’WPCł …U:V %b–žn­® 04[w.—4Å 0xŁ 0DQ 0J• 0Tß 0^3 0h‘ 0rł 0|k 0†ē 0m 1uż U,r 0dž U,U>.B)lDC• AMŲU*%$O D3sv~¦ B$ 0@AvӁ AOTĘ£ 0Di D/­ BÜ<ž6X9`("Courier NewTTX- ł-3|xh«<ž6X9`("Courier NewTTXXxž6X@ÉDQX@( ¤T$””Ó  ÓYPZP[\ ]^ӀhDŅ (((3Ž $¤¤Ż ƒ¤T!ŻÓ  ÓŻ  Żą  ąņņŚ  Ś0Ś  Śóó(#Ć$ņņŚ  Ś0Ś  Śóó2 ’’0Indent1Ō2ŌŌ3  Ō2" ’’0Indent2ą0 ąŌ2ŌŌ3  Ō2, ’’0Indent3ą0 ąą0 ąŌ2ŌŌ3  Ō26 ’’0Indent4ą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąŌ2ŌŌ3  Ō2@ ’’0Indent5ą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąŌ2ŌŌ3  Ō2J ’’0Indent6ą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąŌ2ŌŌ3  Ō2T ’’0Indent7ą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąŌ2ŌŌ3  Ō2^ ’’0Indent8ą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąą0 ąŌ2ŌŌ3  Ō ’’?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ’’8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d%%%%7Border 1dd€-&Cž’ << G’’< Œ 9p`(Arial Ż ƒ!ŻŃ  ŃŃ#€d#ŃŌ€ŌŌ€ŌŻ  ŻŌ€(ŌŌ€(ŌÓ  Óņ ņŌ YYY ŌFILEDŌ€(XŌĢĢAugust€28,€1996ĢĢCecil€W.€CrowsonĢAppellate€Court€ClerkŌ  Ōó ó,,,,'’’dxdPtPtHHŚ(’į’āłFG(üHHŚ(d'@ d("’’$££Ņ  ŅŅ  ŅStyl{WP}01•ĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆ ĆĆ ĆĆ ĆĆ ĆĆ ĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆĆŠ ŠŠHHŠŠ  ŠŠ2ŠŠ’’øę$’ŠŠHHŠŠŠŠŠŠŠŠ  ŠŠ ŠŠ ŠŃŃŃGenevaŃŃ ŃŃ € ŃŃ<Px–ČŃŅŅŅ443!#4ŅŅ$ *$ŅŅ$*$ŅŅ ’KK ŅŅ  Geneva ŅŅ  Geneva ŅÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßŃMonacoŃŃ ŃŅ  BA Op Monaco ŅŅ  BA Op Monaco Ņ€-‚ƒCž’<< C’’ƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ņ ņŚ  Ś1Ś  Śó ó„„'÷’ dxdü’P PdŻ ƒ!ŻŌ . ŌŌ€ŌÓ&€##X„d&ÓŃ#€##Xd#ŃŌ€ŌŻ  ŻŃ\R AŲ'\ŃŃ ` ŃŃ\R AŲ'\ŃŃ7€VĻXXdÖdČ7ŃŃ€ŃŃ  ŃŅ  ŅŅ X ŅŌ€$Ōņ ņIN›€œRE:ą ą›ą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)ĢESTATE€OF€CARLTON€E.€WALTON,ą ą€€€)ą ąĢDECEASED,ą ąą ą€ą ąą ąą ą€€€)ą ąœ›Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)ĢJEFFREY€O.€WALTON,€Administrator,ą ą€€€)Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)Ģą ąPlaintiff/Appellee,ą ąą ąą ą€€€)Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)€œą ąProbate€Court€of€Davidson€County›ĢVS.ą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€œ)ą ąNo.€94P„1705›Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)€ĢLESLIE€YOUNG,ą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)ą ąAppeal€No.Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)ą ą01A01„9605„PB„00221Ģą ąDefendant/Appellant.ą ąą ą€€€)Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąĢĢÓ  ÓIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEĢMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLEĢĢAPPEAL€FROM€THE€PROBATE€COURT€OF€DAVIDSON€COUNTYĢAT€NASHVILLE,€TENNESSEEĢĢHONORABLE€FRANK€G.€CLEMENT,€JR.,€JUDGE̜Ł€€ŁŁ€€ŁÓ  Óó óßL€')&;+'h|½ž,` ē `€€LߛĢ̜JIMMY€A.€DUNCAN›Ģ4904€Charlotte€AvenueĢNashville,€Tennessee€37209„3438ĢATTORNEY€FOR€PLAINTIFFS/APPELLEES,ĢĢĢJACK€GREEN;€TSCR€#4127Ģ141€Thompson€LaneĢNashville,€Tennessee€37211ĢATTORNEY€FOR€DEFENDANT/APPELLANTĢĢĢņ ņÓ  ÓŌ€$¼ŌREVERSED€AND€REMANDEDó óŌ€$XŌĢĢÓ  ÓĢą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąHENRY€F.€TODDĢą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONĢĢĢĢCONCUR:ĢĢSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGEĢBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEĢĢĢĢĢĢĢ̜ņ ņ€IN€RE:ą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)ĢESTATE€OF€CARLTON€E.€WALTON,ą ą€€€)ą ąProbate€Court€of€Davidson€CountyĢDECEASED,ą ąą ą€ą ąą ąą ą€€€)ą ąNo.€94P„1705Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)ĢJEFFREY€O.€WALTON,€Administrator,ą ą€€€)Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)Ģą ąPlaintiff/Appellee,ą ąą ąą ą€€€)Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)€ĢVS.ą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)€ĢLESLIE€YOUNG,ą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)ą ąAppeal€No.Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą€€€)ą ą01A01„9605„PB„00221Ģą ąDefendant/Appellant.ą ąą ą€€€)Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąĢņņŌ€$„ŌĢÓ  ÓO›€€P€€I€€N€€I€€O€€Nóóó óŌ€$XŌĢÓ  ÓĢĢÓÓą ąLeslie€Young€intervened€in€the€administration€of€the€estate€of€Carlton€Elliott€Walton,Ļdeceased,€asserting€that€she€is€the€natural€child€of€the€deceased€born€out€of€wedlock,€and€seeking€aĻdeclaration€of€legitimacy€and€entitlement€to€a€childššs€share€of€the€estate.€€The€Probate€Judge,€sittingĻwithout€a€jury,€œruled›€as€follows:ĢĢÓÓą ąą ą€€€€Upon€testimony€of€witnesses,€statement€of€counsel€and€the€Ģą ąą ąœentire›€record€in€this€œcause,›€the€Court€was€of€the€opinion€that€Ģą ąą ąthe€Petitioner,€Leslie€Young,€failed€to€carry€the€burden€of€Ģą ąą ąproof€with€clear€and€convincing€evidence€to€support€her€Ģą ąą ąclaim€as€the€illegitimate€daughter€of€the€deceased,€Carl€E.€Ģą ąą ąœWalton,›€and€the€petition€should€be€denied€and€dismissed.ĢĢņ ņą ąą ą€€€€IT€IS€THEREFORE€ORDERED,€ADJUDGED€and€Ģą ąą ąDECREEDó ó€that€the€Petition€filed€by€the€Petitioner,€Leslie€Ģą ąą ąYoung,€to€determine€her€status€as€the€illegitimate€daughterĢą ąą ąof€the€deceased,€Carl€D.€Walton,€is€hereby€denied€and€Ģą ąą ądismissed.ĢÓÓĢą ąMs.€Young€has€appealed€and€presented€to€this€Court€issues€for€review€in€the€followingĻform:ĢÓÓą ąą ą1.ą ąThe€learned€Trial€Court€erroneously€found€that€YoungĢą ąą ąfailed€to€carry€the€burden€of€proof€with€the€clear€and€convincingĢą ąą ąevidence€that€she€was€the€illegitimate€daughter€of€the€deceased€Ģą ąą ąalthough€the€overwhelming,€if€not€all€the€evidence,€both€by€Ģą ąą ąwitnesses€and€documents,€proved€her€to€be€the€illegitimate€Ģą ąą ądaughter€of€the€deceased.ĢĢą ąą ą2.ą ąThe€decision€of€the€learned€Trial€Court€is€contrary€to€Ģą ąą ąœthe›€law€and€evidence€since€both€the€law€and€the€evidence€Ģą ąą ąpreponderates€against€the€verdict.ĢĢą ąą ą3.ą ąThe€finds€œ(sic)€and›€dismissal€of€Youngššs€œpetition›€by€the€Ģą ąą ąCourt€below€as€contrary€to€the€law€and€evidence€and€the€law€Ģą ąą ąand€the€evidence€preponderates€against€that€Courtššs€decision.Ģ€ĢĢÓÓą ąThe€Circuit,€Juvenile€and€Probate€Courts€have€concurrent€jurisdiction€to€legitimate€childrenĻupon€application€of€their€natural€father.€€T.C.A.€šš€36„2„201.€€Although€the€statute€does€notĻspecifically€confer€jurisdiction€upon€the€œProbate›€œCourt›€upon€application€of€a€person€other€than€theĻnatural€father,€the€jurisdiction€has€not€been€questioned€in€the€present€case,€either€in€the€ProbateĻCourt€or€in€this€Court.ĢĢą ąIn€ņņCrocker€v.€Balchóó,€104€Tenn.€6,€55€œS.W.2d›€307,€it€was€held€that€œcounty›€œcourts›€areĶcourts€of€general€jurisdiction€in€matters€pertaining€to€the€adoption€and€legitimation€of€children.€€TheĻProbate€Court€of€Davidson€County€is€the€successor€of€the€œcounty›€œcourt›€of€that€county.ĢĢą ąA€child€born€out€of€wedlock€who€seeks€to€establish€the€right€to€inherit€from€the€allegedĻfather€has€the€burden€of€establishing€parenthood€by€clear€and€convincing€evidence.ņņ€€Woods€v.ĻFieldsóó,€Tenn.€App.,€1990,€798€S.W.2d€239;€ņņMajors€v.€Smithóó,€Tenn.€App.€1989,€776€S.W.2dĻ538.ĢĢą ąA€claimant€may€be€found€to€have€born€out€of€wedlock,€even€though€the€mother€wasĻmarried€to€another.€€ņņAdams€v.€Manisóó,€Tenn.€App.€1993,€859€S.W.2d€323.ĢĢą ąš šClear€and€convincing€evidencešš€means€evidence€in€which€there€is€no€substantial€doubtĻabout€the€correctness€of€the€conclusions€drawn€from€the€evidence.ņņ€€Hodges€v.€S.C.€Toof€&€Coóó.,ĻTenn.€1992,€833€S.W.2d€896.ĢĢą ąIn€non€jury€cases,€the€decision€of€the€Trial€Judge€as€to€the€creditability€of€witnesses€isĻentitled€to€great€weight€on€appeal.€€ņņWilder€v.€Wilderóó,€Tenn.€App.€1992,€863€S.W.2d€707.€€SuchĻdecision€is€conclusive€upon€the€appellate€Courts€unless€real€evidence€in€the€record€compels€aĻcontrary€conclusion.€€ņņState€ex€rel€Balsinger€v.€Town€of€Madisonvilleóó,€222€Tenn.€272,€435€S.W.2dĻ801€(1968).ĢĢą ąIn€the€present€case,€the€claimant€testified€that€she€lived€with€œdeceased›€from€time€to€time,€thatĶhe€listed€her€as€his€daughter€on€a€mortgage€contract,€on€a€credit€application,€and€that€he€signed€anĻEaster€card€to€claimantššs€son€š šgrandpa€Carl.ššĢĢą ąHelen€Underhill€testified€that€deceased€introduced€claimant€as€his€daughter.ĢĢą ąDonna€Fowler€testified€that€she€was€the€mother€of€claimant,€that€she€had€sexual€relationsĻwith€deceased€during€1971€while€she€was€married€œto,›€but€separated€œfrom,›€Frank€Jackson,€Jr.;€thatĻdeceased€came€to€the€hospital€to€see€claimant€when€she€was€born;€that€deceased€visited€herĻregularly€and€contributed€to€the€support€of€claimant;€that€she€and€deceased€supported€claimantĻduring€her€pregnancy€and€that€deceased€developed€a€loving€relationship€with€the€child€of€claimant.ĢĢą ąClaimant€offered€blood€test€results€indicating€that€Frank€Jackson,€husband€of€the€mother€atĻthe€time€of€conception,€was€not€the€father€of€the€child.€€However,€evidence€is€also€in€the€record€thatĻin€pleadings€in€divorce€proceedings,€the€mother€and€the€same€Frank€Jackson€had€assertedĻparenthood€of€the€child.€€Frank€Jackson€testified€that€he€was€aware€that€Plaintiff€was€not€hisĻbiological€child,€but€that€he€raised€her€as€his€own.ĢĢą ąLynn€Allen€testified€that€deceased€introduced€claimant€to€him€as€his€daughter.ĢĢą ąShawn€A.€Jackson,€son€of€Frank€Jackson,€testified€that€deceased€stated€to€him€that€claimantĻwas€his€daughter.€€Jennifer€Jackson,€wife€of€Shawn€A.€Jackson€testified€the€same.ĢĢą ąTom€Nangle,€real€estate€broker€testified€that€deceased€introduced€claimant€to€him€as€hisĶ(deceasedššs)€daughter.ĢĢą ąMelissa€McCord,€a€receiving€clerk€who€dealt€with€deceased,€testified€that€deceased€statedĻthat€claimant€was€his€daughter€and€that€her€son€was€his€grandson.ĢĢą ąSusan€Hicks€a€co„worker€with€deceased€testified€that€he€introduced€claimant€as€hisĻš šyoungššn,šš€but€not€as€his€daughter.ĢĢą ąDonna€Karnes€testified€that€deceased€stated€š šThis€is€Leslie,€her€mother€says€sheššs€mine.ššĢą ąĢą ąAt€the€conclusion€of€the€Trial,€the€Probate€Judge€stated:ĢĢÓÓą ąą ą€€€€Though€itššs€natural€that€the€petitionerššs€mother€would€Ģą ąą ącontinue€for€years€her€representation€that€Mr.€Jackson€was€Ģą ąą ąthe€father,€because€she€was€married€to€him€when€Ms.€Young€Ģą ąą ąwas€born,€I€cannot€overlook€the€fact€that€the€mother€made€Ģą ąą ąrepresentations€for€years€in€more€than€one€lawsuit€that€he€Ģą ąą ąwas€the€father€and,€in€essence,€required€or€had€the€ability€to€Ģą ąą ąrequire€that€Mr.€Jackson€financially€support€and€raise€the€Ģą ąą ąpetitioner,€but€now€that€the€financial€obligation€is€gone€Ģą ąą ąshe€does€a€hundred€and€eighty€degree€reversal€and€claims€Ģą ąą ąthat€Mr.€Walton€was€the€father.ĢœĢ›ą ąą ą€€€€I€donššt€have€the€ability€to€decide€today€whether€she€is€Ģą ąą ąœtelling›€the€truth€that€Mr.€Walton€was€the€father€or€whether€Ģą ąą ąas€a€matter€of€absolute€certainty€that€he€was,€but€thatššs€the€Ģą ąą ąonly€evidence€thatššs€been€introduced€through,€I€think€itššs€Ģą ąą ąMr.€Fowler,€Donna€Fowler€that€Mr.€Jackson€was€not€the€Ģą ąą ąœfather›€but€Mr.€Walton€was.€€Yet€her€credibility€has€been€Ģą ąą ąimpeached€because€she€has€been€shown€to€have€sworn€Ģą ąą ąunder€oath€to€the€contrary.€€Several€witnesses€testify€that€Ģą ąą ąthe€decedent€Carl€œWalton›€claimed€that€the€petitioner€was€Ģą ąą ąhis€daughter€and€that€the€petitionerššs€son€was€his€grandson.€€Ģą ąą ąOthers€have€taken€issue€with€that€and€claimed€that€what€he€Ģą ąą ąwas€really€saying€was€that€she€was€his€youngššn€and/or€that€Ģą ąą ąhe€called€lots€of€young€people€his€youngššn€and/or€that€he€Ģą ąą ąstated,€well,€sheššs€„„€Iššm€not€saying€sheššs€my€daughter,€Iššm€Ģą ąą ąsaying€that€her€mother€says€sheššs€my€daughter.ĢĢą ąą ą€€€€I€am€of€the€impression€that€the€sole€basis€upon€which€Mr.€Ģą ąą ąWalton€believed,€if€he€did€believe,€that€he€was€the€father€was€Ģą ąą ąbased€upon€a€representation€by€Ms.€Fowler€and€since€her€Ģą ąą ącredibility€has€been€challenged€and€she€has€been€shown€to€Ģą ąą ąhave€testified€falsely€in€other€matters,€I€can€only€determine€Ģą ąą ąthat€the€petitioner€has€failed€to€convince€this€Court€by€clear€Ģą ąą ąand€convincing€evidence€that€the€decedent€was€her€biological€Ģą ąą ąfather€and€therefore€the€petition€is€denied.ĢĢÓÓą ąThe€Dead€Manššs€Statute€(T.C.A.€šš€24„1„203)€is€inapplicable€to€a€proceeding,€the€result€ofĻwhich€can€neither€increase€nor€diminish€the€size€of€the€estate,€but€concerns€only€the€manner€inĻwhich€the€assets€will€be€distributed€ņņBaker€v.€Bakeróó,€24€Tenn.€App.€220,€142€S.W.2d€737€(1940).€€ĢTherefore€the€claimant€was€a€competent€witness€to€the€statements€and€acts€of€deceased.ĢĢą ąWhere€a€child€is€born€out€of€wedlock,€lived€with€his€biological€father€and€mother,€and€theĻfather€openly€acknowledged,€claimed€and€supported€the€child,€the€child€was€entitled€to€inheritĻthrough€the€biological€father.€€ņņAllen€v.€Harveyóó,€Tenn.€1978,€568€S.W.2d€829.ĢĢą ąIn€the€present€case€there€is€extensive€uncontradicted€testimony€that€the€deceased€recognizedĻand€acknowledged€claimant€as€his€daughter.€€The€use€of€the€word€š šyoungššnšš€instead€of€child€orĻdaughter€is€not€a€contradiction,€but€a€synonym€for€child€or€daughter.ĢĢą ąThe€contradictions€between€the€declarations€and€testimony€of€the€mother€do€reflect€upon€herĻcredibility,€but€do€not€contradict€the€positive€testimony€of€the€other€witnesses.€€It€is€a€rule€of€law€inĶthis€state€that€contradictory€statements€of€a€witness€in€connection€with€the€same€fact€have€the€resultĻof€š šcancelling€each€other€outšš.ņņ€€Taylor€v.€Nashville€Banner€Publishing€Coóó.,€Tenn.€App.€1978,€573ĻS.W.2d€476,€ņņcert.€deniedóó.€99€S.Ct.€2032,€441€U.S.€923,€60€L.Ed€2d€396,€and€authorities€thereinĻcited.€€œIf€conflicting›€testimony€œcancelled€or€impeached€the€testimony€of›€the€mother,€œit€has›€noĻcontradictory€effect€upon€the€other€testimony€which€stands€uncontradicted.ĢĢą ąThere€is€uncontradicted€testimony€of€sexual€relations€between€the€mother€and€the€deceasedĻat€the€time€of€conception;€of€the€scientific€improbability€and€denial€of€biological€parenthood€by€theĻhusband€of€the€mother;€of€numerous€acknowledgements€of€parenthood€by€the€deceased€and€actsĻconsistent€with€such€acknowledgement.ĢĢą ąœUpon€consideration€of€the€record€de€novo,€this›€Court€œfinds›€clear€and€convincing€evidenceĻthat€the€deceased€was€the€biological€father€of€the€claimant.ĢĢą ąThe€judgment€of€the€Trial€Court€is€reversed.€€On€remand,€a€judgment€will€be€enteredĻdeclaring€the€parenthood€of€deceased€and€the€rights€of€the€claimant€to€participate€in€the€inheritanceĻof€the€property€of€the€deceased€the€same€as€a€legitimate€child.€€Costs€of€this€appeal€are€taxed€againstĻthe€estate€of€the€deceased.€€The€cause€is€remanded€to€the€Probate€Court€for€further€proceedingsĻconsistent€with€this€opinion.ĢĢÓÓņ ņÓ  ÓŌ€$¼ŌREVERSED€AND€REMANDED.ó óŌ€$XŌĢĢĢÓ  ÓĢą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ą_____________________________________Ģą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąHENRY€F.€TODDą ąĢą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąą ąPRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONĢĢCONCUR:ĢĢĢ_____________________________________ĢSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGEĢĢĢ_____________________________________ĢBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEĢĢĢĢĢĢŌ€Ō