ip 2 N o rth , R an g e 1 8 West, M ario n C o u n t y , M ississip p i ” an d is a t o tal o f 4 0 .8 4
acres.

2 N eith er th e w ill n o r th e f in al j u d g m en t p ro b atin g th e w ill is a p art o f t h e reco rd o n ap p eal, b u t th e co m

p lain t in clu d ed th e in terests o f th e b en ef iciaries, w h ich are n o t i n d isp u te. A d d i tio n ally , a h o m e an d su rro u n d i n g o n e acre o n th e p ro p erty w as s e p arately d ev ised to K o h n k e an d C h risteen O w en s an d is n o t at issu e in th is actio n

. T h is o n e acre w as ex clu d ed f ro m th e 4 0 .8 4 sectio n

.

3 A n n ie N ell B o o n e is A n n ie’s g ran d d a u g h ter.
2R ick y B o o n e 4

. .................................0 .0 6 2 5 (o r 1 /1 6 )

L o n n ie M cL eo d , o n e o f A n n ie’s d au g h t ers, d ied in testate af ter h er m o th er; th eref

o re, h er 1 /8

o w n e rsh ip in terest w as d iv i d ed am o n g h er f iv e ch ild ren , th e M cL e o d F am ily , g iv in g each

o f th o se f iv e in d iv i d u als a 0 .0 2 5 (1 / 4 0 ) o w n e rsh ip in terest in th e p r o p e r t y
. A d d itio n ally ,
F ran k H o lt, A n n ie’s b ro t h er, d ied in testate af ter A n n ie’s d eath . H e w as n o t m arried at th e
time o f h i s d e a t h an d h ad n o ch i ld ren o r s u rv i v in g p a ren t s; h o w ev er, h e d id h av e sev en
sib lin g s , all o f w h o m p red eceased h im

. F i v e o f th e sev en s ib lin g s w ere su rv iv ed b y ch ild ren ,

w h ich in clu d e d A n n ie’s c h ild r en

. A cco rd in g ly , H o lt’s 0

. 1 2 5 (1 /8 ) o w n e rsh ip in terest in th e

p ro p erty w as d iv id ed i n t o f i v e eq u al p arts, d escen d in g th ro u g h in testate su ccessio n to th e
d escen d an ts o f H o lt’s d eceased sib lin g s. 5 T h eref o re, A n n ie’s ch ild ren i n h e rited an
ad d itio n al 0 .0 2 5 (1 /4 0 ) o w n e rsh i p i n t e r est in t h e p ro p erty f ro m H o lt’s 1 /8 sh are, to b e
d iv id ed eq u ally

am o n g th e m

. ¶4

. C h risteen B o o n e O w en s a n d t h e M c L e o d F am ily later j o in ed T ate t o h av e th eir

in terest in th e su b

j ect p r o p erty p artitio n ed f ro m th e larg er p arcel. T h e o t h er co ten an ts,
in clu d in g K o h n k e , d e sired to co n tin u e as co m m o n o w n ers o f th e rem ain in g p r o p e rty

. A f ter

a h earin g o n A u g u st 2 9 , 2 0 1 6 , th e ch a n cery co u rt en tered an ag r eed o rd er o n S e p t em b er 1 9 , 2 0 1 6 , co n f

irm in g title an d p artitio n in g th e p ro p erty

. T h e o rd e r d elin eated th e o w n ersh ip

in terests o f t h e co ten an ts a n d o rd ered th e p r o p e r t y b e p artitio n ed in k in d to g iv e T ate, th e

4 Jack ie Walto n an d R ick y B o o n e are A n n ie’s g ran d ch ild ren

.

5 S ee M iss. C o d e A n n . § 9 1 -1 -3 (R ev . 2 0 1 3 )

. 3M cL eo d F am i ly , an d C h r isteen O w en s sep a rate p arcels o f lan d e q u a l in v a lu e to th eir

o w n e rsh ip i n t e r e s t s

. T h e o rd er also a d d e d H o lt’s 1 /4 0 in terest to A n n ie’s ch ild ren o r
d escen d an ts, statin g th e p arties’ leg al in terest in t h e p ro p erty w as as f o l lo w s:

B erth a Jean T ate.............................0 .1 2 8 5 7 1 4 (o r 1 8 0 /1 4 0 0 ) 6

H o w ard B o o n e...............................0 .1 2 8 5 7 1 4 (o r 1 8 0 /1 4 0 0 )

Jew el L ean K o h n k e........................0 .1 2 8 5 7 1 4 (o r 1 8 0 / 1 4 0 0 )

C h arley M c L eo d .............................0 .0 2 5 7 1 4 3 (o r 3 6 / 1 4 0 0 )

F ran k M cL eo d

. ...............................0 .0 2 5 7 1 4 3 (o r 3 6 /1 4 0 0 )

Jam ie M cL e o d ................................0

. 0 2 5 7 1 4 3 (o r 3 6 /1 4 0 0 )

Jo ey M cL eo d ..................................0 .0 2 5 7 1 4 3 (o r 3 6 /1 4 0 0 )

Jo h n n y M cL eo d ..............................0 .0 2 5 7 1 4 3 (o r 3 6 /1 4 0 0 )

C h risteen O w en s.............................0 .1 2 8 5 7 1 4 (o r 1 8 0 /1 4 0 0 )

R ick y B o o n e...................................0 .0 6 4 2 8 5 7 (o r 9 0 /1 4 0 0 )

Jack ie Walto n ..................................0

. 0 6 4 2 8 5 7 ( o r 9 0 /1 4 0 0 )

A n n ie N ell B o o n

. ............................0 .1 2 8 5 7 1 4 (o r 1 8 0 /1 4 0 0 )

F ran k H o lt’s H eirs at L aw / D ev isees E x clu d in g A n n ie B o o n e’s D escen d an ts...........0 .1 0 (o r 1 4 0 /1 4 0 0 )

A f in al h earin g w as h eld o n Jan u ary 1 8 , 2 0 1 7 , w h ere th e c h an cello r en tered a f i n al

6 T h is a m o u n t is th e s h are receiv ed th ro u g h A n n i e’s w ill, p lu s U n cle H o lt’s sh are, o r .1 2 5 p lu s .0 0 3 5 7 1 4 eq u alin g 0 .1 2 8 5 7 1 4

. 4j u d g m en t, ap p ro v in g a su r v ey an d p artitio n i n g t h e th ree p arcels. T h e j u d g m en t stated “th e

req u estin g p arties h av e a g reed a m o n g th e m selv es as to th e d iv isio n o f th e p artited p arcels.”

E a ch p a r cel co n tain ed 5 .1 2 acres, w ith T ate o w n in g P arcel # 1 , th e M cL eo d f a m ily o w n i n g

P arcel # 2 , an d C h risteen O w en s o w n in g P a rcel # 3

. T h e r em ain i n g p r o p erty co n sisted o f

2 5 .4 8 acres. T h e j u d g m en t also allo w ed H o w ard B o o n e to co n t in u e to g raze an d w ater h is

li v e s t o c k f

r o m t h e sm all “catf

ish ” p o n d o n O w e n s’s p arcel, as lo n g as h e liv ed o r h ad th e

n e e d

. R e l a ted ly , sh e w as p ro h ib ited f ro m b u i ld in g a f

en ce o n h e r p arcel, t o w h ich sh e

ag reed

. S T A N D A R D O F R E VIE W ¶5

. F o r p artitio n c ases, “[ a] n ap p ellate c o u rt w ill o n ly o v ertu rn a ch an cello r’s d ecisio n

. . . if it is d eterm i n ed th at th e ch an cello r co m m itted m an if est erro r.” C

a th ey v. M

cP h a il &

A s so cs. I n c. , 9 8 9 S o

. 2 d 4 9 4 , 4 9 5 (¶3 ) (M iss. C t

. A p p

. 2 0 0 8 ). “[ U ] n l ess th e ch an cello r w as

m an if estly w ro n g , c learly e rro n e o u s o r ap p lied an erro n e o u s leg a l stan d ard ,” th e rev iew i n g

co u r t w ill n o t o v e rtu r

n th e ch an cello r’s f

in d in g s w h en su p p o rted b y s u b stan tial ev id en ce.
Id

. ; a cco rd

S a m p les v. D a vis , 9 0 4 S o . 2 d 1 0 6 1 , 1 0 6 4 (¶9 ) (M iss. 2 0 0 4 ).

A R G U M E N T ¶6

. K o h n k e r aises th ree issu es: (1 ) th e ch a n cello r im p r o p erly an d u n f

airly p artitio n ed th e

p ro p erty b ased u p o n acr e a g e r a t h e r th an v alu e, ( 2 ) th ere w as a m ath em atical erro r in th e
calcu l atio n s u sed to d e term in e th e in terests o f t h e c o t e n an ts, an d (3 ) th e ch an cello r

5im

p ro p erly accep t ed th e d e raig n m en t o f title w ith o u t a h earin g

. 7

I. P a rtitio n o f

P ro p erty ¶7

. K o h n k e a r g u e s t h a t t h e d iv isio n o f t h e th ree sep arate p arcels o f 5

. 1 2 a cres w a s
im p ro p er an d in eq u itab le b ecau se th e v alu e o f t h e p arcels w as u n eq u al. S h e r eq u ests th e

case b e rem a n d ed to p artitio n th e p ro p erty b ased u p o n v alu e rath er th an acreag e. A lso , sh e

su g g ests o n rem an d th e ch an cello r m ak e a m o re co m p lete reco rd o f

h o w th e p ro p erty

w as
d istrib u ted

. ¶8

. “ Pa

r t i t i on i s a s t a t

ut o r y r ig h t in M i ssissip p i” g o v ern ed b y M ississip p i C o d e A n n o tate d

sectio n s 1 1 -2 1 -1 th ro u g h -4 5 (R e v
. 2 0 0 4 ). M o sb y v

. M o sb y , 9 6 2 S o

. 2 d 1 1 9 , 1 2 1 (¶8 ) (M iss.

C t . A p p . 2 0 0 7 ). C o t en an ts h av e an ab so lu te rig h t to p artitio n p ro p erty (w ith o n e statu to ry

ex cep tio n n o t ap p licab le h e re). Id

. “A p artitio n i n k in d , rath er th an a p a rtitio n b y sale, is th e

p ref e rred m eth o d o f d iv id in g p r o p e r t y i n M ississip p i.” C a th ey , 9 8 9 S o

. 2 d at 4 9 5 (¶4 ).

“A n y p a r t y i n i n t e r est

. . . m ay in stitu t e p ro ceed in g s f o r t h e p artitio n o f lan d s

. . .” in th e
ch an cery co u rt. M iss. C o d e A n n

. § 1 1

- 2 1 -5 (R ev . 2 0 0 4 )

. ¶9

. K o h n k e claim s t h e c ase m u st b e rem an d ed b ecau se th e ch an cello r d id n o t f o llo w th e

statu to ry req u irem en ts i m p o sed o n sp ecial co m

m issio n ers w h o m ay , b u t are n o t r eq u ired to , b e ap p o in ted b y th e ch an cello r i n p artitio n actio n s. 8 K o h n k e arg u es th at th e ch an c ello r d id

7 K o h n k e h as d if

f eren t co u n sel o n ap p e a l, an d m an y o f h er a rg u m e n ts criticize h er co u n sel’s actio n s d u rin g th e ch an cery co u rt p ro ceed in g s.

8 K o h n k e ad m its t h at th e c h an cery co u rt w as w ith in its a u t h o rity to o rd er a p artitio n w i th o u t ap p o in tin g a sp ecial co m m issio n er. S e e M iss. C o d e A n n

. § 1 1 -2 1 -1 3 (R ev

. 2 0 0 4 ).
6n o t d iv id e th e p ro p erty in to s h ares “h av in g r e g a r d t o th e s itu atio n , q u an tity , q u ality an d

ad v an tag es o f each p art o r sh are, so th at th ey m ay b e eq u al in v alu e as n early as m ay b e , o r

acco rd in g to th e resp ectiv e rig h ts o f t h e p arties.” S ee M iss. C o d e A n n

. § 1 1 -2 1 -1 9 (R ev

. 2 0 0 4 ). K o h n k e claim s th i s statu to ry lan g u ag e f o r th e s p ecial co m m issio n er ap p lies to th e
ch an cello r. S h e f

u rth er co n ten d s th at t h e r e w a s n o p ro o f th at an ex p ert o r th e su rv ey o r

co n sid ered th e statu t o ry l an g u ag e eith er. F in ally , sh e m ain t ai n s t h a t t h e d i v i sio n o f th e

p ro p erty w as u n f

air b ecau se th ere w as n o ev i d e n c e p resen ted as to th e v alu e o f th e lan d

. ¶1 0

. K o h n k e’s relian c e o n sectio n 1 1 -2 1 -1 9 i s m i sp l aced b ecau se it relates to th e situ atio n

w h ere a sp ecial c o m m i ssio n er is ap p o in ted , u n lik e h ere, w h e re n eith er p arty req u ested o n e.

R e g a rd l e s s o f th e in a

p p licab ility o f th e statu te, h o w ev er, K o h n k e i s b asically arg u in g th e

p r o p erty w as u n f

airly d iv id ed w ith u n eq u al v alu e acco rd in g to th e in terest rig h t s o f t h e

co ten an t s. A f

ter ex am in i n g t h e r e c o rd , w e can n o t s ay th at th e ch an c ello r ’s ru lin g o n th e

su rv e y an d d iv i sio n o f p ro p erty w as m an i f e s t e rro r. M o reo v er, n e ith er K o h n k e n o r h er

atto rn ey d u rin g th e ch a n cery co u rt p ro ceed in g s m ad e an y o b j ectio n s as to t h e me t h o d o f

p artitio n u sed (in k in d ) , r e q u e s t e d t h at a sp e c ial co m m issio n er b e ap p o i n ted , o r req u ested

th at an ap p ra i s a l o f t h e p ro p erty ’s v alu e b e m ad e. A lso , K o h n k e d id n o t r eq u est p artitio n
b ased o n v alu e. It is w e ll estab l ish ed th at a ch an cello r can n o t a b u se h e r d i scretio n in f

ailin g

to g ran t a req u est th at w as n ev er m ad e. P rid e v. P rid e , 6 0 S o

. 3 d 2 0 8 , 2 1 2 ( ¶1 5 ) (M iss. C t.

A p p

. 2 0 1 1 ). ¶1 1

. K o h n k e’s d isco n ten t ap p ears to stem f ro m th e f act th at th ere are th ree p o n d s o n th e

7p ro p erty

— tw o l arg e r p o n d s o n th e larg e u n d iv i d ed tract, an d o n e sm aller p o n d o n C h risteen

O w en s’s p arcel. K o h n k e states t h e ch an cery co u rt u n f airly “en r ich ed ” T ate b y g ran tin g h er
“an en tire p o n d f

o r h er so le u se a n d b en ef

it to th e ex clu s io n o f th e o th er b en ef iciaries,” an d

allo w in g H o w ard B o o n e to w ater h is liv esto ck f ro m O w e n s’s p o n d

. It is u n c lear f ro m th e

reco rd w h ich p o n d K o h n k e is sp e ak in g o f , b ecau se o n th e su rv ey m a p , T ate d o es n o t h av e

a p o n d o n h er p arcel a n d w as n o t g ran ted u se o f a p o n d , as H o w ard w as. A t th e h earin g , th e
ch an cello r ex p lain ed to K o h n k e th at th e p r o p erty d i strib u tio n w a s f a i r b ecau se t h e m aj o rity

o f c o t en an ts, i n c l u d in g K o h n k e, h ad u n f ettered u se an d access t o t h e tw o larg er p o n d s o n
th e 2 5

. 2 8 acres o f

p ro p erty . We can n o t f

in d erro r in th is reg ard

. ¶1 2

. A cco m m o d a tio n s a p p ear to h av e b e en m ad e f o r th e f a ir d istrib u t io n o f p r o p e r t y
b etw een th e th ree p artited o w n ers an d th e rem ain in g co ten an ts. A s T ate n o tes, t h e su rv ey
sh o w s th e th ree p arcels a re in th e b ack o f th e p r o p erty an d d o n o t f

ro n t a p u b lic r o ad ; th ey

w e re lo cated t o en su re th e rem ain in g co ten a n ts’ p o rtio n o f th e lan d rem a in ed co n tig u o u s an d

in tact. T h e h o u se an d su rro u n d in g o n e acre is o n th e u n d iv id ed l an d

. B o o n e w as allo w ed

to ru n h i s liv esto ck o p eratio n th ro u g h o u t th e lan d w i th access to a l l th ree p o n d s. E asem en ts

w e re g ran ted f

o r th e th ree p arcels to allo w in g ress a n d e g ress. A cco r d i n g l y , t h ere is

su b stan tial ev id en ce in th e reco r d to j u s tif y th e ch an cello r’s d iv isio n o f th e p ro p erty

. 9 We

can n o t say

it w a s “u n f

a ir” to th e rem a in in g co ten an ts. T h is issu e is w ith o u t m erit.

9 K o h n k e co m

p lain s t h at th e reco rd i s sp a rse b ecau se th e f i r s t t w o o f th e th ree h earin g s w ere n o t

tran scrib ed , b u t w e f

in d th e reco rd su f

f icien t.
8II. In terests o f C o t en a n ts ¶1 3

. K o h n k e a r g u e s th a t th e calcu latio n s u sed to d eterm in e th e co ten an ts’ o w n ersh i p
in terests in th e p ro p erty w ere in co rrect, an d th eref o re th e o w n e rs o f th e th ree p artit i o n ed

p arcels receiv ed “to o m

u ch acreag e” f

o r th eir o w n e rsh ip in t erests. S h e also claim s th ere is

n o p ro o f to su p p o r

t th e “p er stirp es d i s t r i b u t io n ” ten d ered to t h e ch an cery co u rt b y th e

p arties’ atto rn ey s an d it, to o , is erro n eo u s. T h eref o re, K o h n k e s u g g ests t h at ev en th o u g h

th ese issu es w e re n o t

raised b elo w , sh e is en titled to p lain erro r rev iew

. ¶1 4

. T h e S ep tem

b er 1 9 , 2 0 1 6 ag reed o rd er d elin eated th e o w n ersh ip in terests th at each o f

th e h ei r s t o A n n ie’s w ill w ere t o receiv e. We can n o t f in d erro r in th e i r d eterm in atio n

. A n n ie’s w ill h ad n i n e b en e f iciaries; sev en b en ef

iciaries r eceiv ed 1 /8 in terest an d t w o
b en ef iciaries r eceiv ed 1 /1 6 i n terest each

. H o w e v e r, t h e d eath o f A n n ie’s b ro th er H o lt, w h o
h eld a 1 /8 in terest an d d ied w i th o u t a w ill, sp o u se, ch ild ren , liv in g sib l in g s, o r p aren ts,
in cr e a sed th e o w n ersh ip in terests o f all o f A n n ie’s o th er b en ef iciaries. H o lt’s 1 /8 in terest

w a s d iv id ed in to f

iv e eq u al p arts, o r 1 /4 0 th o f an in terest, an d d escen d ed t o h is f iv e sib lin g s

w h o h ad ch ild ren , w h ich in clu d ed A n n ie. T h eref o re, A n n ie’s d escen d an ts ( h er liv i n g
ch ild ren a n d t h e ch ild ren o f h er d eceased ch ild ren ) receiv ed a n ad d itio n al 1 / 4 0 t h in terest in

th e lan d , to b e d iv id e d am o n g t h e m acco rd in g to th eir p ro p o r t i o n ate sh are. A tto rn ey s f o r
b o th p arties b e f

o r e th e ch an cery co u rt clearly laid o u t th e in terests in b o th f ractio n s an d

d ecim a l f ig u res. A f

ter th o ro u g h ly

rev iew in g th em , w e f

in d n o erro r

in th eir calcu latio n

. ¶1 5

. K o h n k e n o w c riticizes th e ch an cery co u rt f o r allo w in g th e atto rn ey s to calcu late th e

9co ten an t s’ in h erited o w n ersh ip in t erests in stead o f a p p o in tin g a sp ecial co m m i ssio n er. S h e
also co m p lain s t h e c alcu latio n s are in co rrect, w i th o u t elab o r atio n , an d t h e re is n o ev id en ce

to su p p o rt th em

. A s s tated earlier, A n n ie’s w i ll is n o t a p art o f th e reco rd , b u t th e c o m p lain t

ex p lain ed th e in t erests d ev ised in th e w ill, an d at th at tim e, a n d d u r in g th e en tire p r o ceed in g s
in th e ch an cery

co u rt, th e calcu latio n s w ere n o t in d isp u te. ¶1 6

. A t th e h earin g , K o h n k e a p p eared to b e co n cern ed th at so m e o f H o lt’s in terest w as n o t
b e i n g d istrib u ted to all o f A n n ie’s d escen d an ts. H o w ev er, all o f A n n ie’s d escen d an ts,
in clu d in g b o th K o h n k e a n d T ate, in h erited s o m e o f H o lt’s in terest. T h e calcu latio n s sh o w

ev ery d escen d an t an d d e v isee receiv ed th eir f air p o rtio n o f t h e p ro p erty acco rd in g to A n n ie’s

w i ll an d th e law s o f

in t estate su ccessio n

. ¶1 7

. A d d i t i o n ally , K o h n k e arg u es th e t h ree sep arate p arcels o f 5 .1 2 acres ex c e e d t h e

v ested in terest o f th e o w n ers receiv in g th em

. A t th e f in al h earin g , K o h n k e arg u ed th at th e
d iv isio n w as u n f

air b ecau s e th ere w as in su f f icien t to tal acreag e to g iv e th e r e m ain i n g

co ten an t s each 5 .1 2 acres— t h e a m o u n t th e p artitio n ed o w n e rs receiv e d

. K o h n k e claim s t h at
th e p ro p erty sh o u ld b e d iv id ed in to eig h t p arcels o r 4 .8 8 acres f o r t h e 1 /8 in terest o w n ers an d

2 .4 a cres f o r th e tw o 1 /1 6 in terest o w n e rs. U n d e r K o h n k e’s calcu latio n s, th e p artited o w n ers

are receiv i n g 0 .2 4 acres m o r e th an th eir in terest allo w s. K o h n k e su g g ests 4 .8 8 acres as th e
startin g p o in t f

o r d eterm in in g th e “co r

rect acreag e” to w h ich each b en ef iciary , o r th eir h eirs,

is en titled

. ¶1 8

. T a te ag rees th at 4 .8 8 acres is th e “ startin g p o in t” to d eterm in e th e t h eo retical acreag e

1 0f

o r e ach co ten an t. T ate co rrectly n o tes, th o u g h , t h a t t h e s u b j ect p r o p erty is n o t ex actly f o rty

acres, b u t 4 0 .8 4 acres acco rd in g to th e su rv e y
. B ecau s e th e h o u s e an d s u rro u n d i n g o n e-acre

o f lan d w ere d ev ised t o K o h n k e an d O w en s, th e rem ain in g t o t al acreag e is 3 9

. 8 4 acres.
U s in g th e p ercen tag es ag reed u p o n in th e ch an cery co u rt f o r th e p artitio n p arties, each

p artitio n ed p arcel w o u l d eq u al 5 .1 2 acres (3 9 .8 4 acres x 1 8 0 /1 4 0 0 = 5 .1 2 acres). We can n o t

f in d erro r in th is d eterm in atio n . A lth o u g h it is tru e th a t if all o f th e lan d o w n ers d esired to

p artitio n th eir p r o p e r ty in k in d an d acco rd in g to th eir sh ares th ere w o u ld b e a sh o rtag e o f

acreag e, th at w a s n o t th e situ atio n b ef o re t h e ch an cello r w h en sh e d iv id ed th e p ro p erty

. T h e
ch an cello r h ad to tak e o th er f acto rs in to co n sid eratio n su ch as lo catio n o f th e p arcels, access,

easem en t s, an d th e p o n d s. T h e p ro p erty o f t h e rem ain in g co ten an ts f ro n ts a p u b lic ro ad

w h i l e t h e t h ree p artitio n e d p arcels d o n o t. We c an n o t say th e ch an cello r ab u sed h e r
d iscretio n in p artitio n in g th e p ro p e rty in t o th r ee 5 .1 2 a cre p arcels an d a rem a in in g 2 5 .4 8 acre

p arcel. T h is issu e is w ith o u t m erit.

III. D era ig n m e n t o f

T itle ¶1 9

. K o h n k e a rg u e s th e ch an cery co u rt f ai l e d t o c o n d u c t a h earin g t o d eterm in e th e

v alid ity o f th e p r o p erty ’s d eraig n m en t f o u n d in T ate’s co m

p l ain t. K o h n k e c o m

p lain s th at
th ere i s n o ev id e n ce th e d e raig n me n t w a s p e rf o rm ed b y a co m

p eten t ab s t racto r, o r th at “a

title search , ab stract, o r o p in io n w a s en tered in t o ev id en ce.” S h e claim s th e d eraig n m en t an d

su p p o rtin g d o cu m en t s’ o m issio n f ro m th e reco rd is “p lain erro r” an d w arran t s rev ersal. ¶2 0

. In o rd er to co n f

irm o r q u i e t t i t l e t o r e a l estate, th e co m p lain an t m

u st set f o rth a

1 1d eraig n m en t o f title. In th is case, th e d eraig n m en t is su f f icien t if it sh o w s “title o u t o f th e

so v ereig n an d a d eraig n m en t o f title f o r n o t less th an s ix ty

(6 0 ) y ears p rio r to th e f

ilin g o f

th e [ co m p lain t ] .” M i ss. C o d e A n n . § 1 1 -1 7 -3 5 (R ev . 2 0 0 4 ). ¶2 1

. T a te’s c o m

p lain t co n t a i n e d a d eraig n m en t o f title in p arag rap h 5

. It b eg an w ith a
ref eren ce to th e f

irst co n v ey an ce f

ro m th e so v ereig n , th e U n i ted S tates, w ith ref eren ces to
th e p aten t , an d en d ed w ith th e co n v ey a n ce to A n n ie H

. B o o n e. A cco rd in g l y , th e statu to ry

req u irem en t o f p r o o f o f title w as f u lf illed

. M o reo v er, K o h n k e ad m i tted th e accu racy o f th e
d eraig n m en t in h er an sw er. T h is issu e is w i th o u t m erit.

C O N C L U S IO N ¶2 2

. F o r t h e f

o reg o in g r e a s o n s , t h e j u d g m en t o f th e M ario n C o u n ty C h an cery C o u rt is

af f irm ed

. ¶2 3

. A F F IR M E D
. LEE, C. J., IR VIN G A N D GRI FFI S, P
. J J. , CARLTON, WI LSON, GREENLEE, W E S T B R O O K S A N D T I N D E LL, JJ. , CO N C U R
. F A IR , J
. , N O T P A R T IC IP A T IN G

.

1 2