Title: McClung v. Green
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 1100218
State: Alabama
Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court
Date: June 17, 2011

REL: 06-17-2011 
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, 2010-2011 
1100218 
V i r g i n i a L o u i s e McClung 
v. 
L e l a V i r g i n i a Green and B r i d g e t W i l l i a m s 
Appeal from Morgan C i r c u i t 
Court 
(CV-07-900057) 
STUART, 
J u s t i c e . 
V i r g i n i a L o u i s e M c C l u n g ( " V i r g i n i a " ) a p p e a l s t h e j u d g m e n t 
e n t e r e d b y t h e 
Morgan 
C i r c u i t C o u r t 
r e f o r m i n g a J a n u a r y 1979 
d e e d t h a t c o n v e y e d a r e m a i n d e r i n t e r e s t i n 
1 2 a c r e s o f 
l a n d 
t o 
h e r a n d h e r b r o t h e r , 
C h a r l e s G r e e n 
( " C h a r l e s " ) , who i s 
now 
1100218 
d e c e a s e d , as j o i n t t e n a n t s w i t h t h e r i g h t o f s u r v i v o r s h i p 
t o 
i n s t e a d c o n v e y a r e m a i n d e r i n t e r e s t i n t h a t p r o p e r t y t o them 
as t e n a n t s i n common. 
We r e v e r s e a n d remand. 
I . 
On J a n u a r y 24, 1979, i n c o n t e m p l a t i o n o f b e i n g d i v o r c e d , 
E l b e r t G r e e n ( " E l b e r t " ) a n d L o r e t t a G r e e n ( " L o r e t t a " ) 
e x e c u t e d 
a 
s e p a r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t i n w h i c h 
t h e y 
a g r e e d 
t o c o n v e y two 
p a r c e l s o f p r o p e r t y i n 
M o r g a n C o u n t y ("the 
p r o p e r t y " ) t o t h e i r 
a d u l t 
c h i l d r e n , 
V i r g i n i a a n d C h a r l e s , "as t e n a n t s i n common, 
r e s e r v i n g u n t o t h e m s e l v e s 
a l i f e 
e s t a t e t h e r e i n . " 
T h a t same 
day, E l b e r t a n d L o r e t t a e x e c u t e d a w a r r a n t y d e e d r e s e r v i n g t o 
t h e m s e l v e s 
a 
l i f e 
e s t a t e 
i n t h e p r o p e r t y 
b u t 
o t h e r w i s e 
c o n v e y i n g t h e p r o p e r t y t o V i r g i n i a a n d C h a r l e s " f o r a n d d u r i n g 
t h e i r 
j o i n t 
l i v e s a n d upon t h e d e a t h o f e i t h e r o f them, 
t h e n 
t o t h e s u r v i v o r o f them i n f e e s i m p l e . " 
None o f t h e p a r t i e s 
i n v o l v e d 
a p p e a r 
t o 
h a v e 
r e c o g n i z e d 
a t 
t h a t 
t i m e 
t h e 
d i s c r e p a n c y b e t w e e n t h e s e p a r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t , w h i c h 
p r o v i d e d 
t h a t V i r g i n i a a n d C h a r l e s were t o t a k e t h e p r o p e r t y as t e n a n t s  
i n common, a n d t h e d e e d , w h i c h c o n v e y e d t h e p r o p e r t y t o them 
as j o i n t t e n a n t s w i t h t h e r i g h t o f s u r v i v o r s h i p ; t h e d e e d was 
r e c o r d e d 
on J a n u a r y 
24, 1979. 
On 
J a n u a r y 
26, 1979, t h e 
2 
1100218 
L a w r e n c e C i r c u i t C o u r t e n t e r e d an o r d e r 
f i n a l i z i n g E l b e r t and 
L o r e t t a ' s 
d i v o r c e ; 
t h a t 
o r d e r 
s p e c i f i c a l l y 
" r a t i f i e d 
and 
c o n f i r m e d " 
t h e s e p a r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t t h e y h a d e x e c u t e d two d a y s 
e a r l i e r . 
I n J u l y 1992, C h a r l e s 
d i e d . 
H i s s o l e h e i r was h i s t h e n 
2 1 - y e a r - o l d 
d a u g h t e r , 
B r i d g e t 
W i l l i a m s 
( " B r i d g e t " ) . 
I n 
J a n u a r y 1999, E l b e r t m a r r i e d 
L e l a V i r g i n i a 
( " L e l a " ) . 
E l b e r t 
and 
L o r e t t a c o n t i n u e d 
t o p o s s e s s t h e p r o p e r t y t h r o u g h o u t 
t h i s 
t i m e and 
s p l i t 
t h e r e n t a l i n c o m e 
t h a t was 
g e n e r a t e d 
f r o m a 
r e s t a u r a n t and f r o m t r a i l e r s t h a t were s t o r e d on t h e p r o p e r t y . 
On J u n e 17, 2007, L o r e t t a d i e d , l e a v i n g h e r e n t i r e e s t a t e 
t o V i r g i n i a . 
A d i s p u t e s u b s e q u e n t l y a r o s e b e t w e e n E l b e r t and 
V i r g i n i a 
r e g a r d i n g 
who 
was 
e n t i t l e d 
t o t h e 
r e n t a l 
i n c o m e 
L o r e t t a h a d p r e v i o u s l y 
r e c e i v e d 
f r o m t h e p r o p e r t y , 
a n d , on 
J u n e 2 1 , 2007, an a t t o r n e y r e t a i n e d by V i r g i n i a s e n t E l b e r t a 
l e t t e r o u t l i n i n g V i r g i n i a ' s p o s i t i o n t h a t she was e n t i t l e d t o 
o n e - h a l f 
o f t h e r e n t a l i n c o m e f r o m t h e p r o p e r t y . 
On J u l y 11, 
2007, E l b e r t i n i t i a t e d t h i s a c t i o n i n t h e M o r g a n C i r c u i t C o u r t 
by 
f i l i n g a c o m p l a i n t 
s e e k i n g a j u d g m e n t d e c l a r i n g h i m t o be 
t h e 
r i g h t f u l owner o f a l l 
r e n t s 
r e c e i v e d f r o m t h e 
p r o p e r t y . 
He a l s o s o u g h t r e f o r m a t i o n 
o f t h e J a n u a r y 1979 d e e d , 
a r g u i n g 
3 
1100218 
t h a t he and 
L o r e t t a had 
i n t e n d e d f o r V i r g i n i a and 
C h a r l e s 
t o 
t a k e t h e p r o p e r t y as t e n a n t s i n common a f t e r h i s and L o r e t t a ' s 
l i f e 
e s t a t e e x p i r e d b u t t h a t , o w i n g t o a m u t u a l m i s t a k e , 
t h e 
d e e d had 
e r r o n e o u s l y 
c o n v e y e d 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y 
t o 
V i r g i n i a 
and 
C h a r l e s as 
j o i n t t e n a n t s w i t h t h e 
r i g h t o f s u r v i v o r s h i p . 
He 
was 
j o i n e d i n t h e c o m p l a i n t by h i s g r a n d d a u g h t e r B r i d g e t , 
who 
w o u l d 
i n h e r i t 
h e r d e c e a s e d f a t h e r C h a r l e s ' s 
f u t u r e 
o n e - h a l f 
i n t e r e s t 
i n t h e 
p r o p e r t y 
i f t h e d e e d was 
r e f o r m e d . 
A b s e n t 
r e f o r m a t i o n , C h a r l e s ' s f u t u r e i n t e r e s t i n t h e p r o p e r t y w o u l d 
h a v e b e e n e x t i n g u i s h e d upon h i s d e a t h , and V i r g i n i a w o u l d t a k e 
s o l e p o s s e s s i o n o f t h e p r o p e r t y upon E l b e r t ' s d e a t h . 
V i r g i n i a 
f i l e d 
an 
a n s w e r 
o p p o s i n g 
E l b e r t ' s and 
B r i d g e t ' s c l a i m s 
and 
a s s e r t i n g a c o u n t e r c l a i m s e e k i n g o n e - h a l f o f t h e r e n t a l i n c o m e 
d e r i v e d f r o m t h e 
p r o p e r t y . 
On 
J u l y 
28, 
2009, E l b e r t d i e d , 
and 
h i s widow L e l a 
was 
s u b s t i t u t e d as a p l a i n t i f f . 
The 
t r i a l c o u r t c o n d u c t e d 
a b e n c h 
t r i a l on F e b r u a r y 
17, 2010, 
and, on J u l y 28, 2010, 
e n t e r e d i t s 
f i n a l j u d g m e n t , h o l d i n g , i n p e r t i n e n t p a r t , as 
f o l l o w s : 
" A c c o r d i n g l y , i t i s o r d e r e d and a d j u d g e d by 
t h e 
c o u r t t h a t t h e s u b j e c t d e e d i s r e f o r m e d 
and r e c a s t , 
i n 
p a r t , 
t o 
r e a d 
t h a t 
t h e 
f e e 
s i m p l e 
r e m a i n d e r 
i n t e r e s t s 
i n t h e 
t r a c t s 
o f 
l a n d more 
p a r t i c u l a r l y 
d e s c r i b e d 
t h e r e i n a r e 
c o n v e y e d 
t o 
V i r g i n i a 
L o u i s e 
M c C l u n g 
and 
C h a r l e s 
E l b e r t G r e e n , 
as 
t e n a n t s 
i n 
4 
1100218 
common 
and 
n o t 
as 
j o i n t 
t e n a n t s 
w i t h 
r i g h t 
o f 
s u r v i v o r s h i p . 
" I t i s f u r t h e r o r d e r e d 
and d e c l a r e d by t h e 
c o u r t 
t h a t 
a f t e r 
t h e d e a t h o f L o r e t t a H. G r e e n and 
u n t i l 
h i s 
l a t e r 
d e a t h , 
E l b e r t O. 
G r e e n 
was 
e n t i t l e d 
t o 
r e c e i v e 
and 
r e t a i n 
f o r 
h i m s e l f 
a l l r e n t s 
d e r i v e d 
f r o m t h e 
r e a l e s t a t e more p a r t i c u l a r l y d e s c r i b e d 
i n 
t h e 
s u b j e c t 
d e e d . " 
V i r g i n i a ' s s u b s e q u e n t m o t i o n t o a l t e r , amend, o r v a c a t e 
t h a t 
j u d g m e n t was 
d e n i e d 
on O c t o b e r 15, 
2010, 
and, 
on November 
19, 
2010, 
V i r g i n i a 
f i l e d 
h e r 
n o t i c e o f a p p e a l 
t o t h i s 
C o u r t . 
I I . 
T h i s c a s e was 
d e c i d e d 
by t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t w i t h o u t 
a j u r y . 
"'[W]hen 
a 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
h e a r s 
o r e 
t e n u s 
t e s t i m o n y , 
i t s 
f i n d i n g s 
on 
d i s p u t e d 
f a c t s 
a r e 
p r e s u m e d 
c o r r e c t 
and 
i t s j u d g m e n t b a s e d 
on 
t h o s e 
f i n d i n g s w i l l n o t be r e v e r s e d u n l e s s t h e j u d g m e n t i s 
p a l p a b l y e r r o n e o u s 
o r m a n i f e s t l y u n j u s t . ' 
P h i l p o t 
 
v. 
S t a t e , 
843 
So. 
2d 
122, 
125 
( A l a . 2002 ). 
'"The 
p r e s u m p t i o n 
o f 
c o r r e c t n e s s , h o w e v e r , 
i s 
r e b u t t a b l e 
and 
may 
be 
o v e r c o m e 
where 
t h e r e 
i s 
i n s u f f i c i e n t 
e v i d e n c e p r e s e n t e d 
t o t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t t o s u s t a i n i t s 
j u d g m e n t . " ' 
Waltman 
v. 
R o w e l l , 
913 
So. 
2d 
1083, 
1086 
( A l a . 2005) 
( q u o t i n g D e n n i s v. Dobbs, 474 
So. 
2d 
77 , 
79 
( A l a . 
1 
9 8 5 ) ) . 
' A d d i t i o n a l l y , t h e 
o r e 
t e n u s 
r u l e 
d o e s 
n o t 
e x t e n d 
t o 
c l o a k 
w i t h 
a 
p r e s u m p t i o n 
o f 
c o r r e c t n e s s 
a 
t r i a l 
j u d g e ' s 
c o n c l u s i o n s 
o f 
l a w 
o r t h e 
i n c o r r e c t a p p l i c a t i o n o f 
l a w 
t o t h e 
f a c t s . ' 
I d . " 
F a d a l l a v. 
F a d a l l a , 929 
So. 
2d 429, 
433 
( A l a . 2 0 0 5 ) . 
On 
a p p e a l , 
V i r g i n i a 
c h a l l e n g e s 
o n l y 
t h a t 
p a r t 
o f 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s j u d g m e n t r e f o r m i n g 
t h e 
J a n u a r y 
1979 
d e e d ; 
she 
5 
1100218 
e x p r e s s l y s t a t e s t h a t she i s 
n o t c o n t e s t i n g t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
j u d g m e n t i n s o f a r as i t 
h e l d t h a t E l b e r t was e n t i t l e d t o t h e 
e n t i r e t y o f t h e r e n t a l i n c o m e d e r i v e d f r o m t h e p r o p e r t y 
d u r i n g 
t h e 
p e r i o d b e t w e e n L o r e t t a ' s d e a t h and h i s own d e a t h . 
The 
i s s u e 
b e f o r e 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
i s t h e r e f o r e 
w h e t h e r 
s u f f i c i e n t 
e v i d e n c e 
was a d d u c e d a t t r i a l t o s u p p o r t 
t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
r e f o r m a t i o n o f t h e d e e d . 
I I I . 
I n B e a s l e y v . M e l l o n F i n a n c i a l S e r v i c e s C o r p . , 569 So. 2d 
389, 393-94 ( A l a . 1 9 9 0 ) , we e x p l a i n e d t h e l a w r e l e v a n t t o 
t h e 
r e f o r m a t i o n o f d e e d s as f o l l o w s : 
"Alabama Code 1975, § 3 5 - 4 - 1 5 3 , p r o v i d e s 
t h a t 
any 
p e r s o n may sue t o r e f o r m a d e e d , m o r t g a g e , o r 
o t h e r 
c o n v e y a n c e 
t h a t i s b a s e d on f r a u d o r m u t u a l 
m i s t a k e . 
I n 
t h e 
i n s t a n t 
c a s e , 
t h e r e 
i s no 
a l l e g a t i o n o f f r a u d ; t h e r e f o r e , t h e r e f o r m a t i o n must 
h a v e b e e n b a s e d upon m u t u a l i t y o f m i s t a k e 
b e t w e e n 
t h e 
p a r t i e s . 
Where t h e r e f o r m a t i o n 
i s b a s e d on 
m i s t a k e , t h e e x i s t e n c e o f a v a l i d a g r e e m e n t t o w h i c h 
t h e i n s t r u m e n t c a n be made t o c o n f o r m i s e s s e n t i a l . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t c a n n o t make t h e i n s t r u m e n t 
e x p r e s s 
a 
new 
c o n t r a c t 
f o r t h e 
p a r t i e s . 
R a t h e r , 
t h e 
p r i n c i p l e on w h i c h r e f o r m a t i o n i s b a s e d i s c l e a r -¬
i f 
t h e i n t e n t o f t h e p a r t i e s was t o c o n v e y t h e 
p r o p e r t y 
a c t u a l l y 
d e s c r i b e d , b u t t h e p a r t i e s were 
i n d u c e d t o e n t e r 
i n t o t h e a g r e e m e n t b y a m i s t a k e as 
t o t h e e x t e n t o r n a t u r e o f t h e c o n t r a c t , t h e r e c a n 
be no r e f o r m a t i o n ; h o w e v e r , 
' i f t h e i n t e n t was t o  
c o n v e y t h e p r o p e r t y as i t 
was known t o e x i s t , b u t  
t h e m i s t a k e was i n t h e d e s c r i p t i o n , r e f o r m a t i o n i s 
 
p r o p e r . ' 
M c C l i n t o c k on E q u i t y , Ch. 8, § 95 a t 258 
6 
1100218 
( 1 9 4 8 ) . 
( E m p h a s i s 
added.) 
Such 
an 
e r r o r 
e s t a b l i s h e s 
m u t u a l i t y 
o f 
m i s t a k e , 
and, 
when 
one 
s e e k s r e f o r m a t i o n i t i s i m m a t e r i a l who 
e m p l o y e d 
t h e 
d r a f t s m a n . 
See C l e m o n s v. 
M a l l e t t , 
445 
So. 
2d 
276 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 4 ) . 
Where t h e s o l e g r o u n d f o r 
r e f o r m a t i o n 
i s m i s t a k e , 
t h e m i s t a k e must be m u t u a l as t o a l l o f 
t h e 
p a r t i e s , 
b u t 
o n l y 
i n t h e 
s e n s e 
t h a t 
t h e y 
must 
a l l 
have 
a g r e e d 
t o 
t h e 
same 
t e r m s 
and 
h a v e 
m i s t a k e n l y 
assumed 
t h a t 
t h o s e 
t e r m s were 
p r o p e r l y 
e x p r e s s e d 
i n 
t h e 
i n s t r u m e n t . 
Where 
t h e r e 
a r e 
s e v e r a l p a r t i e s t o t h e t r a n s a c t i o n , a l l p a r t i e s must 
h a v e i n t e n d e d 
t h e same a g r e e m e n t o r e l s e t h e r e 
c a n 
be 
no 
r e f o r m a t i o n . 
Whenever 
t h e r e 
has 
b e e n 
a 
m i s t a k e 
i n a d e e d so t h a t i t f a i l s 
t o e x p r e s s 
what 
t h e 
p a r t i e s i n t e n d e d , 
a 
c o u r t 
o f 
e q u i t y 
may, 
as 
b e t w e e n 
t h e 
p a r t i e s , 
r e f o r m 
i t i n a c c o r d a n c e 
w i t h 
t h e t r a n s a c t i o n as i t was 
a c t u a l l y a g r e e d u p o n . 
See 
C i t y o f O n e o n t a v. S a w y e r , 244 A l a . 25, 
12 So. 2d 
82 
( 1 9 4 3 ) . 
" I n 
o r d e r 
t o 
r e f o r m 
a 
d e e d 
p u r s u a n t 
t o 
t h e 
s t a t u t e 
so 
as 
t o 
e x p r e s s 
t h e 
i n t e n t i o n s 
o f 
t h e 
p a r t i e s 
t h e r e t o , t h e p a r t y 
s e e k i n g 
r e f o r m a t i o n 
has 
t h e b u r d e n 
o f 
p r o v i n g 
w i t h 
c l e a r , 
c o n v i n c i n g , 
and 
s a t i s f a c t o r y e v i d e n c e 
t h a t t h e i n t e n t i o n he s e e k s t o 
s u b s t i t u t e was 
t h a t o f b o t h 
p a r t i e s . 
T o u c h s t o n e 
v. 
P e t e r s o n , 
443 
So. 
2d 1219 
( A l a . 1 9 8 3 ) . " 
As i n B e a s l e y , 
t h e r e i s no 
a l l e g a t i o n o f f r a u d i n t h e i n s t a n t 
c a s e , 
and 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
o r d e r e d 
t h e 
d e e d 
t o 
be 
r e f o r m e d 
s o l e l y 
on 
t h e 
b a s i s o f m i s t a k e . 
I n P u l l u m 
v. 
P u l l u m , 
[Ms. 
1 0 9 0 6 7 5 , S e p t e m b e r 24, 
2010] 
So. 
3d 
, 
( A l a . 2 0 1 0 ) , 
we f u r t h e r e x p l a i n e d t h a t when p r o p e r t y i s c o n v e y e d as a 
g i f t , 
w i t h no c o n s i d e r a t i o n b e i n g g i v e n by t h e g r a n t e e , 
r e f o r m a t i o n 
i s p e r m i s s i b l e b a s e d on 
a u n i l a t e r a l 
m i s t a k e 
o f t h e 
g r a n t o r 
7 
1100218 
r e g a r d l e s s o f t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e g r a n t e e a t t h e t i m e o f 
t h e c o n v e y a n c e . 
T h e r e f o r e , we must d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r t h e r e 
i s 
e v i d e n c e i n 
t h e r e c o r d i n d i c a t i n g t h a t b o t h E l b e r t and L o r e t t a 
i n t e n d e d t o c o n v e y 
a r e m a i n d e r 
i n t e r e s t i n t h e p r o p e r t y t o 
V i r g i n i a and C h a r l e s as t e n a n t s i n common -- as o p p o s e d t o 
j o i n t 
t e n a n t s w i t h t h e r i g h t o f s u r v i v o r s h i p -- a t t h e t i m e 
t h e y e x e c u t e d t h e J a n u a r y 1979 d e e d . 
See F a d a l l a , 929 So. 2d 
a t 
434 
("In d e t e r m i n i n g w h e t h e r a m u t u a l 
m i s t a k e 
e x i s t s , 
' [ t ] h e 
i n i t i a l 
f a c t u a l 
q u e s t i o n i s , 
o f c o u r s e , 
what t h e 
p a r t i e s i n t e n d e d t h e i n s t r u m e n t s t o e x p r e s s a t t h e t i m e 
t h e y 
were e x e c u t e d . ' " 
( q u o t i n g J i m W a l t e r Homes, I n c . 
v . 
P h i f e r , 
432 
So. 2d 1 2 4 1 , 1242 ( A l a . 1 
9 8 3 ) , 
c i t i n g i n t u r n Behan v . 
F r i e d m a n , 218 A l a . 513, 119 So. 20 ( 1 9 2 8 ) ) ) . 
W i t h 
r e g a r d t o E l b e r t , 
t h e r e i s some e v i d e n c e i n t h e 
r e c o r d i n d i c a t i n g t h a t , a t t h e t i m e t h e J a n u a r y 1979 d e e d was 
e x e c u t e d , he t h o u g h t i t 
c o n v e y e d a r e m a i n d e r 
i n t e r e s t i n 
t h e 
p r o p e r t y t o V i r g i n i a and C h a r l e s as t e n a n t s i n common. 
When 
q u e s t i o n e d 
by 
h e r 
a t t o r n e y 
a t 
t r i a l , 
B r i d g e t 
gave 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g t e s t i m o n y on t h i s 
s u b j e c t : 
"Q. And d u r i n g [a J u n e 2007 m e e t i n g 
t h a t 
E l b e r t , 
L e l a , and B r i d g e t h a d w i t h t h e i r a t t o r n e y a f t e r 
E l b e r t r e c e i v e d t h e J u n e 2 1 , 2007, 
l e t t e r 
f r o m 
8 
1100218 
V i r g i n i a ' s 
a t t o r n e y ] 
was 
t h e r e 
a 
d i s c u s s i o n 
a b o u t t h e d e e d ? 
"A. 
[ E l b e r t ] b r o u g h t i t 
up t o y o u r a t t e n t i o n
[
1
] and 
was 
t a l k i n g and s t a t e d 
t h a t he w a n t e d you t o 
know and w a n t e d t o make s u r e t h a t i f s o m e t h i n g 
h a p p e n e d t o h i m t h a t 
I was 
g o i n g 
t o g e t my 
s h a r e . 
"Q. 
And t h e n a t t h a t p o i n t , he g o t some a d v i c e 
t h a t 
he w a s n ' t e x p e c t i n g t o h e a r ? 
"A. 
R i g h t . 
"Q. 
And what h a p p e n e d when he g o t t h a t 
a d v i c e ? 
"A. He was u p s e t b e c a u s e he t h o u g h t a l l a l o n g -¬
" [ V i r g i n i a ' s 
a t t o r n e y ] : 
W e l l , we 
o b j e c t 
t o 'he 
t h o u g h t . ' 
"Q. 
What d i d 
he s a y a b o u t t h e 
a d v i c e ? 
"A. 
T h a t t h a t ' s n o t t h e way t h a t i t 
was s u p p o s e d t o 
be 
w r i t t e n . " 
T h i s 
t e s t i m o n y i n d i c a t i n g t h a t E l b e r t was s u r p r i s e d t o l e a r n 
t h a t 
B r i d g e t 
w o u l d n o t i n h e r i t 
C h a r l e s ' s 
i n t e r e s t i n t h e 
p r o p e r t y 
s u p p o r t s t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
f i n d i n g 
t h a t 
E l b e r t ' s 
i n t e n t i n e x e c u t i n g t h e J a n u a r y 1979 d e e d was f o r 
V i r g i n i a and 
C h a r l e s 
t o t a k e 
a r e m a i n d e r 
i n t e r e s t i n t h e p r o p e r t y 
as 
t e n a n t s i n common. 
However, b e f o r e t h e d e e d c a n be r e f o r m e d 
t o c o n f o r m w i t h E l b e r t ' s i n t e n t , t h e r e must a l s o be e v i d e n c e 
1The 
a t t o r n e y 
r e p r e s e n t i n g 
B r i d g e t a t t r i a l was t h e same 
a t t o r n e y w i t h whom E l b e r t , L e l a , and B r i d g e t met i n J u n e 2007. 
9 
1100218 
i n d i c a t i n g t h a t L o r e t t a h a d t h a t same i n t e n t when t h e d e e d was 
e x e c u t e d . 
The 
o n l y 
s p e c i f i c 
e v i d e n c e 
a d d u c e d 
a t 
t r i a l 
r e g a r d i n g 
L o r e t t a ' s 
i n t e n t was t h e f o l l o w i n g e x c h a n g e 
b e t w e e n 
V i r g i n i a and h e r a t t o r n e y 
a f t e r V i r g i n i a was q u e s t i o n e d a b o u t 
L o r e t t a ' s u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e d e e d : 
"Q. 
And how l o n g h a v e you known o f t h e e x i s t e n c e o f 
t h a t 
deed? 
"A. 
I 
h a v e 
b e e n 
t o l d 
a b o u t 
i t e v e r 
s i n c e 
t h e 
d i v o r c e . 
"Q. 
Okay. 
"A. 
I t 
[ r e c e i v e d ] 
p a r t i c u l a r 
a t t e n t i o n 
when 
my 
b r o t h e r 
d i e d . 
"Q. 
A l l 
r i g h t . 
Now, who 
t o l d you a b o u t i t a f t e r 
t h e 
d i v o r c e ? 
"A. 
M o t h e r , you know, t o l d me a b o u t i t 
many 
t i m e s . 
"Q. 
Okay. 
What d i d 
y o u r m o t h e r 
t e l l you a b o u t 
t h a t 
deed? 
"A. When t h e y g o t t h e d i v o r c e , she was 
t e l l i n g 
me 
t h e a r r a n g e m e n t s t h a t t h e y h a d made 
p e r s o n a l l y 
a b o u t 
o t h e r 
p r o p e r t y 
and 
t h a t 
t h e 
o r i g i n a l 
t r a c t o f p r o p e r t y h a d b e e n d e e d e d t o me and my 
b r o t h e r as s o l e 
s u r v i v o r s . 
"Q. 
E l a b o r a t e 
on t h a t , as s o l e s u r v i v o r s . 
D i d she 
t e l l 
you 
w h e t h e r 
o r 
n o t 
t h e r e 
was 
a 
s u r v i v o r s h i p 
c l a u s e ? 
"A. She 
s a i d 
t h a t 
i f s o m e t h i n g 
h a p p e n e d 
t o me, 
e v e r y t h i n g 
w o u l d go t o C h a r l e s . 
I f s o m e t h i n g 
h a p p e n e d t o C h a r l e s , 
e v e r y t h i n g w o u l d go t o me. 
10 
1100218 
"Q. 
Okay. 
So i t 
w o u l d be y o u r t e s t i m o n y 
t h a t 
y o u r 
m o t h e r was aware o f t h e c o n t e n t s 
o f t h e d e e d , 
P l a i n t i f f ' s 
E x h i b i t 2, as o f 1979 o r '80 o r 
t h e r e a b o u t s ? 
"A. Y e s , y e s . " 
Of c o u r s e , 
t h i s t e s t i m o n y d o e s n o t c o n c l u s i v e l y e s t a b l i s h t h a t 
t h e J a n u a r y 1979 d e e d a c c u r a t e l y r e f l e c t e d L o r e t t a ' s 
i n t e n t , 
b e c a u s e , 
u n d e r 
t h e o r e t e n u s 
r u l e , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
j u d g e i s 
empowered t o w e i g h t h e c r e d i b i l i t y o f w i t n e s s 
and d e t e r m i n e 
how much w e i g h t t o a s s i g n t o t h e i r 
t e s t i m o n y . 
E u b a n k s v .  
H a l e , 752 So. 2d 1113, 1148 ( A l a . 1 9 9 9 ) . 
N e v e r t h e l e s s , 
b e f o r e 
t h e J a n u a r y 1979 d e e d c a n be r e f o r m e d , t h e r e must be a t l e a s t 
some e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t i n g t h a t L o r e t t a d i d 
n o t i n t e n d t o c o n v e y 
t h e r e m a i n d e r i n t e r e s t i n 
t h e p r o p e r t y t o V i r g i n i a and C h a r l e s 
as 
j o i n t 
t e n a n t s 
w i t h r i g h t s o f s u r v i v o r s h i p . 
L e l a 
and 
B r i d g e t 
a r g u e , 
f i r s t , 
t h a t 
t h e 
s e p a r a t i o n 
a g r e e m e n t and t h e d i v o r c e j u d g m e n t p r o v i d e 
s u f f i c i e n t e v i d e n c e 
o f 
L o r e t t a ' s 
i n t e n t 
t o c o n v e y 
t h e r e m a i n d e r 
i n t e r e s t t o 
V i r g i n i a 
and C h a r l e s 
as 
j o i n t 
t e n a n t s 
w i t h 
t h e r i g h t 
o f 
s u r v i v o r s h i p t o j u s t i f y r e f o r m a t i o n o f t h e J a n u a r y 1979 d e e d . 
We 
d i s a g r e e . 
The 
d i s c r e p a n c y 
b e t w e e n 
t h e 
d o c u m e n t s 
e s t a b l i s h e s t h a t e i t h e r t h e s e p a r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t o r t h e d e e d 
d i d 
n o t a c c u r a t e l y 
r e f l e c t 
L o r e t t a ' s 
i n t e n t a t t h e t i m e 
t h e y 
11 
1100218 
were 
e x e c u t e d ; 
h o w e v e r , 
t h e 
mere 
f a c t 
t h a t 
t h e r e 
i s 
a 
d i s c r e p a n c y b e t w e e n t h o s e d o c u m e n t s s h e d s no 
l i g h t 
on 
w h i c h 
document i s , i n f a c t , e r r o n e o u s .
2 
I n d e e d , i f t h e d i s c r e p a n c y 
b e t w e e n t h e s e p a r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t and t h e d e e d i s a 
s u f f i c i e n t 
b a s i s upon w h i c h t o r e f o r m t h e d e e d p u r s u a n t t o § 3 5 - 4 - 1 5 3 , 
A l a . Code 1975, 
i t w o u l d 
a l s o h a v e t o s e r v e as a 
s u f f i c i e n t 
b a s i s upon w h i c h t o r e f o r m t h e s e p a r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t p u r s u a n t 
t o 
§ 
8-1-2, 
A l a . Code 
1975, 
and 
t h e 
r e s o l u t i o n 
o f 
t h e 
d i s c r e p a n c y w o u l d t h e n h i n g e m e r e l y on who 
s o u g h t t o r e f o r m 
w h i c h document 
f i r s t , 
as o p p o s e d 
t o s p e c i f i c e v i d e n c e o f t h e 
i n t e n t o f t h e 
p a r t i e s . 
L e l a and B r i d g e t n e x t a r g u e 
t h a t E l b e r t ' s and 
L o r e t t a ' s 
i n t e n t may 
be g l e a n e d f r o m a n o t e t h e a t t o r n e y who 
a s s i s t e d 
E l b e r t and L o r e t t a w i t h b o t h t h e s e p a r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t and t h e 
d e e d w r o t e i n a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1990 when E l b e r t and L e l a went t o 
h i m t o i n q u i r e a b o u t 
s e l l i n g t h e p r o p e r t y . 
T h a t n o t e 
s t a t e s 
i n i t s e n t i r e t y : 
"Mr. 
[ E l b e r t ] G r e e n -- a l l 
4 have t o s i g n t o 
2 V i r g i n i a s p e c u l a t e s i n h e r b r i e f t h a t p e r h a p s h e r p a r e n t s 
c h a n g e d 
t h e i r m i n d s r e g a r d i n g t h e manner i n w h i c h t h e y w i s h e d 
t o c o n v e y t h e r e m a i n d e r i n t e r e s t i n t h e i n t e r v a l b e t w e e n when 
t h e y e x e c u t e d t h e s e p a r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t and when t h e y e x e c u t e d 
t h e d e e d ; h o w e v e r , g i v e n t h a t 
E l b e r t and 
L o r e t t a a p p a r e n t l y 
e x e c u t e d 
t h e d o c u m e n t s 
d u r i n g 
t h e same m e e t i n g 
w i t h 
t h e i r 
a t t o r n e y , s u c h a s c e n a r i o seems 
i m p l a u s i b l e . 
12 
1100218 
s e l l any -- y o u r s e l f , V i r g i n i a , 
C h a r l e s ' s d a u g h t e r B r i d g e t & 
L o r e t t a H. G r e e n ! " 
As L e l a and B r i d g e t h a v e c o r r e c t l y n o t e d , 
i t 
w o u l d have 
b e e n 
n e c e s s a r y 
f o r B r i d g e t t o a u t h o r i z e any 
c o n v e y a n c e o f t h e p r o p e r t y 
o n l y i f V i r g i n i a and C h a r l e s h a d 
b e e n c o n v e y e d a f u t u r e i n t e r e s t i n t h e p r o p e r t y as t e n a n t s i n 
common and B r i d g e t h a d i n h e r i t e d C h a r l e s ' s 
i n t e r e s t when he 
d i e d . 
A t 
t r i a l , 
L e l a 
s t a t e d 
t h a t 
d u r i n g 
h e r and 
E l b e r t ' s 
m e e t i n g w i t h t h e a t t o r n e y , t h e a t t o r n e y d i d n o t r e v i e w t h e 
s e p a r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t , t h e d i v o r c e j u d g m e n t , t h e d e e d , o r any 
o t h e r d o c u m e n t s 
b e f o r e 
e x p r e s s i n g h i s o p i n i o n a b o u t how t h e 
p r o p e r t y c o u l d be s o l d . 
I n d e p o s i t i o n t e s t i m o n y 
s u b m i t t e d t o 
t h e c o u r t , t h e a t t o r n e y s t a t e d t h a t he w o u l d have r e v i e w e d t h e 
d e e d 
b e f o r e 
g i v i n g 
t h i s 
a d v i c e 
and t h a t he d i d n o t know 
w h e t h e r he a l s o l o o k e d a t t h e s e p a r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t 
" b e c a u s e 
t h a t d e e d s p e a k s f o r i t s e l f . "
3 
The a t t o r n e y a l s o a c k n o w l e d g e d 
t h a t 
d u r i n g h i s many 
y e a r s 
o f p r a c t i c e he h a d p r e p a r e d 
a t 
l e a s t some d e e d s c o n t a i n i n g e r r o r s t h a t s u b s e q u e n t l y h a d t o be 
c o r r e c t e d ; 
h o w e v e r , he a l s o 
e x p r e s s e d 
h i s o p i n i o n 
t h a t t h e 
3 T h e a t t o r n e y 
o f f e r s no e x p l a n a t i o n as t o why t h e l e g a l 
a d v i c e he gave was i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e d e e d . 
13 
1100218 
d e e d i n t h i s c a s e was n o t e r r o n e o u s .
4 
U l t i m a t e l y , t h e r e f o r e , 
t h i s n o t e m i g h t s h e d some l i g h t on E l b e r t ' s u n d e r s t a n d i n g 
o f 
t h e d e e d -- i f 
one s u r m i s e s t h a t t h e a t t o r n e y b a s e d h i s a d v i c e 
a t 
l e a s t 
p a r t i a l l y on i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d by E l b e r t -- b u t 
e v i d e n c e o f E l b e r t ' s i n t e n t d o e s n o t p r o v e L o r e t t a ' s i n t e n t . 
I n sum, t h i s n o t e and t h e c o m p a n i o n t e s t i m o n y o f t h e a t t o r n e y 
g i v e 
no 
i n d i c a t i o n 
t h a t 
t h e d e e d 
f a i l e d 
t o 
e n c a p s u l a t e 
L o r e t t a ' s i n t e n t a n d , b e c a u s e t h e r e i s l i k e w i s e no e v i d e n c e t o 
t h a t e f f e c t e l s e w h e r e i n 
t h e r e c o r d , t h e j u d g m e n t o f t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t r e f o r m i n g t h e J a n u a r y 1979 d e e d must be 
r e v e r s e d . 
IV. 
F o l l o w i n g a b e n c h t r i a l , t h e t r i a l c o u r t o r d e r e d 
t h a t t h e 
J a n u a r y 1979 d e e d c o n v e y i n g a f u t u r e i n t e r e s t i n t h e p r o p e r t y 
t o 
V i r g i n i a and C h a r l e s 
as j o i n t 
t e n a n t s 
w i t h t h e r i g h t o f 
s u r v i v o r s h i p be r e f o r m e d t o i n s t e a d c o n v e y t o them a f u t u r e 
i n t e r e s t 
i n t h a t 
p r o p e r t y 
as t e n a n t s 
i n common. 
However, 
b e c a u s e 
t h e r e i s no e v i d e n c e i n t h e r e c o r d 
i n d i c a t i n g 
t h a t 
4 I m p o r t a n t l y , t h e f a c t s i n t h i s c a s e d i f f e r f r o m t h o s e i n 
P u l l u m , 
i n w h i c h t h i s C o u r t u p h e l d t h e r e f o r m a t i o n o f a d e e d 
when 
t h e r e was 
t e s t i m o n y 
f r o m a d e c e a s e d 
a t t o r n e y ' s 
l e g a l 
a s s i s t a n t a c k n o w l e d g i n g t h a t t h e r e h a d b e e n a c l e r i c a l 
e r r o r 
i n t h e p r e p a r a t i o n o f t h a t d e e d . 
So. 3d a t 
. I n t h i s 
c a s e , 
t h e 
a t t o r n e y 
who 
p r e p a r e d 
t h e 
d e e d 
i n 
q u e s t i o n 
s p e c i f i c a l l y t e s t i f i e d t h a t he d i d 
n o t t h i n k t h a t t h e r e was an 
e r r o r i n t h e d e e d s o u g h t t o be r e f o r m e d . 
14 
1100218 
L o r e t t a 
i n t e n d e d 
t o c o n v e y 
t h e p r o p e r t y 
t o V i r g i n i a 
a n d 
C h a r l e s as t e n a n t s i n 
common as o p p o s e d t o j o i n t t e n a n t s 
w i t h 
t h e 
r i g h t 
o f s u r v i v o r s h i p when she e x e c u t e d 
t h e d e e d i n 
J a n u a r y 1979, r e f o r m a t i o n o f t h e d e e d p u r s u a n t t o § 35-4-153 
was i n a p p r o p r i a t e . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e t r i a l c o u r t ' s j u d g m e n t 
i s 
r e v e r s e d 
a n d t h e c a u s e 
r e m a n d e d 
f o r f u r t h e r 
p r o c e e d i n g s 
c o n s i s t e n t w i t h 
t h i s 
o p i n i o n . 
REVERSED AND REMANDED. 
Cobb, C . J . , 
a n d P a r k e r , Shaw, a n d W i s e , J J . , c o n c u r . 
15