FILED

January 6, 1997

Cecil Crowson, Jr.

Appellate Court Clerk

I N THE COURT OF APPEALS OF TENNESSEE

EASTERN SECTI ON

I N RE: ESTATE OF B. RAY ) BLOUNT COUNTY

THOMPSON, SR. ) 03A01- 9602- PB- 00075

)

B. RAY THOMPSON, J R. , )

I ndi vi dua l l y, a nd a s Co- Tr us t e e )

Unde r An Agr e e me nt wi t h B. Ra y )

Thomps on, Sr . , Da t e d )

J a nua r y 9, 1987 )

)

Pe titione r - Appe lla nt )

 ) HON. HUGH E. De LOZI ER, J R. ,

v. ) J UDGE

)

LI NDSAY YOUNG, CARL C. ENSOR, )

J R. , a nd MERLE D. WOLFE, )

I ndi vi dua l l y a nd a s Exe c ut or s )

unde r t he wi l l of B. Ra y )

Thomps on, Sr . , De c e a s e d )

)

Re s ponde nt s - Appe l l e e s ) VACATED AND REMANDED

R. LOUI S CROSSLEY, J R. , OF KNOXVI LLE; EUGENE G. PARTAI N a nd J AMES

C. SNYDER, J R. , OF ATLANTA, GEORGI A FOR APPELLANT

DAVI D T. BLACK OF MARYVI LLE a nd MARK BAKER OF HOUSTON, TEXAS FOR

APPELLEE LI NDSAY YOUNG

GEORGE W. MORTON OF KNOXVI LLE FOR APPELLEES CARL C. ENSOR, J R. ,

a nd MERLE D. WOLFE

 O P I N I O N

 Godda r d, P. J .
2

We gr a nt e d a Rul e 9 appeal i n t hi s cas e t o r e s ol ve an

i mpa s s e be t we e n t he Ci r c ui t Cour t f or Bl ount Count y, Equi t y

Di vi s i on, a nd t he Pr oba t e Cour t f or Bl ount Count y- - whi c h by

Pr i va t e Ac t is the Ge ne r a l Se s s i ons Cour t - - t o de t e r mi ne whi c h

Cour t ha s j ur i s di c t i on t o r e s ol ve t he a l l e ga t i ons of t he

c ompl a i nt in thi s c a s e .

B. Ra y Thomps on, Sr . , a r e s i de nt of Bl ount Count y, di e d

on Oc t obe r 22, 1987, a nd hi s l a s t wi l l a nd t e s t a me nt wa s pr oba t e d

i n t he Pr oba t e Cour t f or Bl ount Count y. On Nove mbe r 10, 1994, a

pe t i t i on wa s f i l e d i n t he Pr oba t e Cour t , s e e ki ng t o c l os e t he

e s t a t e . I n r e s pons e t o t he pe t i t i on, hi s s on, B. Ra y Thomps on,

J r . , i ndi vi dua l l y a nd a s a c o- t r us t e e unde r a n a gr e e me nt wi t h hi s

f a t he r , da t e d J a nua r y 9, 1987, f i l e d a pe t i t i on on Ma y 15, 1994,

s e e ki ng r e mova l of t he Exe c ut or s of t he Es t a t e , a nd da ma ge s by

r e a s on of t he Exe c ut or s br e a c hi ng t he i r f i duc i a r y dut i e s .

The s peci f i c compl a i nt s ar e s umma r i zed i n t he Son' s

br i e f , a s f ollows :

Fi l e d a doc ume nt wi t h t he I nt e r na l Re ve nue Se r vi c e whi c h

a ppear s on i t s f ace t o ha ve been f a l s i f i e d;

Pa i d mi l l i ons of dol l a r s of pur por t e d pl e dge s a nd de bt s of

t he de c e a s e d wi t hout a ut hor i z a t i on unde r t he wi l l or t he

l a w;

Pa r t i c i pa t e d i n or c ondone d t r a ns a c t i ons i n whi c h t he y or

ot he r Exe c ut or s ha d a pe r s ona l or f i na nc i a l i nt e r e s t t o t he

de t r i me nt of the Es t a t e ;
3

Ca us e d t he Es t a t e t o pa y Te nne s s ee i nc ome t a xe s f or whi c h i t

wa s not lia bl e ;

Fa ile d to time l y f ile a ta x r e t ur n r e s ulting in a los s of a

r e f und of ove r $150, 000;

Fa i l e d t o de t ect and pur s ue l e ga l and account a nt ma l pr act i c e

c l a i ms ;

Pa i d t he ms e l ve s e xe c ut or ' s c ommi s s i ons a nd a t t or ne y' s f e e s

t o Exe c ut or Li nds a y Young' s l a w f i r m wi t hout s e e ki ng t he

c our t a ppr ova l t ha t wa s r e qui r e d of t he m by l a w;

Undul y pr ol onge d t he a dmi ni s t r a t i on of t he Es t a t e ; a nd

Ot he r wi s e t ook i mpr ude nt a nd una ut hor i z e d a c t i ons t o t he

de t r i me nt of the Es t a t e a nd its be ne f i c i a r i e s .

On J une 26, 1995, t he Exe c ut or s f i l e d a pe t i t i on f or

r e mova l , f or c e r t i or a r i a nd s upe r s e de s , a nd a c ompl a i nt f or

de c l a r a t or y r e l i e f i n t he Ci r c ui t Cour t f or Bl ount Count y, Equi t y

Di vi s i on, s e e ki ng t o r e move a nd t r a ns f e r a dmi ni s t r a t i on of t he

Es t a t e to the Ci r c uit Cour t. On the s a me da t e , the Exe c ut or s

f i l e d a mot i on t o di s mi s s t he Son' s pe t i t i on i n t he Pr oba t e

Cour t .

A he a r i ng wa s he l d i n t he Ci r c ui t Cour t on J ul y 17, a nd

on Se pt e mbe r 18, a j udgme nt wa s e nt e r e d di s mi s s i ng t he pe t i t i on

on t he gr ound t ha t t he Ci r c ui t Cour t l a c ke d j ur i s di c t i on t o gr a nt

t he r e l i e f s ought .

On De c e mbe r 13, t he Pr oba t e Cour t , s ua s pont e , ent e r e d

a me mor a ndum opi ni on a nd or de r di r e c t i ng t he Cl e r k of t he Pr oba t e

Cour t to c e r tif y the pe tition, toge t he r with a ll the pl e a di ngs to
4

t he Ci r c ui t Cour t f or f ur t he r pr oc e e di ngs , ba s e d upon t he

f ol l owi ng c onc l us i ons :

1. Tha t whi l e t he Pr oba t e Cour t f or Bl ount

Count y, Te nne s s e e ha s s ubj e c t ma t t e r j ur i s di c t i on ove r

s ome is s ue s r a i s e d in the Pe tition, its limite d,

s t a t ut or y j ur i s di c t i on i s e xc e e de d i n ot he r s .

2. Tha t t he Pr oba t e Cour t f or Bl ount Count y,

Te nne s s e e ha s no a ut hor i t y t o e mpa ne l a j ur y.

On De c e mbe r 15, 1995, t he Son f i l e d a pe t i t i on i n

Pr oba t e Cour t r e que s t i ng a n i nt e r l oc ut or y a ppe a l pur s ua nt t o Rul e

9 of t he Te nne s s e e Rul e s of Appe l l a t e Pr oc e dur e , whi c h wa s

ul t i ma t e l y gr a nt e d by t he Pr oba t e Cour t a nd t hi s Cour t .

Pr oba t e j ur i s di c t i on i n t hi s St a t e ha s ha d a c he c ke r e d

pa s t. In r e s ol vi ng the is s ue s r a i s e d in thi s a ppe a l it is

necess a r y t ha t we exa mi ne Publ i c and Pr i va t e Ac t s , and an

a me ndme nt t o our St a t e Cons t i t ut i on.

We be gi n our di s c us s i on wi t h Cha pt e r VI of t he Publ i c

Ac t s of 1835 whi c h- - a s pe r t i ne nt t o t hi s a ppe a l - - a f t e r pr ovi di ng

f or a c ount y c our t c ompos e d of J us t i c e s of t he Pe a c e , a ddr e s s e d

pr oba t e j ur i s di c t i on a s f ol l ows :

Sec. 2. Be i t enac t e d, Tha t it s ha ll be the dut y of the

j us t i c e s of t he pe a c e t o a t t e nd a t t he c our t hous e s of

t he r e s pe c t i ve c ount i e s on t he f i r s t Monda y i n e ve r y

mont h; a nd one t hi r d, or t we l ve of t he a c t i ng j us t i c e s

i n e a c h c ount y, s ha l l be a c ompe t e nt quor um t o do a nd

t r a ns a c t a l l ki nds of publ i c or c ount y bus i ne s s

pr e s c r i be d by t hi s act , except t o as s e s s a t a x, or t o

a ppr opr i a t e publ i c mone y, whi c h s ha l l r e qui r e a
5

ma j or i t y of a l l t he ma gi s t r a t e s of t he c ount y t o vot e

i n the a f f i r ma tive : Pr ov i de d, tha t t we l ve jus t i c e s , or

one t hi r d, s ha l l ha ve powe r t o ma ke a ppr opr i a t i ons f or

c ount y pur pos e s , not e xc e e di ng f i f t y dol l a r s : Pr ov i de d,

t ha t thr e e of s a i d jus tic e s , a t the i r s e s s i ons , s ha l l

ha ve powe r t o t a ke pr oba t e of wi l l s , a l l i ns t r ume nt s of

wr i t i ng, whi c h by t he e xi s t i ng l a ws , a r e r e qui r e d t o be

pr ove d a nd r e gi s t e r e d, gr a nt l e t t e r s of a dmi ni s t r a t i on,

a ppoi nt gua r di a ns , a ppoi nt ove r s e e r s of r oa ds , a nd t o

do a l l ot he r c ount y bus i ne s s , whi c h, by t he l a ws

he r e t of or e i n f or ce, t hr ee we r e a s uf f i c i e nt numbe r t o

t r a ns act .

Subs e que nt l y, a n a me ndme nt t o t he St a t e Cons t i t ut i on 

whi c h became ef f ect i ve i n Ma r c h 1987, ame nde d Ar t i c l e VI I ,

Se c t i on 1 of t he Cons t i t ut i on. Thi s Ame ndme nt pr ovi de d i n pa r t

t he f ol l owi ng:

Sec. 1. Count y governme nt - - El ect e d of f i cers - -

Le gi s l at i ve body - - Al t e r nat e f or ms of gove r nme nt . - -

The qua l i f i e d vot e r s of e a c h c ount y s ha l l e l e c t f or

t e r ms of f our ye a r s a l e gi s l a t i ve body, a c ount y

e xecut i ve , a She r i f f , a Tr us t ee, a Re gi s t e r , a Count y

Cl e r k a nd a n As s e s s or of Pr ope r t y. The i r qua l i f i c a -

t i ons a nd dut i e s s ha l l be pr e s c r i be d by t he Ge ne r a l

As s e mbl y. Any of f i c e r s ha l l be r e move d f or ma l f e a s a nc e

or ne gl e c t of dut y a s pr e s c r i be d by t he Ge ne r a l

Assembl y.

I n r e s pons e t o t he Cons t i t ut i ona l a me ndme nt t he

Le gi s l a t ur e , wi t h c e r t a i n e xc e pt i ons , t r a ns f e r r e d pr oba t e

j ur i s di c t i on t o t he Cha nc e r y Cour t by e na c t i ng Cha pt e r 875 of t he

Publ i c Ac t s of 1980 ( now c odi f i e d a s T. C. A. 16- 16- 201) :

WHEREAS, Ar tic l e 7, Se c tion 1 of the Cons titution

of Te nne s s ee, as ame nde d, cr eat e d t he of f i ce of count y

e xe c ut i ve , t he r e by e f f e c t i ve l y a bol i s hi ng t he of f i c e of

c ount y j udge a nd c ha i r ma n; a nd
6

WHEREAS, Te nne s s e e Code Annot a t e d, Se c t i on 5- 606,

pr ovi de s t ha t , e xc e pt a s ot he r wi s e pr ovi de d by ge ne r a l

l a w or by s pe c i a l, loc a l or pr i va t e a c t s , the judi c i a l

a ut hor i t y f or me r l y e xe r c i s e d by t he c ount y j udge or

c ount y c ha i r ma n s ha l l be ve s t e d i n t he c ount y

e xe c ut i ve , a nd pur s ua nt t o t ha t s t a t ut e t he c ount y

e xecut i ve i n ma ny count i e s of Te nne s s ee ha s exe r c i s e d

t he pr oba t e j ur i s di c t i on pr e vi ous l y e xe r c i s e d by t he

c ount y j udge or c ha i r ma n; a nd

WHEREAS, i n t he case of Wa t e r s v. St a t e ex r e l

Sc hmut zer , 583 S. W. 2d 756, t he Supr e me Cour t of

Te nne s s e e , on J une 28, 1979, he l d t ha t t he j udi c i a l

a ut hor i t y of a j uve ni l e c our t , or ot he r j udi c i a l powe r s

c a nnot be ve s t e d i n t he c ount y e xe c ut i ve , a nd t ha t t he

f or e goi ng pr ovi s i on of Te nne s s e e Code Annot a t e d,

Se c t i on 5- 606, i s unc ons t i t ut i ona l ; now, t he r e f or e ,

BE I T ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF

TENNESSEE:

SECTI ON 1.

( a ) I n a l l c ount i e s whe r e not ot he r wi s e

s pe c i f i c a l l y pr ovi de d by publ i c , pr i va t e , s pe c i a l

or l ocal act s , a ll jur i s di c tion r e l a ting to the

pr oba t e of wi l l s a nd t he a dmi ni s t r a t i on of e s t a t e s

a nd r e l a t e d ma t t e r s he r e t of or e ve s t e d i n t he

c ount y c our t , t he c ount y j udge or c ount y c ha i r ma n,

i s he r e by ve s t e d i n t he c ha nc e r y c our t of t he

r e s pe c t i ve c ount i e s . The c ha nc e r y c our t i n s uc h

c ount i e s s ha l l ha ve e xc l us i ve j ur i s di c t i on ove r

t he pr oba t e of wi l l s a nd t he a dmi ni s t r a t i on of

e s t a t e s , a nd a ll ma tte r s r e l a ting the r e t o,

he r e t of or e ve s t e d i n t he c ount y c our t , t he c ount y

j udge or c ount y c ha i r ma n. ( Empha s i s s uppl i e d. )

The Pr oba t e Cour t f or Bl ount Count y f e l l wi t hi n t he

e xc e pt i on i n t he St a t ut e by vi r t ue of Cha pt e r 202 of t he Pr i va t e

Ac t s of 1965:

 " Se c t i on 19. Be i t f ur t he r enac t e d, Tha t s a i d

Cour t of Ge ne r a l Se s s i ons of Bl ount Count y,

Te nne s s e e is he r e by ve s t e d with a ll jur i s di c tion

a nd s ha l l e xe r c i s e t he a ut hor i t y c onf e r r e d by t he

l e gi s l a t ur e upon t he Count y J udge or Cha i r ma n of

t he Count y Cour t i n pr oba t e , de c e de nt s ' e s t a t e s ,

gua r di a ns hi p, c ons e r va t or s hi p, i ns a ni t y, l una c y,
1 Th e Ex e c u t o r s ' br i e f s t a t e s t h e f o l l o wi ng:

[ T] h e Pr oba t e Cour t ca n r e move t h e exe c u t o r s and/ o r

sur c h a r g e t h e ex ecu t o r s f o r wast e o f t h e ass e t s . . . .

7

f e e bl e - mi nde d, pe r s ons of uns ound mi nd, j uve ni l e ,

ba s t a r dy, il l e gi t i ma t e s , le gi t i ma t i on, c ha nge of

na me , pa r t i t i on, c onde mna t i on, s a l e of pr ope r t y,

f or e c l os ur e s of mor t ga ge s a nd ve ndor s l i e ns ,

f or e c l os ur e s of ot he r l i e ns , wor kme n' s

c ompe ns a t i on, a nd a ba ndonme nt of wi f e or c hi l d

c a s e s , s ui t s , pr oc e e di ngs a nd a c t i ons , whi c h

j ur i s di c t i on s ha l l be c o- e xt e ns i ve wi t h Bl ount

Count y, Te nne s s e e ; pr ovi de d, howe ve r , not hi ng i n

t hi s a c t s ha l l be c ons t r ue d t o di ve s t t he J udge of

t he Count y Cour t of hi s j ur i s di c t i on a nd a ut hor i t y

a s f i na nc i a l or f i s c a l a ge nt of s a i d Count y a nd a s

pr e s i di ng J udge of t he Qua r t e r l y Count y Cour t . "

Af t e r t he Cons t i t ut i ona l a me ndme nt , t he f or e goi ng

Pr i va t e Ac t wa s a me nde d by Cha pt e r 60 of t he Pr i va t e Ac t s of

1987:

( b) The c our t of ge ne r a l s e s s i ons of Bl ount Count y

s ha l l a l s o be ve s t e d wi t h a l l jur i s di c t i on, powe r s a nd

a ut hor i t y r e l a t i ng t o t he pr oba t e of wi l l s a nd t he

a dmi ni s t r a t i on of e s t a t e s a s i s c onf e r r e d by l a w upon

pr oba t e c our t s .

The Exe c ut or s c onc e de t ha t t he Pr oba t e Cour t f or Bl ount

Count y ha s a ut hor i t y t o he a r c e r t a i n i s s ue s r a i s e d i n t hi s

di s put e ,

1

 but t ha t i t doe s not ha ve j ur i s di c t i on t o he a r ot he r

ma t t e r s nor t o e mpa ne l a j ur y.

On t he ot he r ha nd, t he Son i ns i s t s t ha t a s t o Bl ount

Count y t he e xc e pt i on t o T. C. A. 16- 16- 201, whi c h we ha ve

e mpha s i z e d, r e move d a l l pr oba t e j ur i s di c t i on, bot h s t a t ut or y a nd

i nhe r e nt , f r om t he Cha nc e r y Cour t .
8

We a r e not pr e pa r e d t o s a y t ha t t he quot e d e xc e pt i on t o

t he ge ne r a l gr a nt of pr oba t e j ur i s di c t i on t o t he Cha nc e r y Cour t

r e move s a Cha nc e r y Cour t ' s i nhe r e nt j ur i s di c t i on t o a dmi ni s t e r

e s t a t e s , whi c h ha s be e n r e c ogni z e d i n va r i ous a ppe l l a t e

pr onounc e me nt s . Di c k v. Di c k, 223 Te nn. 228, 443 S. W. 2d 472

( 1969) ; Fe r gus on v. Moor e , 209 Te nn. 29, 348 S. W. 2d 496 ( 1961) ;

J o. C. Bowe r s e t a l s. v. P. S. Le s t e r , Adm' r , c .t.a . , 49 Te nn.

456 ( 1870) . We do be l i e ve , howe ve r , t ha t i t wa s t he i nt e nt of

t he Le gi s l a t ur e t o ve s t i n t he Cha nc e r y Cour t pl e na r y pr oba t e

j ur i s di c t i on, a nd by t he e xc e pt i on a nd t he Pr i va t e Ac t s

a ddr e s s i ng pr oba t e j ur i s di c t i on i n Bl ount Count y- - e s pe c i a l l y t he

one e na c t e d i n 1987, a f t e r t he ge ne r a l s t a t ut e wa s a dopt e d- - t o

ve s t pl e na r y j ur i s di c t i on i n t he Pr oba t e Cour t f or Bl ount Count y

a s we l l . 

Mor e ove r , a s a l r e a dy not e d, t he Exe c ut or s c onc e de t ha t

t he Pr oba t e Cour t ha s j ur i s di c t i on of c e r t a i n of t he i s s ue s

r a i s e d, a nd it woul d s e e m a ppr opr i a t e tha t it be e ntitle d to

r e s ol ve a ll is s ue s a nc illa r y the r e t o, with the e xc e ption of

ma t t e r s s peci f i cal l y di r ect e d by s t a t ut e t o be t r i e d el s e whe r e ,

s uc h a s t he i s s ue of de vi s a vi t ve l non, T. C. A. 32- 4- 104, a nd

c l a i ms aga i ns t es t a t e s and except i ons t he r e t o whe n a j ur y ha s

be e n de ma nde d, T. C. A. 30- 2- 314.

Rul e 38. 01 of t he Te nne s s e e Rul e s of Ci vi l Pr oc e dur e ,

whi c h a r e a ppl i c a bl e t o pr oba t e c our t s , pr ovi de s t ha t " t he r i ght
9

of t r i a l by j ur y a s de c l a r e d by t he Cons t i t ut i on or e xi s t i ng l a ws

of t he s t a t e of Te nne s s ee s ha l l be pr e s e r ve d t o t he pa r t i e s

i nvi ol a t e . "

We r ecogni ze t ha t a j ur y t r i a l i n a Pr oba t e Cour t i s

not t he c ommon pr a c t i c e . Ne ve r t he l e s s , gi ve n t he pr ope ns i t y of

t he Le gi s l a t ur e to gr a nt jur y tr i a l s to litiga nt s , a s e vi de nc e d

by t he e na c t me nt of T. C. A. 21- 1- 103, whi c h gr a nt s s uc h i n

c ha ncer y cas e s , whi c h t he r e t of or e ha d been al mos t exc l us i ve l y

non- j ur y, a nd t he f ur t he r f a c t t ha t t he J udge of t he Pr oba t e

Cour t i n Bl ount Count y i s a n a t t or ne y, we s e e no i mpe di me nt t o

j ur y tr i a l s in tha t f or um a nd, in f a c t, c ons i de r it s a l ut a r y to

pe r mi t t he f a c t ua l i s s ue s t o be r e s ol ve d by a j ur y.

I n r e a c hi ng our c onc l us i on we poi nt out t ha t unde r t he

pr ovi s i ons of T. C. A. 21- 1- 103, a bove not e d, t he c ha nc e l l or ha s

di s c r e t i on t o r e f us e a j ur y t r i a l s houl d t he c our t de t e r mi ne t ha t

r e s ol ut i on of f a c t ua l i s s ue s i nvol ve s c ompl i c a t e d a c c ount i ng. We

be l i e ve t hi s Rul e s houl d a l s o obt a i n i n c our t s ot he r t ha n

c ha ncer y whe r e pr oba t e j ur i s di c t i on i s exe r c i s e d.

For t he f or e goi ng r e a s ons t he j udgme nt of t he Pr oba t e

Cour t t r a ns f e r r i ng t he ma t t e r t o t he Equi t y Di vi s i on of Cha nc e r y

Cour t i s va c a t e d a nd t he c a us e r e ma nde d t o t he Pr oba t e Cour t f or

f ur t he r pr oc e e di ngs not i nc ons i s t e nt wi t h t hi s opi ni on.

Exe r c i s i ng our di s c r e t i on, t he c os t s of a ppe a l a r e a dj udge d one -

ha l f a ga i ns t t he Son a nd one - ha l f a ga i ns t t he Exe c ut or s .
10

_______________________________

Hous t on M. Godda r d, P. J .

CONCUR:

________________________________

He r s c he l P. Fr a nks , J .

________________________________

Cha r l e s D. Sus a no, J r ., J .