Opinion ID: 1058877
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Baskin's Interest

Text: Having determined that the members of the class would take vested, transmissible remainders prior to Wilson's death, we must now determine the interest that Baskin holds. First of all, Baskin is not one of Wilson's children or a representative of one of Wilson's children. Thus, she is not a member of the class, and she would not take an interest under the language of the deed. In addition, we have concluded that the Tennessee Class Gift Statute applies to the conveyance at issue. Under that statute, if class members die before the time for distribution, their issue who are living at the time for distribution take the share that the deceased class members would have taken if they had been living. See Tenn.Code Ann. § 32-3-104 (1984). Since Kenneth predeceased Wilson, his share would pass to his issue. Baskin is not Kenneth's issue. Therefore, she does not take an interest under the Tennessee Class Gift Statute. Finally, a basic rule of statutory construction provides that a general statute concerning a subject must defer to a more specific statute concerning the same subject. See Five Star Exp., Inc. v. Davis, 866 S.W.2d 944, 946 (Tenn.1993). The laws of descent and distribution, therefore, are superseded by the Tennessee Class Gift Statute because it is a more specific statute concerning the distribution of a deceased class member's interest in the property. As such, the laws of descent and distribution do not apply and do not confer an interest in the property to Baskin. Accordingly, Baskin holds no interest in the property.