ÿWPC ‚6Ë.¥q(Ü!V §TL ,S¢²Mö™—*Ïa+胯u‹±¦sŽÞÖbk-!ªÍ@4øƒyñ}ë3ÓTÙïà¨n½¨|Μʃ{’–Û–’Zæ.î¢Ì Z¥ù/ø¯:šûô5¢$ð[O”¯Ûc c³éDœ­¬š^‰jÈ“KÝujùwM÷6½ª9Ò≠ö¨@ˆ) ù“à·8TQÕŸCGxXtkØÙùŠi£?Q\ÆúŠÔC7I@p˜¤£ZV“Þv `KSÙ^ /»5)%­šlMN¡³Yõ™Éæs—(cB•‚Z‰rç}æwQ•”ÓÅtl3| Äa3qðÝ›ž|ËLîmR~{½H³ŒÎ—ÄSÚ»¤Ð×t½á ûKMÙA¯ÉZ³ ï<¸:€:‰ª~4Û6uÖA³Pv.¢}pö 1¢~«ýó…7"²ªNZˆç¾ãب†14ï }£# lºÀ3,N!†æÝîb²9ÖCÜ0øýªÇHÿ$unÙ'.rsªØÙðáY5a2n¼Ê5P‚ÙRæß\j¯³ÒW‘(ÙO¦ÐŠ0Yæú%A^ö¼û!/ygâÀw'óui¾eÀÊ€ªÓ¥KT–…<š…4F Z 0(i ‘ w@™ !Ù UNú U:H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H UB‚ %Ä Ä Ä Ä Ä Ä Ä Ä Ä Ä Ä BÊ Ê Ê Ê Ê D3ç ç ç 0D                                                                                  AO^ Æ­ ­ 0Ds D/· Bæ Üx–%ÔøÔô3|xt($¡¡ ^š_`DabDeÀfÀgÀhÀiÓ€ Ô€X¯1XXXÔÔ€î¥îXX¯1ÔÓ  ÓÔ Ad ÔFILEDÔ€'Ÿîî¥ÔÐ  ÐÌò òJanuary€20,€1999Ð ¶¶ ÐÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€ô¿Þ ô'ŸÔAppellate€CourtÐ –– ÐClerkó ó(ÈhH  Z ‹6Times New Roman Regular,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular<þ6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiX d%%%%'ÿÿdxd(3¯$££Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝѰÑÒܰÒÑ ý ÑÑTR[¤ AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÑ7€ºXXdÈdÈ7ÑÔ€X XXXXÔÔ€ŠTµŠXX XÔñiñßr€*<,(j 8 `€€@E  tt0"H¨ÓrßñiñÌÌ›€€€€à@j j ‚àò òIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEˆÐ   ÐÌà@>>%‚àAT€KNOXVILLEˆÌó óÌœÌÌ›ÌÌESTATE€OF€FRANK€BAKER€BYà ì à)€C/A€NO.€03A01„9805„CV„00160Ð   ÐKENNETH€BAKER,à < àà ” àà ì à)€€Ð   ÐAdministrator€and€Next€of€Kin,à ” àà ì à)€SEVIER€CIRCUITÐ   Ðà 4 àà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì à)Ìà 4 àPlaintiff„Appellant,à < àà ” àà ì à)€HON.€JOHN€TURNBULL,Ð  Ðà 4 àà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì à)€JUDGEÌv.à 4 àà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì à)Ð  Ðà 4 àà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì à)ÌJOEL€LEE€MAPLES,à < àà ” àà ì àœ)€VACATED›Ð  Ðà 4 àà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì àœ)€AND›Ìà 4 àDefendant„Appellee.à ” àà ì àœ)€REMANDED›Ð  ÐÌœÌÌ›ÌPERRY€P.€PAINE,€JR.,€PAINE,€GARRETT€&€BRAY,€Maryville,€for€Plaintiff„¼Appellant.ÌÌSTEVEN€E.€MARSHALL,€MARSHALL€&€DELIUS,€Sevierville,€for€Defendant„¼Appellee.ÌÌÌÌÌÌà@%‚àò òòòO€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óˆÐ *## ÐÌÌà 4 àà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì àà D àà œ àFranks,€J.ÌÌÌÓÓà 4 àà Œ àIn€this€action€for€the€wrongful€death€of€Frank€Baker,€the€Trial€JudgeÏgranted€the€defendant€Joel€Lee€Maples€summary€judgment,€and€plaintiff€has€appealed.Ìà 4 àà Œ àThe€circumstances€giving€rise€to€this€action€occurred€on€November€7,Ï1994,€when€Maples€shot€and€killed€Baker.€€Baker€was€married€to€Maplesðð€sisterÏSandra,€and€Frank€and€Sandra€lived€near€Maples.€€œÌà 4 àà Œ àFrank€Bakerððs€son€filed€this€wrongful€death€action€against€Maples€asÐ  :þ23ý ÐAdministrator€and€Next€of€Kin€of€the€Estate€of€Frank€Baker,€alleging€that€MaplesÏcarelessly€and€negligently€killed€Baker,€and€that€he€intentionally,€wilfully,€andÏmaliciously€shot€and€killed€Baker.€€After€the€action€was€filed,€Bakerððs€survivingÏspouse,€Sandra,€requested€she€be€allowed€to€withdraw€as€co„administrator€of€theÏEstate,€which€request€was€granted.€€Sandra€then€executed€a€release€on€August€30,Ï1995€for€the€sole€consideration€of€ten€dollars,€relieving€Maples€of€all€liability€for€theÏdeath€of€Frank€Baker.€€In€her€deposition,€Sandra€testified€that€there€were€noÏnegotiations€about€the€amount€of€consideration€to€be€paid.€€She€said€that€she€toldÏMaplesðð€attorney€that€she€would€leave€the€amount€up€to€his€discretion,€and€when€tenÏdollars€was€suggested,€she€agreed€to€it.€€It€appears€from€the€record€that€MaplesððÏattorney€had€also€petitioned€the€Court€on€behalf€of€Sandra€to€be€relieved€of€her€dutiesÏas€co„administrator€of€Bakerððs€Estate.€€This€action€was€dismissed€on€the€basis€thatÏSandra€had€executed€a€release€which€was€binding€on€all€parties.€€Ìà 4 àà Œ àThe€issues€on€appeal€are€whether€Sandra€waived€her€right€to€pursue,Ïcontrol€and€negotiate€the€wrongful€death€action€under€Tennessee€Code€AnnotatedÏðð20„5„106,€and€whether€she€executed€a€bona€fide€compromise€and€valid€release€for€aÏconsideration€of€ten€dollars€to€her€brother.€€Ìà 4 àà Œ àIf€there€are€no€disputed€issues€of€material€fact,€summary€judgment€isÏappropriate.€€òòByrd€v€Hallóó,€847€S.W.2d€208,€214€(Tenn.€1993);€òòsee€also€Carvell€v.Ð +$$ ÐBottomsóó,€900€S.W.2d€23,€26€(Tenn.€1995).€€To€determine€whether€there€is€a€genuineÐ -&& Ðissue€as€to€material€facts,€the€Court€must€determine€whether€a€reasonable€jury€couldÏlegitimately€resolve€those€facts€and€favor€one€side€or€the€other.€€If€so,€then€summaryÏjudgment€is€inappropriate.€€òòByrd.óó€€In€determining€whether€summary€judgment€isÐ 3,, Ðappropriate,€courts€must€view€the€evidence€in€a€light€most€favorable€to€the€non„¼moving€party,€and€allow€all€reasonable€inferences€in€that€partyððs€favor.€€òòId.€€óóð ðCourtsÐ 700 Ðshould€grant€summary€judgment€only€when€both€the€facts€and€the€conclusions€to€beÐ  922 ÐÑ„°Ñdrawn€from€the€facts€permit€a€reasonable€person€to€reach€only€one€conclusionðð.€ÏòòCarvell,€óó900€S.W.2d€at€26.€€Ð  ø Ðà 4 àà Œ àIt€is€beyond€dispute€that€the€cause€of€action€for€wrongful€death€passes€toÏthe€deceasedððs€surviving€spouse.€€T.C.A.€ðð20„5„106(a).€€The€statute€further€providesÏthat€the€ð ðsurviving€spouse€may€effect€a€bona€fide€compromise€in€such€a€suit€or€right€ofÏaction€and€may€execute€a€valid€release€which€shall€be€binding€upon€all€children€of€theÏdeceased€or€next€of€kin€of€the€deceased.ðð€€T.C.A.€ðð20„5„110(b)€(1994).€€A€survivingÏspouse€maintains€control€over€the€right€of€action€until€he€or€she€waives€that€right.€ÏòòSpitzer€v.€Knoxville€Iron€Co.óó,€133€Tenn.€217,€180,€S.W.2d€163,€164€(1915);€òòFoster€v.Ð ÈÀ ÐJeffers,€óó813€S.W.2d€449,€451€(Tenn.€App.€1991).€€The€result€remains€the€same,€even€ifÐ À¸ Ðthe€spouse€waives€his€or€her€right€to€administer€the€Estate.€€òòSpitzer.€€óóA€spouse€mayÐ ¸° Ðmaintain€control€over€an€action€by€effecting€a€compromise.€€òòFosteróó,€813€S.W.2d€atÐ °¨ Ð453.€€Sandra€did€not€waive€her€rights€under€the€statute.Ìà 4 àà Œ àThe€issue€thus€becomes€whether€there€is€disputed€material€evidence€onÏwhether€Sandraððs€release€was€ð ðbona€fideðð.€€Ìà 4 àà Œ àThe€record€establishes€that€two€days€before€Bakerððs€death,€he€andÏMaples€had€a€disagreement€about€a€road€that€Baker€was€building€and€harsh€wordsÏwere€exchanged.€€Maples,€in€his€deposition,€testified€he€went€to€the€Sportsmans€ClubÏto€target€practice,€and€took€two€pistols,€two€rifles€and€a€shotgun.€€On€his€way€home€heÏstopped€at€a€friendððs€house,€and€the€two€of€them€went€to€the€store€to€get€some€beer.ÏThey€returned€to€Maplesðð€home€and€around€8:00€p.m.,€Maples€took€his€friend€home.€ÏHe€then€visited€his€brother€and€had€drunk€three€or€four€beers€at€the€time.Ìñ^ññWñÒü°ÒñWññ^ñà 4 àà Œ àMaples€left€his€brotherððs€house€after€11€p.m.€to€go€home.€€AboutÏhalfway€home€he€stopped€and€removed€his€.357€Magnum€and€two€speed€loaders€fromÏthe€tool€box€in€the€back€of€his€truck€and€placed€them€on€the€seat.€€He€stated€that€heÏñfñÔ‡X³rXŠŠEïÔñfññfññeñÔ‡¼˜d¼ŠŠEïÔñeññfññhñÔ#†ŠEïŠXX³r<#ÔÔ‡q¥ªqŠŠEïÔñhññhññgñÔ#†ŠEïŠXX³rT#Ôñgññhñhadñ_ñ€ñ_ññ`ññYñÌñYññ`ñhit€a€bump€near€the€pond€by€his€brotherððs€house€and€remembered€that€the€gun€wasñañ€ñaññbñÏñbñinñhññgñÔ‡X³rXŠŠEïÔñgññhññhñÔ#†ŠEïŠqq¥ª»#ÔñhññfññeñÔ#†ŠE¼˜dT#ÔñeññfññhññfñÔ#†ŠEïŠXX³rˆ#ÔñfññhñÐ  @8812 Ðthe€tool€box,€so€he€removed€it€so€it€would€not€get€scratched.€€This€took€place€aboutÏfive€hundred€yards€from€Maplesðð€home.€€Maples€continued€toward€home€and€observedÏheadlights€coming€up€the€new€road.€€The€vehicle€stopped€at€the€intersection€blockingÏMaplesðð€path€and€Maples€stopped€and€turned€off€his€engine.€The€vehicles€were€aboutÏten€or€twelve€feet€apart.€€He€stated€that€Baker€got€out€of€the€other€vehicle€with€a€rifleÏin€hand€and€that€he€chambered€the€rifle€as€he€came€toward€Maples.€€In€response,ÏMaples€loaded€his€pistol€and€Baker€came€around€to€the€driverððs€side€of€the€truck€andÏopened€the€door.€€As€Baker€opened€the€door,€Maples€rolled€out€of€the€truck€whileÏfiring€the€pistol€at€Baker.€€Baker€fell€face€down€and€died.Ìà 4 àà Œ àThe€autopsy€report€on€Baker€states€the€cause€of€death€as€homicide,€andÏnoted€six€gunshot€wounds€to€Bakerððs€body.€€The€wounds€went€from€the€left€side€of€theÏbody€to€the€right€in€a€downward€trajectory.€€In€response€to€defendantððs€testimony,Ïplaintiff€offered€the€testimony€of€a€consultant€in€forensic€sciences,€which€testimonyÏwas€supplemented,€after€reviewing€Maplesðð€testimony.€€The€consultant€opined€thatÏcomparing€the€physical€evidence€with€Maplesðð€description€of€the€events,€it€was€hisÏopinion€that€Maplesðð€statement€that€he€was€in€or€exiting€his€vehicle€when€he€shotÏBaker€was€untrue€due€to€the€nature€of€the€gunshot€wounds.Ìà 4 àà Œ àAlthough€Sandra€had€withdrawn€from€the€administration,€she€was€actingÏas€a€fiduciary€on€behalf€of€all€the€plaintiffsðð€interests€when€she€executed€the€release.€ÏWe€believe€there€is€sufficient€evidence€from€the€surrounding€circumstances€and€fromÏthe€inferences€to€be€drawn€in€favor€of€the€plaintiff€to€vacate€the€summary€judgmentÏand€remand€for€a€determination€of€whether€Sandra€effected€ð ða€bona€fide€compromiseðð.€ÏThe€extent€of€her€investigation€into€the€facts€is€disputed.€€She€released€her€bloodÏbrother€and€there€is€material€evidence€that€disputes€her€brotherððs€version€of€theÏcircumstances€surrounding€the€death€of€Baker.Ìà 4 àà Œ àAccordingly,€we€vacate€the€summary€judgment€and€remand€for€further€Ð  @8812 Ðñ]ñ€ñ]ñproceedings€consistent€with€this€opinion,€with€costs€assessed€to€appellee.ÌÓÓÌÌÌÌÌà@‚‚+‚àòòˆà D àÐ ì ä Ðóóà 4 àà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì à__________________________Ð èà Ðà 4 àà Œ àà ä àà < àà ” àà ì àHerschel€P.€Franks,€J.ÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌÌ___________________________ÌDon€T.€McMurray,€J.ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ___________________________ÌCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,€J.Ì