WPC_ =FŃotx&S=#y˦aWSL +VgPCvxmK.'üb/Or℣l%87zt0PTly"Eހ)gwS{7ó%4=_rxy\Gvh[`ܜm _%?&g uG!~3yJ5߷9JV<6 `3 Bv=?U~۪_7v5DGv慘8zMܝ\ae )# q6^OzU=_uY'8$Cϧoh0Iaȣrz Af0ETOAnOc凘B:C7 .>GԅsCϕ3v*@K"Z־uphz 2=+=tV~*;z0k*kgz끮% f3i9ߍ;b#\ % U@# 0c U N 0D9 UF} z = ^  w  4 Z N/1 m3EJLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLbTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT 0\\\\ BGG 0d D3 D-; 0Khh AS 0 0Dp AHP LaserJet 4050 Series PCL 6,,,,0(I Z(Times New Roman (`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman Regular(#$  0  <4 9Z+.Courier New Regular C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt@o-s   R$      1    _L # L~#TheproofshowedthatMs.WestsfuneralwasthemostexpensiveoneeverperformedbyMr.Blackwell,and  indicatedthatheearnedaprofitofabout$12,000onthepurchaseandsaleofthevaultandcasketalone.9,C HnLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 53|xU - -(|G2$ !.8HUdXXd8         0   d(|3 V$ !.8HUdXXd8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3 V$ !.8HUdXXd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8HUdd8     _  HU8XXdd8  HUHU@ HUINTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE  @kk$ATNASHVILLE#HU+#Ԉ &   AssignedonBriefsFebruary22,2002 L XXHU #HUXX #INRE:ESTATEOFTHERESAJOANCUNNINGHAM,DECEASED J XXHU @@ AppealfromtheProbateCourtforFranklinCounty  J @@FloydDonDavis,Judge  6 @@*AV) ` dE< ` A    @@TTNo.M200101965_COA_ԄR3CVFiledAugust7,_2002_   AV) ` dE<` A      Theplaintifffiledaclaimagainsttheestateofthedeceasedmorethaneighteenmonthsafterthefirst   publicationofnoticetocreditorsandtwentymonthsafterherdeath.Thetrialcourtgrantedhima x  judgmentagainsttheestateforthefullamountofhisclaim.Wereverse. d #HUXX#XXHU Tenn.R.App.P.3AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheProbateCourt < ReversedandRemanded  (x   #HUXU#XX.HUBenH.Cantrell,P.J.,M.S.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichWilliamC.Koch,Jr. P andWilliamB.Cain,JJ.,joined. < GuyR._Dotson_,Sr.andGregoryM.Reed,Murfreesboro,Tennessee,fortheappellant,David_Pitts_.   OPINION #HUXXA#XXHU  #HUXX #XXHU  @  I.TheEstateofJeanHelenWest  `   TheresaJeanCunninghamdiedinFranklinCounty,Tennessee,onMarch26,1999. 8!  Althoughthiscaseinvolvesthedispositionofherestate,theclaiminvolvedarosefromherrolein $"t! anotherestate,thedispositionofwhichisdiscussedinouropinioninthecaseofDavid_Pitts_Ԁv.Floyd #`" R.Blackwell,Sr.,No.M200001733_COA_ԄR3CV(Tenn.Ct.App.Dec.28,2001). #L#   Duringthelasteightmonthsofherlife,Ms.CunninghamactedascoconservatorforMs. %$!% JeanHelenWest,anAlzheimerspatient.HercoconservatorwasFloydR.Blackwell,theowner &"& andoperatoroftheJohnsonBlackwellFuneralHome.AfterMs.Westsdeath,Mr.Blackwells '"' funeralhomearrangedherfuneral.Thecost,$26,367.75,waspaidfromtheestateofMs.West,and (#( fromtheproceedsofaburialpolicyshehadowned.Ms.CunninghamandMr.Blackwellwereboth )$) compensated$1,200fortheirservicesascoconservators. p*%*  4-(-   Ms.CunninghamsdeathoccurredshortlyafterthefirstaccountingofMs.Westsestatewas  filed.David_Pitts_Ԁobjectedtotheamendedandfinalaccountingasaninterestedparty.Hecontended  thatMr.BlackwellhadbreachedhisfiduciarydutytoMs.Westbytransferringherburialinsurance  policyfromanotherfuneralhometohisown,andbyprovidingfuneralandburialservicestoher t whileactingascoconservator.Healsoquestionedwhetherthefuneralandburialexpenseswere ` reasonableandproper.SeeTenn.CodeAnn.3411113(e). L    AlthoughtheprobatecourtorderedMr.Blackwelltoreturntheproceedsoftheburialpolicy $ t ($7,731.93)toMs.Westsestate,itapprovedtheaccountinginallotherrespects.Thiscourt  ` reversedthetrialcourt,findingthatMr.Blackwellwasnotentitledtoearnaprofitfromtheestate  L  ofMs.West,  #  1      ׀andthathehadbreachedhisfiduciaryduty.Weremandedthecase fora  8  determinationofthereasonableandnecessaryfuneralexpensescommensuratewithanestatethesize $  ofMs.Wests.   @  II . TheEstateofTheresaJeanCunningham      Ms.CunninghamswillnamedherbrotherDavid_Pitts_Ԁasexecutorofherestate.Thewill t wassubmittedtoprobate,andonApril1,1999,thecourtappointedMr._Pitts_Ԁexecutor.OnApril ` 12,1999,thefirstnoticetocreditorswaspublished.Noclaimswerefiledagainsttheestatewithin L fourmonthsofthatdate,andnoclaimswerefiledwithinoneyearofMs.Cunninghamsdeath.See 8 Tenn.CodeAnn.302307. $t   OnNovember27,2000,FloydR.Blackwell,d/b/aJohnson/BlackwellFuneralHome,filed L aclaimagainsttheestateofTheresaJoanCunningham,forpaymentof$7,731.93forfuneral 8 servicesprovidedtotheestateofMs.West.Theclaimformwasnotaccompaniedbyany $ documentation,suchasacontract,billorjudgment,anddidnotstatewhyMs.Cunninghamsestate  mightowethissumtoMs.Westsestate.Mr._Pitts_Ԁfiledatimelyexceptiontotheclaim.    AhearingontheclaimwassetforJanuary30,2001.Mr.Blackwellappearedonthatdate  withouthisattorney.HeallegedthatMs.CunninghamhadsignedthefuneralbillforMs.West,that p shehadagreedtoberesponsibleforthebill,andthatshehadreceivedthe$7,000asthebeneficiary \  oftheburialpolicy.TheattorneyforMs.Cunninghamsestatestatedthatthe$7,000hadbeen H! returnedtoMs.Westsestate.TheprobatejudgeobservedthatMs.Cunninghamwastheprimary 4"  beneficiaryofMs.Westsestate,butnotedthatsuchacircumstancedidntmaketheCunningham  #p! estateliablefortheWestdebts.ThejudgealsoobservedthattheCourtofAppealshadnotyetissued  $\" itsopinioninthecaseinvolvingMs.Westsestate,andagreedwiththepartiesthatourresolution $H # ofthatcasemightrenderMr.Blackwellsclaimmoot. %4!$   ThecourtgrantedacontinuancetoMr.Blackwell,inorderforhimtoberepresentedby ' #& counselatthehearing.ThecourtsOrderalsodirectedbothpartiestobriefthequestionsofwhether (#' theclaimfiledbyMr.BlackwellwasaproperclaimagainstMs.Cunninghamsestate,andifso,  whethertheclaimwastimelyfiled.Apparently,nootherhearingwasconducted,buttheparties  submittedtheirbriefs,andtheprobatecourtissueditsrulingonJune18,2001.Thecourtsorder  containednofindingsoffact,butstatedthatMr.Blackwellspetitionwaswelltaken,andawarded t himajudgmentintheamountof$7,731.93againsttheestateofMs.Cunningham.Thisappeal ` followed. L  @ III.ProofonAppeal  $ t   TheonlyappellatebrieffiledinthiscasewasthatofMr._Pitts_.Ourdecisionmusttherefore  L  bebasedsolelyontherecordandontheappellantsbrief.SeeTenn.R.App.P.29(c).Therecord  8  doesnotincludethebriefsthatthepartiessubmittedtotheprobatecourt,nordoesitcontainany $  evidenceofMr.Blackwellsclaimotherthanhislatefiledclaimform.     Tenn.CodeAnn.302307(b)requiresclaimantsagainstdecedentsestatestofileverified   proofoftheirclaimsatthetimeoffilingsuchclaims.Aswestatedabove,Mr.Blackwellincluded   nosuchproofwhenhisclaimwasfiled,andhedidnotofferanydocumentationattheonehearing p ofthiscase.ThereisthusabsolutelynoevidenceintherecordbeforeusthatMs.Cunninghams \ estateisindebtedinanyamounttotheJohnson/Blackwellfuneralhome. H   WeareawarethattheamountofMr.Blackwellspurportedclaimisidenticaltotheamount  p ofburialinsurancethattheprobatecourtorderedberestoredtotheestateofHelenWest,butthelink  \ betweenthatinsuranceandMs.Cunninghamsestateisjustnotevidentfromtherecord.IfMr. H Blackwellsomehowmanagedtopointtorelevantevidenceinhistrialbrief,wedonothavethe 4 benefitofthatevidence.     Further,evenifMr.Blackwellhadestablishedthevalidityofhisclaim,itisnotatallclear  howhecouldhaveovercomethestatutorytimelimitsplaceduponclaimantsorcreditorsagainst  decedentsestates.Tenn.CodeAnn.302307(a)requiresthatclaimsbefiledwithinfourmonths  fromthedateofnoticetocreditors.Further,Tenn.CodeAnn.302310(a)reads, l Allclaimsanddemandsnotfiledwiththeprobatecourtclerk,asrequiredbythe D! provisionsof30-2-306--30-2-309,or,iflater,inwhichsuitshallnothavebeen 0"  broughtorrevivedbeforetheendoftwelve(12)monthsfromthedateofdeathofthe #l! decedent,shallbeforeverbarred. $X"   Animportantreasonforsuchstricttimelimitsistopromotethetimelysettlementof %0!$ decedentsestates.Mr.BlackwelldidnotevenfilehisclaimuntiltwentymonthsafterMs. &"% Cunninghamsdeath,yetthetrialcourtdecidedthathewasentitledtojudgment.Althoughwe '#& cannotexplainthetrialcourtspuzzlingdecision,itisourdutytoreverseit. (#'  h+&* Ї  @dd) IV.     Theorderofthetrialcourtisreversed.RemandthiscausetotheProbateCourtofFranklin  Countyforfurtherproceedingsconsistentwiththisopinion.Taxthecostsonappealtotheappellee, x FloydR.Blackwell.#HUXXh #XXHU d    `     h   _________________________________________  P     `     h   BENH.CANTRELL,PRESIDINGJUDGE,M.S.  <