Title: Jones v. Ball
Citation: 320 So. 2d 665
Docket Number: N/A
State: Alabama
Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court
Date: October 2, 1975

320 So. 2d 665 (1975)
Hardie JONES et al.
v.
Geraldine BALL et al.
SC 1212.

Supreme Court of Alabama.
October 2, 1975.
*666 Beck &amp; Beck, Fort Payne, for appellants.
Kellett &amp; Scruggs, Fort Payne, for appellees.
EMBRY, Justice.
The action from which this appeal stems commenced with the filing of a statutory bill to quiet title by plaintiffs, Hardie Jones and wife. The bill alleged title in him derived from adverse possession to, and ouster of his cotenants, the defendants. Defendants' answer denied title in him. They counterclaimed and prayed for sale and division of proceeds from sale of the property. The trial court denied relief to plaintiffs and granted relief to defendants on their counterclaim. Plaintiffs appeal from the judgment granting relief under that counterclaim. We affirm.
The property which is the subject matter of this controversy was originally owned by Thomas Jones. Upon his death in 1933, and the subsequent death in 1936 of his wife, their six children took title to the property as tenants in common.[1] One of Jones' sons, Hardie (plaintiff here), entered into possession of the property at that time. The record shows that he has been in continuous possession of the property since that time. At various times he has farmed, pastured, and collected rents on the land. In the judgment which granted relief under the counterclaim the trial court made the following finding:
The issues presented for review by the eleven assignments of error: (1) Is the judgment contrary to the weight of the evidence? (2) Did the trial court err in failing to consider the question of laches as a bar to counterclaimants' assertion of title? *667 In Jenks v. Jenks, 292 Ala. 328, 334, 294 So. 2d 147, 152 (1974), this court quoting from earlier cases said:
The trial court's findings on evidence adduced ore tenus is cloaked with a presumption of validity and will be disturbed only when manifestly erroneous. Almon v. Champion International Corp., 293 Ala. 727, 310 So. 2d 207 (1975).
Under the rules as stated in Jenks we cannot say that the findings were erroneous. The evidence indicates that on two occasions Hardie Jones attempted to obtain the signatures of other cotenants on a deed conveying the property to him. This is indicative of a recognition of their rights. The tax assessments and tax receipts show that while Hardie Jones paid those taxes,[2] the property was assessed as the "Thomas Jones Estate." Further, we find evidence in the record from which the trial judge could properly conclude that Hardie Jones' continued possession and use of the property and collection of rents was by permission of his cotenants. The evidence is ample to support the findings contained in the judgment of the trial court as well as the judgment itself. It is clear that the adverse claim of Hardie Jones was never brought home to the other cotenants. Jenks, supra.
The rights and remedies of counterclaimants are not barred by laches in this case.
The judgment of the court does not, on its face, indicate consideration of the laches question. However, granting relief under the counterclaim necessarily resolved the question of laches adversely to plaintiffs.
*668 The evidence in the record does not show a change in circumstances in this case which would bar the relief requested by counterclaimants.
Affirmed.
HEFLIN, C.J., and MERRILL, BLOODWORTH, MADDOX, FAULKNER, JONES, ALMON and SHORES, JJ., concur.
[1]  While not clear from the record, Thomas Jones apparently died intestate. Thus his property, subject to widow's dower rights, descended to his children as tenants in common. Code of Ala., Tit. 16, §§ 1, 9.
[2]  Following the death of Thomas Jones in 1933, the taxes were paid by Ernest Jones until 1947, at which time Hardie Jones began paying the taxes.