WPC) 7# UN %k 0 (qw@4 0 l 0Dh 0J 0T 0^J 0h 0D 0rT 0| 0B 0 1uX 0d U >1 0@o D3 B) DC AMN U*  D !  AQ-~ BD 0Da D/ BoPL v~f"v#HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,,,,,,0nLH(hH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($ DEFGHIJKDLӀXzz!3|xX((3$ !      0  (#$  0  2 0Indent123  2" 0Indent20 23  2, 0Indent30 0 23  26 0Indent40 0 0 23  (3$ !  2@ 0Indent50 0 0 0 23  2J 0Indent60 0 0 0 0 23  2T 0Indent70 0 0 0 0 0 23  2^ 0Indent80 0 0 0 0 0 0 23    ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P 8Mac DefaultMac Default ` X<  9p`(&Times New Roman("$    ++++'dxd% Line 7 d""""7Border 1dd* #C << G<  9p`(Arial !  "  %%   YYY FILED%X April7,1997CecilCrowson,Jr.%AppellateCourtClerk  : !   $       Intheeventofaspousesdeath,thesurvivingspouseisentitledtothefollowingexemptpropertyfromthedeceasedspousesestate:8 [T]hefamilyBibleandotherbooks,thefamilyautomobile,allwearingapparelofthedeceased,allhouseholdelectricalappliances,allhouseholdmusicalandotheramusementinstruments,andallhouseholdandkitchenfurniture,appliances,utensilsandimplements.T.C.A.302101(a)(1)(Supp.1988).  !   $       Intheeventaspousediesintestate,thesurvivingspouseisentitledto8 [A]reasonableallowanceinmoneyoutoftheestateforsuchsurvivingspousesmaintenanceduringtheperiodofone(1)yearafterthedeathofthespouse,accordingtosuchsurvivingspousespreviousstandardofliving,takingintoaccounttheconditionoftheestateofthedeceasedspouse.T.C.A.302102(a)(Supp.1988).* ,-C<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5 d($$   1  ..' dxdP Pd !   $       TruettalsomentionedacoincollectionwhichhealreadyhadgiventooneoftheDecedentssons.  !   $       Underthedescentanddistributionstatutes,asurvivingspousedoesnotinclude [a]personwhowasapartytoavalidmaritaldissolutionagreementoravalidproceedingconcludedbyanorderpurportingtoterminateallmaritalpropertyrights.T.C.A.311102(b)(3)(Supp.1988).  !   $       In1993,thelegislatureamendedsection302102(a)byaddingthefollowingsentence:8 Thecourtmayconsiderthetotalityofthecircumstancesinfixingtheallowanceauthorizedbythissection,includingassetswhichmayhavepassedtothespouseoutsideprobate.1993Tenn.Pub.Acts449.Thisamendmentappearstoabrogatethe Phipps courtsholdingthat,inawardingayearssupport,thetrialcourtshouldnotconsiderthesurvivingspousesotherassets. See 2RobertPritchard, PritchardontheLawofWillsandAdministrationofEstates 656,at210n.181(JackW.Robinson,Sr.,&JeffMobleyeds.,5thed.1994).Theaddedlanguagedoesnotaffectthedispositionofthepresentcase,however,becausetheamendmentwasnotineffectatthetimeofthedecedentsdeath,andtheamendmentisnottobeappliedretroactively. InreEstateofBass ,No.02A019504CH00094,1996WL325582,at*2(Tenn.App.June11,1996); InreEstateofFraker ,No.01A019411GS00528,1995WL134514,at*2(Tenn.App.Mar.29,1995). F !   $       WealsorejectBrownscontentionthattheamountawardeddidnotrepresentTruettsactuallivingexpenses,inasmuchasthiscontentionwasnotaddressedintheargumentportionofBrownsbriefonappeal.  !   $       Priortoenactmentofthisstatutein1967,asurvivingspousewasentitledtoa liberalallowanceora suitableamountfortheyearssupport,withoutregardtotheestatessolvencyorinsolvency. Redmonv.Fuller ,136S.W.2d724,726(Tenn.App.1939)(citing Grahamv.Stull ,22S.W.738(Tenn.1893));1967Tenn.Pub.Acts146; seealso 2RobertPritchard, PritchardontheLawofWillsandAdministrationofEstates 662,at217(JackW.Robinson,Sr.,&JeffMobleyeds.,5thed.1994)( Nodefiniterulefordeterminingtheamountoftheallowancecanbeprescribed;butitshouldbemadewithreferencetotheactualconditionofthefamilytheirages,health,needs,socialstanding,andpreviousmanneroflivingratherthantotheamountsoftheassetsortothesolvencyorinsolvencyoftheestate.).Thisruleappearstohavebeenalteredbythestatuteunderconsiderationhere,whichdirectsthetrialcourttotake intoaccounttheconditionoftheestateofthedeceasedspouse.T.C.A.302102(a)(Supp.1988).  !   $       Indoingso,thiscourtfollowedtherule thatonlythepersonalpropertyandnottherealpropertyofthedeceasedischargeablewithayearssupport. Gray ,729S.W.2dat672(citing Catev.Cate ,43S.W.365(Tenn.Ch.App.1897)).Thecourtdidnotspecifythetotalvalueofthedecedentsestatein Gray .PtPtHH(FG(HH(d'hStyl{WP}01  HH  2$HH  Geneva  <Px443!#4$*$$*$ KK  Geneva  Geneva .,6 Geneva   h HD: Geneva  h HD: Geneva ! .   \RA'\` ` pX\RA'\ @ INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE,WESTERNSECTION@ ATJACKSON@ _______________________________________________________  ) INRE:ESTATEOFMARION  ) HendersonCountyProbateNo.P343 ENGLISHTRUETT,Deceased , ) ) C.A.No.02A019605PB00118̀ ) )______________________________________________________________________________*R$&#A1-j|D`  `@RFromtheProbateCourtofHendersonCountyatLexington. HonorableJoeC.Morris,Chancellor CarthelL.Smith,Jr. ,Lexington,TennesseeAttorneyforRespondent/Appellant. HowardF.Douglass ,Lexington,TennesseeAttorneyforPetitioner/Appellee.OPINIONFILED: AFFIRMEDANDREMANDED FARMER,J.CRAWFORD,P.J.,W.S. :(Concurs) HIGHERS,J. :(Concurs)  ` ` X RebeccaH.MooreBrownappealsthetrialcourtsorderwhichawardedAppelleeEllisTruett,Jr.,oneyearssupportintheamountof$21,500,aswellasexemptproperty,fromtheestateofTruettsdeceasedwife,MarianEnglishTruett. EllisR.Truett,Jr.,filedapetitiontosetasideexemptproperty '   ׀andoneyearofsupport (   ׀fromtheestateofhiswife,MarianEnglishTruett(theDecedent),whodiedintestateonOctober23,1989.Truettpreviouslywasappointedasadministratorofhiswifesestate.TruettspetitionallegedthattheDecedentsestatehadavalueofapproximately$39,500andthatTruettsanticipatedlivingexpensesforoneyearwere$21,500.TruettlaterfiledaninitialinventorystatementshowingthefollowingassetsintheDecedentsestate:&   1. HiltonBond    $10,000.00 2. ChryslerBond   $18,900.00 3. Miscellaneousfurniture  $5,000.00'  Thus,theinventoryshowedtheDecedentsestatetobeworth$33,900. TheDecedentalsowassurvivedbythreeadultchildrenfromapreviousmarriage(collectively,theHazelwoodchildren).AppellantRebeccaH.MooreBrownwastheonlyoneoftheDecedentschildrentofileananswertoTruettspetition.Inheranswer,Brownraised,asanaffirmativedefense,thatTruettwasnotentitledtostatutorysupportandexemptpropertybecauseTruettpreviouslywaivedtheserightsinanantenuptialagreemententeredintobetweenTruettandtheDecedent. Attrial,Truetttestifiedthathewasinhisearly60'swhenhemarriedtheDecedent.Shortlyaftertheirmarriage,TruettandtheDecedententeredintoaverbalagreement,whichTruettdescribedasfollows:8  Wehadanagreementthatthesecondspousethesurvivingspousecouldholdallthepropertiestogetheruntilthedeathofthesecondspouse,andthenthepersonalproperty,includingfurniture,wouldgotoeitherherfamilyifitcamefrom,youknowfromtheHazelwoods,orfrommyfamilyifitcamefromtheTruetts.8  ....8  Ineitherevent,thesurvivingspousewassupposedtocouldretainthepropertyduringtheirlifetime.Truettexplainedthatthepropertymentionedintheagreement onlyreferredtothefurniture,thehouseholdfurnishings.Initially,TruetttestifiedthattheHazelwoodchildren,includingBrown,couldremovefromthehouseholdallofthefurniturethatcamefromtheDecedentsfamily.The Hazelwoodfurnitureincludedanantiquecornercupboard,themasterbedroomsuite,twinbeds,twochestsofdrawers,anantiqueposterbed,anantiquerockingchair,anantiquecedarchest,atable,somepictures,china,silverware,andanantiquetennisracquet. /   ׀TruettaskedonlythattheHazelwoodchildrenwaituntilafterApril1996togetthefurniturebecauseTruettwasexpectingvisitorsthatmonth.Laterinhistestimony,however,Truettindicatedthathedidnotintendtoabidebytheagreement.Withregardtohisrequestforoneyearssupport,Truetttestifiedthathislivingexpensesforoneyeartotaled$21,231.56.TruettacknowledgedthatasupportawardintheamountrequestedwouldtotallyconsumetheDecedentsestate,afterthepaymentoffuneralexpenses,medicalexpenses,andattorneysfees. Atthetrialsconclusion,thetrialcourtawardedTruettoneyearssupportintheamountof$21,500andtheexemptproperty,includingtheHazelwoodfurniture.Onappeal,BrowncontendsthatthetrialcourterredinawardingTruettstatutorysupportandexemptpropertyincontradictionofthemaritalagreementpreviouslyenteredintobetweenTruettandtheDecedent.Additionally,Brownchallengestheamountofstatutorysupportawarded,contendingthattheawarddidnotrepresentTruettsactuallivingexpensesandthattheawardwasexcessivegiventhevalueoftheDecedentsestateandTruettsotherfinancialresources. Asaninitialmatter,wemustrejectBrownsargumentthat,byenteringintotheforegoingagreementwiththeDecedent,Truetteffectivelywaivedhisrighttostatutorysupportandexemptproperty.Itistruethataspousemaywaivehisrightsasasurvivingspouseunderthedescentanddistributionstatutesbyenteringintoanagreementwhichpurportstoterminateallmaritalpropertyrights. Uhrigv.Pulliam ,713S.W.2d649,65354(Tenn.1986);T.C.A.311102(b)(Supp.1988). 0   ׀Inordertohavetheeffectofwaivingtherightsofasurvivingspouse,however,theagreementmustpurport toconcludeallmaritalrightsandtoeffectafullsettlementthereofunderallcontingencies. InreEstateofMontesi ,682S.W.2d906,911(Tenn.1984); accord  Hallv.Jeffers ,767S.W.2d654,658(Tenn.App.1988). TheagreementinthepresentcasedidnoteffectivelywaiveTruettsrightsasasurvivingspousebecausetheagreementdidnotpurporttoconcludeallmaritalrightsoftheTruetts,nordiditpurporttoeffectafullsettlementoftheirmaritalrightsunderallcontingencies.Instead,theagreementmerelysetforthwhatwouldhappentotheirhouseholdfurnishingsintheeventofthedeathofeitherspouse.Inthatevent,theagreementgavethesurvivingspousetherighttousethehouseholdfurnishingsofthedeceasedspouseforthelifeofthesurvivor.Uponthesurvivorsdeath,thehouseholdfurnishingsweretobedistributedtoeachspouseschildrenaccordingtowhethertheoriginwas Hazelwoodor Truett. In Montesi ,ourSupremeCourtrecognizedthat [t]heremightbevalidpropertysettlementagreementsbetweenspousesexecutedforlimitedpurposes,andaffecting onlyasmallportionofthetotalassetsoftheparties.682S.W.2dat911.Suchagreements,however,arenoteffectivetowaiveasurvivingspousesrightsunderthedescentanddistributionstatutesunlesstheypurporttoconcludeallmaritalpropertyrights. Id. ; seealso  Hallv.Jeffers ,767S.W.2d654,658(Tenn.App.1988)(concludingthat,althoughoralpremaritalagreementwasbindingandenforceableagainstdefendant,agreementslanguagedidnotclearlyandplainlycutofforabridgedefendantsrightsassurvivingspouse).Weholdthattheagreementinthepresentcaseisineffectivetoconstitutesuchawaiverofrights. Cf.  Uhrigv.Pulliam ,713S.W.2d649,651(Tenn.1986)(holdingthatantenuptialagreementwassufficienttowaiverightsofsurvivingspousewheresurvivorhadrenounced allherright,titleandinterestinandtodeceasedspousesestate).Inaccordancewiththeforegoingauthorities,wenotethatanagreementwhichisineffectivetowaivetherightsofasurvivingspousemaystillbeenforceableagainstthesurvivingspouseastothesubjectmatteroftheagreement. Montesi ,682S.W.2dat906; Jeffers ,767S.W.2dat658. AsforBrownschallengeoftheamountofstatutorysupportawarded,atthetimeoftheDecedentsdeathinOctober1989,asurvivingspousesotherfinancialresourcesdidnotaffecthisentitlementtoayearssupportundersection302102(a). Phippsv.Watts ,781S.W.2d863,867(Tenn.App.1989).In Phipps ,theestateexecutorchallengedtheamountofsupportawardedtothedissentingwidowonthebasisthatthewidowhadreceivedasubstantialamountofpropertyandmoneyoutsidetheestate.Inrejectingtheexecutorschallenge,thecourtstated:8 [T]heexecutorarguesthat,sincethewidowisabletoprovideforherselfoutoffundsthatpassedtoherasconsequenceofthedeathofthedecedent,thecourtshouldreducetheamountawarded.8  Wecanseenothinginthestatutethatwouldallowtheresultsoughtbytheexecutor.Thecasesinterpretingthestatutehavesaidthatthestatuteistobeconstruedliberallyinfavoroftherightofthewidow. Acuffv.Daniel ,215Tenn.520,387S.W.2d796(1965).WefindnoauthorityinTennesseeforconstruingthestatutetomeanthattheprobatecourtshouldnotallowayearssupportifthesurvivingspouseisabletosupporthimselforherself. Phipps ,781S.W.2dat867; accord  InreEstateofBass ,No.02A019504CH00094,1996WL325582,at*2(Tenn.App.June11,1996). 1   ׀Accordingly,werejectBrownsargumentthatTruettsotherfinancialresourcesprecludedtheamountofstatutorysupportawardedinthiscase. 2    InlightoftherelativelymodestvalueoftheDecedentsestate,however,weinitiallyweretroubledbythetrialcourtsawardofanamountwhichdepletedalargeportionoftheestate.UpontheDecedentsdeath,Truett,asthesurvivingspouse,wasentitledto8 [A]reasonableallowanceinmoneyoutoftheestateforsuchsurvivingspousesmaintenanceduringtheperiodofone(1)yearafterthedeathofthespouse,accordingtosuchsurvivingspousespreviousstandardofliving,takingintoaccounttheconditionoftheestateofthedeceasedspouse.T.C.A.302102(a)(Supp.1988).Inconstruingthisstatute,the Phipps courtstatedthat:8  Itappearsthatthewords takingintoaccounttheconditionoftheestaterefertoasituationinwhichtheestateisnotsufficienttopaythefullyearssupport withoutseriousimpairmentordepletion . Phipps ,781S.W.2dat867(emphasisadded); accord  InreEstateofFraker ,No.01A019411GS00528,1995WL134514,at*3(Tenn.App.Mar.29,1995).Attrial,Truettadmittedthatanawardintheamountrequested,$21,500,wouldconsumemostoftheDecedentsestate. Nevertheless,weaffirmtheamountofstatutorysupportawardedinthiscase.Ourresearchhasproducedlittleguidanceastowhatconstitutesanexcessiveawardundersection302102(a). 3   ׀In InreEstateofBass ,No.02A019504CH00094,1996WL325582,at*2(Tenn.App.June11,1996),thisCourtconcludedthattheestatewasnotseriouslyimpairedordepletedwheretheawardcomprisedlessthanhalfofthedecedentsestate.There,thetrialcourtawardedayearssupportof$14,000outofanestatecontaining$33,665.21inassets. Id. ,at*1.In InreEstateofGray ,729S.W.2d668,672(Tenn.App.1987),ontheotherhand,thisCourtpermittedanawardequaltothevalueofthedecedentspersonalassets,$2,875.70,therebyallowingtheyearssupporttodepletetheassets. 4   ׀Inlightofthesecases,weareunpreparedtoholdthat,asamatteroflaw,thesupportawardedinthiscase,whichcomprisedlessthan75%oftheDecedentspersonalassets,wasexcessive. Thetrialcourtsorderisaffirmed.CostsofthisappealaretaxedtoAppellant,forwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary.` ` X __________________________________ FARMER,J.______________________________CRAWFORD,P.J.,W.S.(Concurs)______________________________HIGHERS,J.(Concurs)