ÿWPCÄ Q‹ÔÐUž¿°ê:ž 6¥õµ ;æoïŠÞ~ 0`ü8ˆ?c*¾èY‘6õ‰£Uªö•"ïk¾`ÿp-ç[ÌÀ9Uæ—1>ÉãÒ+G£Ý’‘!Å5»+ª¯¢Œê¦ Ïžouc8‹0(z¥Ùját ­ôé]sô¯½Ê¨rnÕÙÂa ºÞg¦ô·iÒy2ôW«7<ákP9íÿSG,ÖmUy‚×Öc©þ1Ë#:½~*³Ùv ÷KŠðë06œqÙcnËür68`«{‘8é?Ї9+•Uˆ|“Gk%ô0# F÷ìב{ kÔ|Pè:l[û¤äþSw¤7Ï´½€ ªž£ >ÚmséÔš¸ËRàéþ˜žSÌXôìlÒÞÚmxº >ÙuÓyæ±÷ÞW7S©†´¨—Ú’ÇS=æÙF­l2—‹½¤ýß2_nTNMµŽ´è÷Íõ·o5’±3Çö-¿ä/DÏ+B[±T´³rù:`Ô±´ƒ¢ƒåЕ-OkC“H}£Ö™ßåÂ¥ÉЩI!Š:RÙ÷uï­{௃0ÌÇÍoÉÎ5ƒ6$ÒãS¼yñ‰ñitäD®“†/>ýû¦~uº‡ÙµÅ?~ÒÅøZ_@–D^.¢~®¶v³G)# >UNI %— 0(w@Å4( 0 l0 0 DœÂàm¢ˆ— Æ— *] ‡ U:ˆÈÂ*ŠA´U:õõÜ/////// AQ  B\ 0Dy 0D½ 0D D/EE Bt D3‘˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLlÎ(ÈhH  Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ w x y z{£|}D~Ó€Šn~<$pdÀp¬¬3|x((3üÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó ¸Ý ƒ üÝ$Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  ÝDue€to€the€partiesðð€common€surname,€we€have€referred€to€them€by€their€given€names€forÐ ° Ðclarity. cÝ ƒ üÝ$Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú4Ú  ÚóóÝ  ÝMr.€Dobbins,€Sr.€has€since€died. ~Ý ƒ üÝ$Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú6Ú  ÚóóÝ  ÝThe€record€indicates€that€the€issue€of€whether€Earthie€had€waived€his€rights€to€theseÐ ° Ðparticular€proceeds,€along€with€the€issue€of€fraud,€was€also€pursued€separately€in€circuit€court.ÏThe€record€does€not€indicate€the€outcome€of€that€case€or€what€effect€the€probate€courtððs€rulingÏhad€thereon. öÝ ƒ üÝ$Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú8Ú  ÚóóÝ  ÝWe€make€no€determination€here€regarding€Eddie€Joyððs€standing€to€bring€the€threeÐ ° Ðwrongful€death€lawsuits€in€circuit€court€as€this€issue€is€not€before€us.€€We€simply€note€that€inÏview€of€our€ruling,€her€actions€could€have€only€been€taken€in€an€administrative€capacity€for€theÏbenefit€of€those€persons€with€statutory€priority.€€òòò òSee€Foster€v.€Jeffersóóó ó,€813€S.W.2d€at€452.Ð €Ð ÐÌà  àƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5 Ý ƒ!¯"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€XµeXXXÔÔ€ªmXXµeÔÓ  ÓÔ Ad ÔFILEDÔ€XµeXªmÔÐ  ÐÌò òSeptember€16,€1998Ð šš ÐÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€ôå›ôXXµeÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó ÷Ý ƒ üÝ$Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú3Ú  ÚóóÝ  ÝThe€court€ordered€that€further€hearing€be€held€to€determine€the€appropriate€amount.€€TheÐ ° Ðcourtððs€judgment€was€rendered€final€pursuant€to€Rule€54.01€T.R.C.P.€,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular ¾Ý ƒ üÝ$Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú7Ú  ÚóóÝ  ÝThis€section€was€amended€in€May€1998€to€read:Ð ° ÐÌà8  à[O]r€to€the€personððs€natural€parents€or€parent€or€next€of€kin€if€at€the€time€of€deathÏdecedent€was€in€the€custody€of€the€natural€parents€or€parent€and€had€not€beenÏlegally€surrendered€or€abandoned€by€them€pursuant€to€any€court€order€removingÏsuch€person€from€the€custody€of€such€parents€or€parent; Ý ƒ!¯"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€XµeXXXÔÔ€ªmXXµeÔÓ  ÓÔ Ad ÔFILEDÔ€XµeXªmÔÐ  ÐÌò òSeptember€14,€1998Ð šš ÐÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€ôå›ôXXµeÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó 7Ý ƒ üÝ$Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú2Ú  ÚóóÝ  ÝA€separate€issue€was€raised€as€to€whether€Earthie€had€waived€his€right€to€the€settlementÐ ° Ðproceeds€in€one€of€the€wrongful€death€lawsuits.€€In€addressing€Eddie€Joyððs€motion€to€alter€orÏamend€the€judgment,€the€probate€court€held€that€she€lacked€standing€to€contest€the€distribution€ofÏthe€wrongful€death€proceeds€and€thus€to€question€the€alleged€waiver.€€Thus,€it€was€held€thatÏEarthie€was€entitled€to€receive€his€respective€share€of€the€proceeds€obtained€in€all€three€lawsuits.€€,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular ÒÝ ƒ üÝ$Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú5Ú  ÚóóÝ  ÝThis€section€provides:Ð ° ÐÌà8  àà ` àIn€no€event€shall€a€parent€be€permitted€to€inherit€through€intestateÏsuccession€until€all€child€support€arrearages€together€with€interest€thereon€at€theÏlegal€rate€of€interest€computed€from€the€date€each€payment€was€due€have€beenÏpaid€in€full€to€the€parent€ordered€to€receive€such€support€or€to€such€parentððs€estateÏif€deceased.!"#%Cþÿ<< Cÿÿ d(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý(3¯$££Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó'''÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd 'ÿÿdxdÝ ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýñ~ñ›ñ~ñÑTR[  AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÓ'°,X°À”X°œX'Óò òñŠññ~ñßr€(<,(j 8` `€€@Eȱ` ttx$°ð Õrßñ~ññŠññññŠñßr€(<,(j 8` `€€@Eȱ` ttx$°ð ÕrßñŠññññññññññ~ñ›ñ~ñññññññññ›ññññßt€(>.*jx°` `€€@ELÇ` ttx$„°( ëtß›ññà@O O ìàIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEE,€ˆÌà@kk%ìàAT€JACKSONó óˆÐ œì ÐÌà@. . ìà_______________________________________________________ˆÌÌà À à)Ìò òEDDIE€JOY€DOBBINSó ó,à À à)à  àShelby€County€Probate€CourtÐ 8 ˆ Ðà À à)à  àNo.€B„24282Ð ( x Ѐ€€€€Plaintiff/Appellant.à À à)Ð  d Ðà À à)ÌVS.à À à)à  àC.A.€No.€02A01„9710„PB„00246Ð ì <  Ðà À à)Ìò òGEORGE€DOBBINS,€ó óà À à)Ð Ä  Ðò òAdministrator€of€the€Estate€of€Markó óà À à)Ð ´  Ðò òDobbins,€Deceasedó ó,à À à)Ð ¤ô  Ðà À à)Ì€€€€€Defendant/Appellees.à À à)Ð €Ð Ðà À à)Ì______________________________________________________________________________ÌÌFrom€the€Probate€Court€of€Shelby€County€at€MemphisÌò òHonorable€Donn€Southern,€Judge€ó óÐ l ÐÌÌÌò òFred€M.€Ridolphi,€Jr.ó ó,€Ð Ì ÐHUMPHREYS€DUNLAP€WELLFORD€ACUFF€&€STANTON,€Memphis,€TennesseeÌAttorney€for€Plaintiff/Appellant€Eddie€Joy€Dobbins.ÌÌÌò òCharles€G.€Blackó ó,€Memphis,€TennesseeÐ l ¼ ÐAttorney€for€Defendant/Appellee€Earthie€Dobbins.ÌÌò òW.€Meredith€Clarkó ó,€Memphis,€TennesseeÐ 4#„! ÐAttorney€for€Defendant/Appellee€Betty€Dobbins.ÌÌÌÌOPINION€FILED:ÌÌò òAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDó óÐ ¬)ü$( ÐÌÌà À àò òFARMER,€J.ó óÐ p,À'+ ÐÌò òHIGHERS,€J.ó ó:€(Concurs)Ð H.˜)- Ðò òLILLARD,€J.ó ó:€œ(Concurs)Ð 8/ˆ*. ÐÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÐ 8;ˆ6; ÐñwññvñÓ3°,X°` À”X°,X°À”X3ÓñvññwññxññwñÓ6°,X°` ¸ À”X°,X°À”X6ÓñwññxññyññxñÓ6°,X°` ‚XÀ”X°,X°À”X6ÓñxññyññyñÓ0°,X°` ˜X°,X°À”X0ÓñyññzñÓÓñzññ{ñÓ  Óñ{ññ|ñà ` àOn€January€28,€1992,€Mark€Dobbins€was€accidentally€shot€and€killed€at€the€OrpheumÏTheater€in€Memphis€at€the€age€of€17.€€The€appellant,€Eddie€Joy€Dobbins,€is€Markððs€paternalÏgrandmother€in€whose€custody€he€had€remained€for€the€seven€years€preceding€his€death.€€FollowingÏMarkððs€death,€Eddie€Joy׃ ×Ý ƒ #ÃÝòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€filed€three€wrongful€death€lawsuits,€individually€and€as€next€friend€for€herÐ 8 ˆ Ðgrandson,€against€David€Industries,€Rita€Garth€and€the€Memphis€Development€Foundation,Ïrespectively.€€The€lawsuits€were€ultimately€settled€for€a€net€total€of€approximately€$119,000.€ÏThereafter,€the€probate€court€issued€letters€of€administration€to€Markððs€uncle,€George€Dobbins,€Jr.,Ïfor€the€purpose€of€distributing€the€settlement€proceeds€which€comprised€the€entire€estate.€€MarkððsÏnatural€parents,€Earthie€Dobbins€and€Betty€Hinds€Dobbins,€petitioned€the€court€to€require€theÏadministrator€to€distribute€to€them€their€respective€share€of€the€proceeds.€€Eddie€Joy€opposed€suchÏdistribution,€asserting€that€the€parents€had€abandoned€their€son€prior€to€his€death€and€that€she€wasÏtherefore€entitled€to€the€entire€proceeds.€€Betty€then€moved€for€summary€judgment€and€Earthie,€forÏpartial€summary€judgment,€asserting€their€entitlement€to€the€funds.€€The€probate€court€interpretedÏthe€wrongful€death€statutes€to€conclude€that€only€the€natural€parents€of€Mark€were€entitled€to€receiveÏthe€settlement€proceeds€and€granted€the€motions.׃h×Ý ƒ #ÃÝòòÚ  Ú2Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€€€After€further€hearing,€the€court€held€that€EddieÐ €Ð ÐJoy€was€entitled€to€be€reimbursed€from€the€net€proceeds€distributed€to€Earthie€for€certain€childÏsupport€payments€for€which€he€was€in€arrears.׃Ì×Ý ƒ #ÃÝòòÚ  Ú3Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€€Eddie€Joy€has€appealed€from€the€trial€courtððsÐ 0"€  Ðdecision.€€Upon€review€of€the€record,€we€affirm€for€the€reasons€hereinafter€stated.ÌÌà ` àMark€Dobbins€was€born€in€December€1974€to€Betty€and€Earthie€Dobbins.€€They€hadÏone€other€child,€Yvonne€Marie€Dobbins.€€They€were€divorced€in€1976€with€Betty€receiving€custodyÏof€the€children.€€Earthie€was€ordered€to€pay€child€support.€€In€March€1985,€Earthie€petitioned€theÏjuvenile€court€to€remove€Mark€and€his€sister€from€Bettyððs€custody€and€to€place€them€in€the€custodyÏof€his€parents,€Eddie€Joy€and€George€Dobbins,€Sr.€€The€court€approved€the€petition€upon€finding€theÐ /h*. Ðchildren€to€be€dependent€and€neglected€and€awarded€the€custody€of€both€children€to€their€paternalÏgrandparents.€€Mark€remained€in€his€grandparentsðð€custody€until€his€death.׃ ×Ý ƒ #ÃÝòòÚ  Ú4Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€Mark€was€not€marriedÐ à Ðat€the€time€of€his€death€and€had€no€children.ÌÌà ` àIn€December€1995,€Betty€and€Earthie€filed€similar€petitions€with€the€probate€courtÏclaiming€to€be€the€deceasedððs€sole€heirs€at€law€and€requesting€that€the€settlement€proceeds€beÏdistributed€in€accordance€with€the€laws€of€intestate€succession.€€Eddie€Joy€answered€the€petitions,Ïdenying€their€entitlement€to€any€of€the€proceeds€and€asserting€that€she€had€ð ðexpended€substantialÏsums€of€moneyðð€in€fulfilling€her€custodial€responsibilities€regarding€Mark€for€which€she€soughtÏreimbursement;€that€Earthie€was€in€substantial€arrears€in€child€support€payments€to€her€at€the€timeÏof€Markððs€death,€which€called€for€the€dismissal€of€his€petition€in€accordance€with€T.C.A.€ðð€31„2„¼105(b);׃€×Ý ƒ #ÃÝòòÚ  Ú5Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€and€that€both€Earthie€and€Betty€had€ð ðabandonedðð€their€rights€to€the€proceeds.€€Eddie€JoyÐ P  Ðrequested€that€both€petitions€be€dismissed€and€that€the€administrator€make€immediate€distributionÏto€her€of€all€monies€to€which€she€was€entitled.€€The€administrator€also€filed€answers€to€the€petitions.€ÏÌà ` àAs€hereinabove€noted,€both€Earthie€and€Betty€moved€for€summary€or€partial€summaryÏjudgment.€€Eddie€Joy€filed€a€memorandum€in€opposition€to€the€motions€asserting€that€genuine€issuesÏof€material€fact€existed€as€to€whether€Earthie€and€Betty€had€surrendered€their€parental€rights€to€MarkÏdue€to€their€abandonment€of€him€several€years€preceding€his€death€and€had€thus€foregone€any€rightÏto€recover€the€proceeds.€€Eddie€Joy€relied€upon€the€statutory€definition€of€abandonment€set€forthÏunder€T.C.A.€ðð€36„1„113,€pertaining€to€the€termination€of€parental€rights,€and€claimed€that€theÏactions€of€both€parents€with€regard€to€their€son€met€the€criteria€outlined€thereunder.€€Her€affidavitÏstates€that,€after€the€change€in€custody,€Betty€never€financially€supported€her€son€and€maintainedÏð ðvirtually€no€contact€whatsoeverðð€with€him€and€that€Earthie€made€no€financial€contribution€towardÏthe€support€of€his€son€after€1988€and€only€saw€him€for€a€period€of€approximately€two€to€three€weeks,Ð °1-0 Ðafter€which€time€he€ð ðhad€virtually€no€contactðð€with€Mark.€€The€affidavit€further€states€that€Eddie€JoyÏand€her€husband€gave€Mark€financial€and€emotional€support€and€raised€him€as€if€he€were€their€ownÏson€at€a€time€when€his€natural€parents€failed€to€do€so.€€A€similar€affidavit€was€submitted€by€RethaÏPartee,€Earthieððs€sister.€€The€depositions€of€Betty€and€Earthie€were€also€submitted€for€the€courtððsÏconsideration.ÌÌà ` àIn€granting€the€respective€motions,€the€trial€court€found€as€follows:ÌÌÓÓà8 ` àThe€Respondent€.€.€.€claims€that€questions€as€to€the€PetitionersððÏabandonment€of€their€son€create€genuine€issues€of€material€fact€andÏtherefore€summary€judgment€should€not€be€granted.Ð ` x` x ÐÌà8 ` àà ¸ à.€.€.€.€The€Respondent€and€the€Petitioners€are€in€agreement€thatÏno€legal€proceedings€had€been€brought€prior€to€the€[sic]€Markððs€death,Ïseeking€to€adjudicate€his€having€been€abandoned€by€Betty€and€EarthieÏDobbins.€€Additionally€there€is€no€dispute€as€to€the€fact€that€Eddie€JoyÏand€George€Dobbins€never€adopted€Mark.Ð ` x` x ÐÌà8 ` àà ¸ à.€.€.€.Ð ` x` x ÐÌà8 ` àà ¸ à.€.€.€The€often€followed€Tennessee€Supreme€Court€case€ofÏòòò òMemphis€Railway€Company€v.€Cooperóóó ó,€313€S.W.2d€€444€(Tenn.Ð à0 Ð1958),€clearly€states€that€the€distribution€of€wrongful€death€proceedsÏfalls€under€Tennesseeððs€wrongful€death€statute.€€òòò òMemphis€RailwayÐ À! ÐCompany€v.€Cooperóóó ó,€313€S.W.2d€444,€448€(Tenn.€1958).€€TheÐ °"  Ðapplicable€Tennessee€wrongful€death€statute€for€this€cause€is€T.C.A.ÏSec.€20„5„106(a)€.€.€.€Ð ` x` x ÐÌà8 ` àà ¸ à.€.€.€.Ð ` x` x ÐÌà8 ` àà ¸ àIn€applying€T.C.A.€Sec.€20„5„106(a)€to€the€facts€of€this€case,Ïthe€Court€believes€the€only€persons€who€would€be€entitled€to€receiveÏthe€proceeds€of€the€wrongful€death€lawsuits€in€place€of€his€naturalÏparents€would€be€legally€adoptive€parents.€€The€facts€of€this€case€areÏclear€that€the€minor€child€was€never€legally€adopted€by€anyone.€€AtÏthe€time€of€his€death,€Markððs€legal€parents€were€Earthie€and€BettyÏDobbins.€€It€is€true€that€Mark€was€in€the€custody€of€his€grandparentsÏat€the€time€of€his€death,€but€there€had€been€no€adoption€proceedings.Ð ` x` x ÐÌà8 ` àà ¸ à.€.€.€If€T.C.A.€Sec.€20„5„106€required€the€Court€to€examine€theÏworthiness€of€the€beneficiary€of€wrongful€death€proceeds,€thenÏabandonment€would€unquestionably€be€a€material€fact€in€determiningÏto€whom€the€proceeds€should€be€distributed.€.€.€.Ð ` x` x ÐÌà8 ` àà ¸ à.€.€.€.Ð ` x` x ÐÌà8 ` àà ¸ à.€.€.€There€is€no€language€in€the€Tennessee€wrongful€deathÏstatute€that€permits€this€Court€to€enter€into€considerations€as€to€theÏworthiness€or€lack€of€worthiness€of€beneficiaries€of€proceeds€fromÏwrongful€death€lawsuits.Ð ` x` x ÐÌà8 ` àà ¸ àBecause€the€question€of€worthiness€of€the€beneficiaries€ofÐ