Opinion ID: 1876142
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: did the chancellor err in rendering judgment on matters which were beyond the scope of the pleadings?

Text: Herman Trotter contends that the three findings by the chancellor, (1) breach of contract causing the 1980 will to be void, (2) inter vivos transfer of a $46,000 certificate of deposit to Rooney and Herman Trotter by Rooney was void because Rooney lacked capacity to make the transfer, and (3) that Billy Joe Trotter, Jr. acquired the dining room suite by inter vivos transfer, which were additional findings to the finding that the 1982 will was invalid, were beyond the scope of the pleadings. Herman Trotter contends that this is true in spite of the apparent implications of the language of Rule 54(c) of the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure which, in relevant part, provides as follows: (c) Demand for Judgment. ... Except as to a party against whom a judgment is entered by default, every final judgment shall grant the relief to which the party in whose favor it is rendered is entitled by the proof and which is within the jurisdiction of the court to grant, even if the party has not demanded such relief in his pleadings; however, final judgment shall not be entered for a monetary amount greater than that demanded in the pleadings or amended pleadings. (emphasis added). Herman Trotter also contends that, pursuant to Rule 81(a)(8) of the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure, the statutory procedures which are provided for proceedings pertaining to estates govern to the exclusion of any rules which may be in conflict. The relevant conflict here is that, pursuant to Mississippi Code Annotated § 91-7-21, (1972), dealing with caveats against the probate of a will, and Mississippi Code Annotated § 91-7-23, (1972), dealing with contests of a will already probated, the sole issue in such proceedings is devisavit vel non, or will or no will. We must look to the pleadings filed by the parties to see what issues were presented for decision. Herman Trotter probated the 1980 will in common form and it was admitted to probate, thereby creating prima facie evidence of the validity of the 1980 will. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 91-7-3 and 91-7-27 (1972). Billy Joe Trotter, Sr., by his pleadings in which the other appellees joined, was contesting the validity of the 1980 will. Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-23 (1972). His ground for contesting that will was that the 1982 will was the last will and testament of Mrs. Rooney, thereby revoking the 1980 will. In Re Estate of Stanback, 222 So.2d 660 (Miss. 1969). The sole issue in a will contest is devisavit vel non, or will or no will. § 91-7-23, Perry v. Aldrich, 251 Miss. 429, 169 So.2d 786 (1964). Simply stated, the sole issue presented by Billy Joe Trotter, Sr.'s initial pleadings was whether the 1980 will was invalid as the last will and testament of Mrs. Rooney on the ground that the 1982 will had revoked the 1980 will. By necessity this involved the determination of the validity of the 1982 will. Billy Joe Trotter, Sr. later filed a response to the affirmative defenses raised by Herman Trotter, and in this response he presented the additional issue of whether the 1980 will was invalid because of undue influence. The pleadings filed by Herman Trotter were, in addition to being an answer to Billy Joe Trotter Sr.'s allegations concerning the invalidity of the 1980 will, a caveat against or contest of the 1982 will sought to be substituted for probate. § 91-7-21. Again, the sole issue presented was devisavit vel non. The issue presented by these pleadings was whether the 1982 will was invalid on the grounds of lack of testamentary capacity or because of undue influence. Herman Trotter later added the ground that the 1982 will was invalid because of the contract not to revoke. As pointed out above, this is not a ground to contest the probate of a will. Therefore, the only issues presented to the chancellor by the pleadings, and the only ones pursuant to statute, were the validity of the 1980 and 1982 wills on the grounds alleged. At trial, the parties proceeded to put on proof as if the sole issue was whether the 1980 will was invalid because the 1982 will revoked it. This determination depended on whether the 1982 will itself was valid. Even Rule 54(c) does not authorize the determinations by the chancellor concerning the inter vivos transfers. Cioffe v. Morris, 676 F.2d 539 (11th Cir.1982); Mineral Industries and Heavy Construction Group v. Occupational Safety and Health Review Com'n, 639 F.2d 1289, 1293 (5th Cir.1981); Jimenez v. Tuna Vessel Granada, 652 F.2d 415 (4th Cir.1981); McLain-Behm Steel Erectors v. Occupational Safety and Health Review Com'n, 608 F.2d 580, 582 (5th Cir.1979); International Harvester Credit Corp. v. East Coast Truck, 547 F.2d 888 (5th Cir.1977). However, the real reason these determinations by the chancellor were incorrect was because the issues presented to the chancellor were devisavit vel non, will or no will, concerning the 1980 and the 1982 wills on the grounds alleged in the pleadings. This would be true even if Rule 54(c) would provide otherwise. Any determination made by the chancellor beyond the question of will or no will regarding the 1982 will, and will or no will regarding the 1980 will were beyond the scope of the pleadings and not permissible. As a practical matter, the determination that the inter vivos transfer of the certificate of deposit was void is of no effect since we have held that the 1980 will, with appellant as sole beneficiary, was valid. However, Billy Joe Trotter, Jr., must resort to an action against the estate if he intends to recover the dining room suite. We, therefore, reverse the finding of the chancellor that the 1980 will was invalid and we reverse his finding of the inter vivos gift to Billy Joe Trotter, Jr. We find affirmatively that the 1980 will is the valid last will and testament of Louise Trotter Rooney. REVERSED AND RENDERED. PATTERSON, C.J., WALKER and ROY NOBLE LEE, P.JJ., and HAWKINS, PRATHER, ROBERTSON and ANDERSON, JJ., concur. DAN M. LEE, J., concurs in result only.