Court Opinion

ID: 9675010
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 04:39:08.025204+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:30.779610
License: Public Domain

STEPHENS, Chief Justice,
dissenting.
Respectfully, I dissent
The Court of Appeals, under this specific factual situation, was correct in reversing the *766judgment based on a jury verdict that found Christian Perry Ayers to be a resident of the household of her father at the time of death.
The facts of this case are as follows: Twelve hours after appellant’s daughter, Christian Perry, married William “Pete” Ayers, the newlyweds were involved in a one car accident. The accident killed both Christian and Pete. At the time of their deaths Christian was eighteen years old and Pete was seventeen years old. The three or four weeks prior to the marriage Christian had been staying with Pete at his aunt’s and uncle’s home. While Christian originally intended to spend only one night with Pete’s relatives, she never returned to her father’s home other than to retrieve some belongings or mail. Christian did retain a key to her father’s home; however, there was no indication that the couple would not continue to stay with the aunt and uncle.
In this factual situation, I agree with the Court of Appeals that as a matter of law the jury verdict was improper and, as a matter of law, Christian’s residence was that of her husband, not that of her father.