THI RD DI VI SI ON

DOYLE, P. J.

, GOBEI L, J.

, and SENI OR JUDGE FULLER

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

p h y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

https ://w w w

. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

Nov em ber 15, 2023



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 3 A1 22 2

. D AVIS v. THE ESTATE O F J AM ES LESLIE

M cCLAIN III.

F U LLE R , Sen i o r J u d g e.

In t h i s d ecl arat o ry j u d gm en t act i o n

, Perran L. Dav i s III, t he ex ec u t o r o f t h e

e s t at e o f J am es Les l ie M cCl ai n J r., (“ M cCl ai n J r.”) ap p eal s fro m t h e t ri al c o u r t ’ s

o rd er gran t i n g s u m

m ary ju d g m en t i n fav o r o f th e ad m i ni s t rat o r o f th e es t at e o f J am es

Les l i e M cCl ai n III (“ M cCl ai n III”). 1 Th e p art i es d i sp u t e t he m ean i n g o f a p ro v i s i o n

i n M cCl ai n J r.’ s wi ll

. Sp eci fi cal l y

, Dav is co n ten d s th at th e t r i a l co u rt erred in

co n st ru i n g t h e wi l l as creat i n g a t en an cy i n co m m o n rat h er t h an a jo i n t t en an cy wi th

1 Th e act i o n was fi l ed b y W ad e Bo s wel l, wh o was su cceed ed as Ad m i n i s t rat o r

o f M cCl ai n III’ s wi l l b y Gai l Crawl ey

. Fo r eas e o f read i n g

, we refer s i m p l y t o t h e

Ad m i n i s t rat o r.ri gh t o f s u rv i v o rs hi p. Dav i s al s o as s ert s t hat t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n fai l i n g t o co n s i d er

p aro l ev i d en ce. Fo r reas on s t h at fo l l o w, we affi rm

.

Th e rel ev an t fact s s ho w t h at M cCl ai n J r. d i ed i n 2 0 1 5

. Th e d ay b efo re h e d i ed

,

M cCl ai n J r. ex ecu t ed a h an d wri t t e n wi l l b eq u eat h i n g cert ai n p ro p ert y t o h i s s o n,

M cCl ai n III, an d t o Dav i s , wh o m h e co n s i d ered t o b e h i s s o n . Th e wi l l p ro v i d es :

I b eq u eat h jo i n t o wn ers h i p o f m y p ro p ert y at 1 1 69 W o l fs k i n Ro ad [,]

Arn o l d s v i l l e, Geo rg i a 30 6 1 9 to m y t wo s on s

. Th i s i n cl u d e s jo i n t

o wn ers h i p of al l co nt en t s

, t h e h o u s e, p ro p ert y

, et c. Th e p ro p ert y can n o t

b e s o l d w i t ho u t wri t ten co n s en t o f b o t h p ro p ert i es [s i c] (J am es Les l i e

M cCl ai n III an d Perran Lewi s Dav i s III).

M cCl ai n J r.’ s wi l l ( “ t h e w i l l ”) was su b m i t t ed fo r p ro b at e i n O gl et h o rp e Co u n t y

,

Geo rg i a. Th e s t at u s o f t h e p ro bat e p ro ceed i n g s i s u ncl ear fro m t h e reco rd

.

In Au g u s t 2 0 1 6

, M cCl ai n III d i ed , an d h i s es t at e was s u b m i t t ed t o p ro b at e i n

Ten ne s s e e

. 2 Th ereaft er, t h e Ad m i n i s t rat o r o f McCl ai n III’ s es t at e fi l ed t h i s

d ecl arat ory ju d g m en t act i on i n Geo rg i a n a m i n g Dav i s as t h e d efen d an t

. 3 Th e

Ad m i n i s t rat o r al l eg ed t h at

, u n d er t h e t erm s o f t h e w i l l, M cCl ai n III’ s e s t a t e was

2 M cCl ai n III d i ed i nt es t at e, l eav in g o ne m i no r s o n

.

3 Dav i s was n am ed in b ot h h i s cap aci t y as ex ecu t o r an d b en efi ci ary o f McCl ai n

J r.’ s es t at e.

2en t i t l ed t o recei v e o n e-h al f t h e v al u e o f t h e real pro p ert y l o cat ed on W o l fs k i n Ro ad

.

Dav is

, o n th e o t h er han d

, m ai n t ai n e d t h at t h e wi l l co n v ey ed t he W o lfs k i n Ro ad

p ro p ert y as a jo i n t t en an cy wi t h ri g h t o f s u rv i v o rs hi p

. Acco rd in g t o Dav i s

, fo l l o wi n g

M cCl ai n III’ s d eat h

, h e – as th e o n l y s u rv i v i ng j o i n t t en an t u n d er t h e wi ll

– was t h e

s o l e o wn er o f t h e p ro p ert y

.

Th e p art i es fi l ed c r o s s -m o t i o n s fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

. Fo l l o wi ng a h eari n g,

t h e t ri al co u rt fo u nd i n fav o r o f t h e Ad m i ni s t rat o r, co ncl u d in g t h at t h e wi l l d i d n o t u s e

t h e req u i s i t e l an g u ag e t o creat e a j o i nt t en a n c y w i t h ri gh t o f s urv i v ors h i p

, an d,

t h erefo re, creat ed a t en an cy i n co m m o n. Dav is ap p eal s t h i s ru li n g

.

1

. “ Th e co n s tru ct i o n o f a wi l l i s a q ues t i o n o f l aw fo r t h e co u rt

. Th e card i n al

ru l e fo r co n s t ru i n g wi l l s i s to as cert ai n an d g i v e effect t o t he t es t at o r’ s i n t en t .” Ka l e

v. W i l s o n

, 2 8 4 Ga. 5 3 6

, 5 3 7 (6 6 8 SE2 d 7 2 9 ) (2 0 08 ) ( c i t a t i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ). “ Th e co urt m

u s t l o ok fi rs t t o t h e ‘ fo ur co rn ers ’ o f t h e wi l l t o d i s co v er t h at

i n t en t

. W h ere t h e l an g u ag e of a wi l l i s cl ear an d can be g i ven l eg al effect as i t s t an d s

,

t h e co u rt wi l l n o t

, b y co n st ru ct i on

, g i v e t h e wi l l a d i fferen t effect .” Ho od v. To d d

, 2 8 7

Ga. 1 6 4 , 1 6 6 (6 9 5 SE2 d 3 1 ) (2 0 1 0 ) (ci tat i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i tt ed ).

J o i n t t e n a n c y wi t h ri g h t o f s u rv i v ors h i p

– as a co m m on l aw d o ct ri n e

– was

ab o li s h ed i n t h is St at e in 1 7 7 7

. See W i l l i a ms v. St ud

s t i l l

, 2 5 1 Ga. 4 6 6

, 4 6 7 (3 0 6 SE2 d

36 3 3 ) (1 9 8 3 ). Th ereaft er, al l es t at es were h el d t o b e t en an ci es i n co m m o n . See i d. In

1 9 7 6

, h o wev er, l eg i s l at i o n was p as s ed p erm i t ti n g t h e creat i o n o f a j o i n t ten an cy

. See

i d

. at 4 6 6 n .2 ; Ca h i l l v. Un i t ed S t a t es

, 3 0 3 Ga. 1 4 8, 1 4 9 (8 1 0 SE2 d 4 8 0 ) (2 01 8 ). T h at

l aw i s co d i fi ed as O CGA § 4 4 -6 -1 9 0, wh i ch p ro v i d es “ a wo rd -b y -wo rd m et h o d o f

creat i n g a jo in t t en an cy wi t h ri g h t o f s urv i v o rs h i p .” Ca hi l l

, 30 3 G a. at 1 4 9

. Rel ev an t

t o t hi s ap p eal , OCGA § 4 4 -6 -1 9 0 (a) p ro v i d es :

(2 ) An y i n s t ru m en t o f t i t l e i n fav o r o f t wo o r m o re p ers o n s s h al l be

co n s t ru ed t o creat e i n t eres t s i n co m m o n wi t h o ut su rv i v o rs h i p b et w een

o r am o n g th e o w n ers u nl es s t h e i n s tru m en t ex p res s l y refers t o t h e t ak ers

as “ jo i n t t en an ts ,” “

jo i n t ten an t s an d n o t as t en an ts i n co m m o n

, ” or “ jo i n t

t en an t s wi t h s u rv iv ors h i p ” o r as t ak i n g “ jo i n t l y w i t h s u rv iv o rs h i p .” (3 )

An y i ns tru m en t o f t i t l e u s i n g o n e o f th e fo rm s o f ex pres s i o n referred t o

i n p arag rap h (2 ) o f t h i s s u b s ect i o n o r l an gu ag e es sen t i a l l y t h e sa me as

o n e o f t hes e fo rm s o f ex p res s i o n s h al l cre a t e a j o i n t t en an cy es t at e o r

i n t eres t t h at m ay b e s e v e r e d as t o t h e in t eres t o f an y own er b y th e

reco rd i n g o f an in s t ru m en t wh i ch res ul t s i n h i s o r h er l ifet i m e tran s fer

o f al l o r a p art o f h i s o r h er i n t eres t ; p ro v i d ed

, h o wev er, th at

, if al l

p er s o n s o w n i n g jo i n t t en an t i n t eres t s i n a p ro p ert y jo i n i n t h e s am e

reco rd ed l i fet i m e t ran s fer, n o s ev eran ce s h al l o ccu r.

Th ere i s n o cas e l aw i n t erp ret i n g t h e p h ras e “ es s en t i al l y th e s am e” reg ard i n g

t h e l an g u ag e n e c e s s a r y t o creat e a jo i n t t en an cy w i t h ri g h t of s u rv i v o rs h i p.

Acco rd in g ly

, we are cal l ed u p o n t o i n t erp ret t h e s t at u t e. In s o d o i n g

, w e “ p res u m e t h at

4t h e Gen eral As s em b l y m ean t wh at i t s ai d an d s ai d wh at i t m ean t .” i Hea r t Med i a

, In c.

v. Sh er i d a n

, 3 0 0 Ga. 7 7 1

, 77 2 (7 9 8 SE2 d 22 3 ) (2 0 1 7 ) (p u n ct u at i o n om i t t ed ). W e t hu s

affo rd t h e s t at u t o ry

t ex t i t s p l ai n an d o rd i n ary m ean i n g . See i d

.

A p lai n read i n g o f OCGA § 4 4 -6 -1 9 0 m ak es cl ear t wo t h i n gs : (1 ) t h e l aw

p res u m es t h e creat i o n o f a t en an cy i n co m m o n ; an d (2 ) a co n v ey an ce wi l l n o t b e

co n st ru ed as creat in g a jo in t t en an cy w i t h ri g h t o f s urv i v o r s h i p ab s en t ex p res s

l an g u ag e co n v e y i n g s uch a p ro p ert y i n t eres t

. See S t u d s t i l l

, 2 5 1 Ga. at 46 8 (“ In

Geo rg i a t h e m e r e creat io n o f t h e es t at e i n two o r m o re p ers o n s n ev er d raws t o i t

s u rv i v o rs h i p as an i n ci d en t

, an d t h e p res u m p ti o n i s i n al l cas es t h at su rv i v o rs h i p was

n o t i n ten ded

. Bu t wh ere b y ex p res s t erm s o r n eces s ary i m p l i cat i o n a s u rv i v o rs h i p i s

p ro v id ed fo r, t h e l aw o f Geo r g i a al l o ws it t o ex i s t. Th i s ru l e h as b een fo l l o wed

co n si s t en t l y

b y t h is co u rt an d t h e Co u rt o f Ap p eal s

. ”) (p u n ct uat i o n o m i tt ed ).

Here, i t i s u n d i s p u t ed t h at t he wi l l d o es n o t i n cl ud e t h e l an g u ag e “ jo i nt

t e n an t s,” “

jo i nt t en an t s an d n o t as ten an t s i n co m m on ,” “ jo i nt t en an t s w i t h

s u rv i v o rs h i p ,” o r refer to M cCl ai n III an d Dav i s as “ t ak i ng j o i n t l y w i t h s u rv i v o rs h i p.”

Acco rd in g t o Dav i s

, t h e u s e of t h e p h ras e “ jo in t o wn ers h i p ” i s es s en t i al l y t he s am e.

Th e t ri al co u rt reject ed th is arg u m en t

, n o t i n g t hat “ j o i n t o wn ers h i p ” i s an as p ect o f

t en an cy i n co m m o n an d t h u s can n o t s u p p o rt an i nferen ce t h at t h e b eq u es t creat ed a

5jo i n t t en an cy

. W e ag ree wi t h th e t ri al co u rt

. W h ere, as here, t he wi l l n ei t h er u s es t h e

p h ras e “ jo i n t t en an ts ” no r em

p l o y s an y l an g u ag e p ert ai ni n g t o s u rv i v o rs h i p

, we wi l l

n o t co ns t ru e t h e d ocu m en t as creat i n g a jo in t t en an cy

.

Th e arg um en t s rai s ed b y Dav i s d o n o t co n v i n ce us o t h erwi s e. Dav i s co n t en d s

t h at we sh o ul d l oo k t o th e wi l l as a w ho l e i n co n s t ru i n g t h e “ jo i n t o wn ers h i p ”

l an g u ag e. In ot her c l au s es o f t h e wi l l

, M cCl ai n J r. u s ed wo rd s o t her t h an “ jo i nt

o wn ers hi p ” t o c o n v e y p ro p ert y

. On e p ro v i s i o n b eq u eat hed p ro p ert y t o M cCl ai n III

an d Dav i s “ eq u al ly ” an d an o t h er p ro v i s i o n b eq ueat h ed p ro p ert y t o “ b o th ” M cCl ai n

III an d D av i s

. Acco rd i ng t o Dav i s

, t h e fact t h at M cCl ai n J r. u s ed t h e wo rd “ jo i n t ” to

b eq ueat h t h e W o l fs k i n Ro ad p ro p ert y s ho ws t h at h e in t en d ed t o co n v ey th at p ro p ert y

i n a d ifferen t m an ner. Bu t t h e fact t h at M cCl ai n J r. u s ed di fferen t t erm s el s ewh ere in

t h e wi l l d o es no t ch an ge o u r b as i c i n q u i ry ; we s t i l l m u s t as cert ai n wh et h er t h e wi l l

d em o n s t rat ed M cCl ai n J r.’ s i n t en t t o c o n v e y t h e W o l fs k i n Ro ad p ro p ert y as a jo i nt

t en an cy wi t h ri g h t o f s urv iv o rs h i p. It d i d n o t

. McCl ai n J r.’ s u s e o f t h e wo rd “ jo i n t ”

– wi t h ou t m o re – i s i n s u ffi ci en t i n t h i s reg ard

.

In a rel at ed arg u m en t

, Dav i s p o i n t s t o t h e fact t h at

, u nd er t h e wi l l

, t h e W o l fs k in

Ro ad p ro p ert y co u l d n o t b e so l d wi t h o ut t h e w ri t t en co n s en t o f b o t h pro p ert y o wn ers

.

Acco rd in g t o Dav i s

, t h i s l an g u a g e dem on s t rat es McCl ai n J r.’ s in t en t to co n v ey t h e

6p ro p ert y as a jo i n t ten an cy wi t h ri g h t o f s u rv i v ors h i p

. T h i s arg u m en t is n o t wel l

art i cu l at ed ; Dav i s s i m

p l y n o t es t h at “ [a] jo in t t en an cy

, u n l ik e a t en an cy i n co m m o n,

i s n o t s u b ject t o p art i t i o n u n d er OCGA § 4 4 -6 -1 6 0

. ” 4 In o t h er wo rd s

, as b es t we can

d i s cern

, Dav i s eq uat es p art i t i on to s al e. Bu t t he wo rd s are n o t s y n on y m o u s

. See

Bl ack ’ s Law Di ct i o n ary

(1 1 t h ed . 2 0 19 ) (d efi n i n g t h e wo rd “ part i t io n ” as “ [t ] h e act

o f d i v i d i n g ” an d “ s al e” as “ [t ] he t ran s fer o f p ro pert y o r t i t l e fo r a p ri ce”). Al t h o u g h

t h e wi l l p ro s cri b es u n i l at eral s al e, i t i s s i l en t o n part i t i o n. Un d er t h es e ci rcu m s t an ces

,

we fai l t o s ee h o w M cCl ai n Jr.’ s l i m i t at i o n o n t h e s al e o f t he W o l fs k i n Ro ad p ro p ert y

s u p p ort s an i n feren ce reg ard i n g s u rv iv o rs h ip

.

Fi n al l y, D a v i s arg u es t h at we s h o u l d co n s t ru e t h e co n vey an ce as creat i n g a

jo i n t t en an cy wi t h ri g h t o f s urv iv o rs h i p b ecau s e t h e wi l l “ sat i s fi e[d ] t h e Fo u r Un i ti es

Tes t .” Hi s t o ri cal l y

, t h e co m m o n l a w req ui red t h e u n i t i es o f t i m e, ti t le, i n teres t an d

4 OCGA § 4 4 -6 -1 60

, wh i ch g ov ern s s tat u t o ry p art i t i o n

, p ro v id es : “ W h en t wo

o r m o re p ers on s are c o m m o n o w n ers o f l an d s an d t en em en ts

, wh et h er b y d es cen t

,

p u rch as e, o r o t h erwi s e, an d n o p ro v i s i o n i s m ad e, b y wi ll or ot h erwi s e, as t o h o w s u ch

l an d s an d t en em en t s s h al l b e d i v i d ed

, an y o n e o f s u ch co m m on o wn ers m ay ap p l y by

p et i t i o n to t h e s u p e r i o r co u rt o f t h e co u nt y in wh i ch s u ch l an d s an d t en em en t s are

l o cat ed fo r a wri t o f p art it i o n wh i ch s h al l s et fo rt h p l ai n ly an d d i s t i n ct l y t h e fact s an d

ci rcu m s t an ces o f t h e cas e, s h al l d es cri b e t h e p rem i s es t o b e p a r t i t i o n ed

, an d s h al l

d efi n e t h e s h are an d i nt eres t o f each o f t h e p art i es t h erei n

. W h en t h e lan d s i n q u es t i o n

c o ns t it u t e a s i n gl e t ract s i t u at ed i n m o re t h an o n e co un t y

, t h e ap p li cat i on m a y b e

m ad e t o t h e s u p eri o r co u rt o f an y o f s uch co u nt i es .” Un d er O CGA § 4 4-6 -1 4 0, a p art y

al t ern at i v el y

m ay s eek eq u i t ab le p art i t i o n

.

7p o s s es s i o n t o creat e a jo i n t t en an cy

. See Co mmer ci a l Ba n ki n g Co . v. S pu r l o ck , 2 3 8

Ga. 1 2 3

, 1 2 4 (2 3 1 SE2 d 74 8 ) (1 9 7 7 ). A g ai n

, t h is co m m o n l aw d oct ri n e h as b een

ab o li s h ed

. See S t ud

s t i ll

, 2 5 1 Ga. at 4 6 7

. Un d er t hes e ci r c u m s t a n ces

, s at i s fact i o n o f

t h e fo ur u n it i es d o es n o t creat e a jo i n t t en an cy

. See S p ur l o ck v. Co mmer ci a l Ba n ki n g

Co

. , 1 3 8 Ga. A p p. 8 9 2, 8 9 6 (I) (B) (2 2 7 SE2 d 7 9 0 ) (1 9 7 6 ) (n o t i n g t hat co m m o n l aw

“ jo i nt te na nc ie s are p ro hi b i t ed i n t h i s St at e”), affi rm ed su b n o m

. Co mmer ci a l Ba n ki n g

Co

. v. S p u r l o ck

, 2 3 8 Ga. at 12 4 -1 2 5 (h o ld i n g t h at Co urt o f Ap p eal s p ro p erl y reject ed

co m m o n l aw jo i nt t en an cy arg u m en t s prem is ed on t he fo u r u n i t i es ). Becau s e t h e wi l l

d o es no t co n t ai n t h e req u i si t e l an g u ag e fo r creat in g a jo i n t t en an cy w i th ri g h t o f

s u rv i v o rs h i p un d er O CGA § 4 4 -6 -1 9 0

, t h e t ri al co u rt pro p erl y co n s t ru ed i t as creat i n g

a t en an cy i n co m m on

.

2

. D av i s al s o co n t en d s th at t h e t ri al co u rt erred in g ran t i n g ju d g m en t as a m at t er

o f law wi t ho u t fi rs t co n s i d eri n g wh et h er t he wi l l was am bi g u o u s s u ch t h at p aro l

ev i d en ce s h o u ld b e ad m is s i b l e t o ai d i n i t s co n st ru ct io n

. See R ice v. Pa ger

, 2 8 4 Ga.

8 7

, 8 9 (6 6 3 SE2 d 1 7 2 ) (2 00 8 ) (p aro l ev i d en ce m ay be ad m it t ed wh en t h e t erm s o f a

wi l l are am

b i g u ou s ). Here, h o wev er, n o p a r o l e v i d en ce was p res en t ed t o t h e t ri al

co u rt

. In d eed

, Dav i s rep res en t ed b ot h i n hi s m ot i o n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t an d at t h e

8h eari n g t h at t h e i s s u e to b e d eci d ed was o n e o f l aw, an d t he t r i a l c o u r t t r e a t ed i t as

s u ch

.

It i s a wel l -s et t led ap p el l at e ru l e t h at o ne can n o t co m p lai n ab o u t a ru l i n g

o f t h e t ri al co urt wh i ch t he p art y ’ s o wn t ri al t act i cs o r co n du ct p ro cu red

o r ai d ed i n cau si n g. A part y can n o t n o w co m p lai n o f a res u l t h e ai ded i n

cau s in g, b ecau s e i n du ced erro r i s n ot an ap p ro p ri at e b as i s fo r cl ai m i n g

p reju d i ce.

Gwi nn et t Co mmu ni t

y Ba n k v. Ar l i n g t o n Ca

p i t a l

, LLC

, 3 2 6 Ga. Ap p

. 7 1 0

, 7 1 9 (2 ) (a)

(i ) (7 5 7 SE2 d 2 3 9 ) (2 0 1 4 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i on o m i tt ed ). H av i n g p res en t ed t h e

i s s u e t o t h e t ri al co u rt as an i s s u e of l aw

– an d h av in g fai l ed t o p res en t an y p a r o l

ev i d en ce

– Dav i s can n ot n ow co m p l ai n t h at t h e t ri al co urt erred i n ru l i n g w it ho u t fi rs t

co n si d eri n g p aro l ev i d en ce.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Do yl e, P. J., a n d

Go b ei l , J., co n cu r

.

9