Opinion ID: 1823650
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: A postscript.

Text: At trial the Stallings vigorously asserted that the old fence lay on the true lot line. As appears above, this fact has proved outcome determinative. We would be remiss if we did not note and commend the Chancery Judge, William H. Bizzell, for going the extra mile to assure that he decided this point as best he could. After the parties rested, Judge Bizzell independently searched the aerial photographs of College Heights and found the 1954 photo which shows the fence and substantially confirms his finding as to its location. More important, Judge Bizzell handled the matter with fairness and propriety. He made known to all parties the photograph he had found. He offered each side full and fair opportunity to comment and to offer other evidence to the point. See Griffith, Mississippi Chancery Practice §§ 595-96 (2d ed. 1950). Many of today's cynics would think a land line dispute over a six and a half foot sliver of land not worth such an effort. This state is fortunate to have trial judges who recognize that, in the lives of litigants, disputes such as this are a matter of central importance. That these judges are equally concerned with substantive justice and procedural fairness reminds us that we have been twice blessed. AFFIRMED. ROY NOBLE LEE, C.J., HAWKINS and DAN M. LEE, P.JJ., and PRATHER, ANDERSON, PITTMAN and BLASS, JJ., concur. SULLIVAN, J., concurs with separate written opinion.