Opinion ID: 1753985
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: was the judgment against the overwhelming weight of the evidence?

Text: We again apply the well known principle that this Court will not disturb a chancellor's findings of fact unless the chancellor was manifestly wrong, clearly erroneous or applied an erroneous legal standard. Bell v. Parker, 563 So.2d 594, 596-97 (Miss. 1990). When a chancellor's findings are supported by substantial, credible evidence in the record we will not reverse. Branton v. Branton, 559 So.2d 1038, 1042 (Miss. 1990). The Tinnins contend that the chancellor improperly disregarded their testimony. It is true that the testimony of a witness which is not contradictory, and not incredible, improbable, unreasonable or untrustworthy, must be given weight by the trier of fact, and could not be arbitrarily and capriciously rejected. Morris v. Lansdell's Frame Co., 547 So.2d 782, 785 (Miss. 1989); Collins v. General Elec. Co., 239 Miss. 825, 123 So.2d 609, 614 (1960). However, credibility of witnesses is a determination to be made by the chancellor. Bell v. Parker, 563 So.2d 594, 597 (Miss. 1990). The record in this case reflects that the testimony of the Tinnins was contradicted. The chancellor noted the contradiction and his findings are supported by substantial credible evidence in the record. We therefore do not find that the chancellor's judgment was against the overwhelming weight of the evidence, and the chancellor committed no manifest error. The chancellor also did not err in allowing extrinsic evidence of declarations made by Hobgood expressing his intent regarding the trust to be admitted into evidence. The cases cited by the Tinnins, Stovall v. Stovall, 360 So.2d 679, 681 (Miss. 1978); In re Estate of Martin, 199 So.2d 829 (Miss. 1967); and Magee v. McNeil, 41 Miss. 17, 25 (1866), are distinguishable because each applies to the admission of extrinsic or parol evidence when there was no latent ambiguity in the will. Here there was. Tinnin I at 669. We find no merit to this assignment of error.