ÿWPCH 3sq²Ç}Î|6ש4ï¿v8 /¨bhÂ¥­ô±lƒ^<ê‰÷„™}nYul>;-éÝã{~õ³ö =KKš$üƒ‡øB‘§òt wgO.Yx›úDg>QɉÐaKOh}xé…_ÛÂd;jC3UõÑ>Ħƒ´&Vø®7Ú‡ŽøªðŸʛܫ}ÕàêªòÝj™ýÐâ‚ðX— —¼8’y]­=Ô±ð•P—³[¼O†67E…oà‚k°¡MΠ¯=)»6M¸½ì÷s¹ü‰yC¹¡î°¿v¨œ|úm¶d–ƒ^‚zܶÏô"aâ÷%% óRI¹“¹|Œ¾wbJ -5q}5‘^ß"¾…ßž~9EC40º]ˆ)×pÛÀŽÊe7³&GGÆÃDu«ÿ>Æd&VlðH|eíþÝ6¼VWÁ/ 0ãàfGçtë€tñŸuÔ„¯¶Ä[©õD €ÚŸš¨Ÿ%x½dLéÆaûÂñåÿK<à ¤Ñ_þ…ëµ›Ý")MT¾¼–m¦[º èÑ)Æþ¥OæÏ~³†–—øM>Rye-k…«] ÿl¥~(Ò·a©„Vìv™“ÎÀ8†¯öæ÷—ðÁíqƹbUN\ %ª 0ˆ°^ 8wD4H\ zkÒå· m¹ Ð #ÁØ Æ™ Æ_ Æ% Æë D±Nõ 0D÷÷E;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;b==================================== 0ëEEEE B00 0¤M D3ñ D-$ 0KQQ ASœÆï 0¤µ 0DY A«(ÈhH  Z6Times New Roman Regular»(`£ª$¡¡Ñ€.ÑÑ8€½­»»d»»d8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  Ó5g¿,â yG*,÷¨ý3|x ˜C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt ÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ ˜HP LaserJet 4050ÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈ0Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5‚Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5„Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5…Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5 :Ý ƒRP¶$ÝÓ  Óà  àòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÔ€ôš\ò»»ÔÝ  ÝÔ_Ôà ` àDuring€the€course€of€this€litigation€Mr.€Thompson€died€and€his€son,€who€was€his€only€child€and€hisÐ ° Ðpersonal€representative,€replaced€him€in€this€proceeding.(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó- ù-(|G2P¶$¤¤Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€:Ä»»dd8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóÔ€ôš\ò»»Ô d(|3u$££Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€:Ä»»dd8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  ÝVVVV'ÿÿdxd)!ÈÈÈÈdxdx( ±þ$’’ò òFigure€Ú  Ú1Ú  Úó ó^_X`YEþÿ<<CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3u$¢¢Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€:Ä»»dd8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó óX[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿCÿÿ HKKKKÝ ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€:Ä»»ddÈ8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÑ  ÑÔ€¼:Ä»»»ÔÑ8€~XXdì»»d8ÑÑ  Ñà@ü ü ìàÔ‡î …î»¼:ÄÔIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEˆÐ ° Ðà@WW$ìàAT€KNOXVILLEÔ#†¼:Ä»îî … #ԈРÖ& ÐÓ  ÓAugust€27,€2001€SessionÐ üL ÐÔ‡X~X»¼:ÄÔÌò òÔ#†¼:Ä»XX~ô#ÔIN€RE:€THE€ESTATE€OF€J.€CRAWFORD€MURPHY€òòóóó óÐ úJ ÐÌÔ€X~X»¼:ÄÔà@@½½ìàò ò€Appeal€from€the€Probate€Court€for€Sevier€CountyÐ  p Ðà@@øøìàNo.€P97„10„506€€€€€€Jeff€D.€Ô_ÔRaderÔ_Ô,€JudgeÐ  \ ÐÌFILED€DECEMBER€27,€2001à@@ìì*ìàßA€V) °°` d€÷E<”` AßÐ ä 4  ÐÌà@@TTìàNo.€E2001„01112„COA„R3„CVÐ ¼  ÐÌßA€V) °°` dE<“` AßÐ ”ä  Ðó óÌÓ  ÓIn€this€case€the€Probate€Court€held€that€the€personal€representative€of€the€Estate€of€Mae€ThompsonÐ ß  ÐMurphy€did€not€have€authority€to€dissent€from€the€will€of€her€husband,€J.€Crawford€Murphy,€andÐ {Ë Ðthereby€take€an€elective€share€of€his€Estate.€€We€find€that€T.C.A.€31„4„105€gives€the€personalÐ g· Ðrepresentative€this€right€and€reverse€the€judgment€of€the€Trial€Court.Ð S£ ÐÌò òà@¢¢ìàTenn.R.App.P.€3€Appeal€as€of€Right;€Judgment€of€the€Probate€Court€Reversed;€ˆÐ +{ Ðà@#ìàCause€RemandedˆÐ g Ðó óÌòòHouston€M.€Goddard,€P.J.óó,€delivered€the€opinion€of€the€court,€in€which€òòCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,óóÐ ï? Ðand€òòD.€Michael€Swiney,€JJ.óó,€joined.Ð Û+ ÐÌJohn€T.€Ô_ÔMcArthurÔ_Ô,€and€Martha€S.€L.€Black,€Maryville,€Tennessee,€for€the€Appellant,€MatthewÐ ³ ÐThompsonÐ Ÿï ÐÌEdward€H.€Hamilton,€Sevierville,€Tennessee,€for€the€Appellee,€Robert€A.€Murphy,€Executor€of€theÐ wÇ ÐEstate€of€J.€Crawford€MurphyÐ c ³ ÐÌÌò òà@66'ìàOPINIONó óˆÐ '#w! ÐÓ  ÓÌÌÓ  Óà  àThe€question€presented€by€this€appeal€is€whether€Larry€Thompson,€who€was€the€Executor€ofÐ ë%;!$ Ðthe€Estate€of€his€mother,€Mae€Thompson€Murphy,€had€an€absolute€right€under€T.C.A.€31„4„101€andÐ ×&'"% Ð31„4„105€to€take€an€elective€share€of€the€Estate€of€her€husband,€J.€Crawford€Murphy,€that€his€motherÐ Ã'#& Ðwould€have€been€entitled€to€take€had€she€not€died.Ð ¯(ÿ#' ÐÌà  àThe€facts€giving€rise€to€this€appeal€are€not€in€dispute,€and€our€review€is€òòde€novoóó€without€anyÐ ‡*×%) Ðpresumption€of€the€correctness€of€the€Probate€Courtððs€findings€of€fact.€€òòCampbell€v.€Florida€SteelÐ s+Ã&* ÐCorp.óó,€919€S.W.2d€26€(Tenn.€1996).€€Ð _,¯'+ ÐÐ K-›(,ýÿ Ðà  àMr.€and€Mrs.€Murphy€had€been€married,€at€the€time€of€his€death€on€October€8,€1997,€forÐ ° Ðapproximately€10€years.€€Mrs.€Murphy€died€17€days€later,€on€October€25,€1997.€€The€time€had€notÐ œì Ðyet€expired€for€her€to€seek€an€elective€share€of€her€husbandððs€Estate,€although€the€proof€shows€thatÐ ˆØ Ðshe€was€incompetent€to€make€such€an€election.Ð tÄ ÐÌà  àAfter€her€death€her€son,€who€was€the€Executor€of€her€Estate,€purported€to€exercise€theÐ L œ Ðelective€share€on€behalf€of€her€Estate.׃×Ý ƒ#ÃÝòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€€There€is€no€question€that€his€action€on€behalf€of€his€motherððsÐ 8 ˆ ÐEstate€was€timely.€Ð $ t ÐÌà  àThe€Statutes€in€question€above€referenced€state€the€following:Ð ü L  ÐÌÒ€°ÒÒ°Òà Ø àò ò31„4„101.€€Right€to€elective€shareó ó.ð!ðThe€surviving€spouse€shall€have€a€rightÐ Ô$  Ðof€election€to€take€an€elective€share€of€one„third€(1/3€)€of€decedentððs€net€estate€asÐ Ä  Ðdefined€by€ðð€31„2„103(b).€€Such€elective€share,€when€so€determined,€shall€beÐ °  Ðexempt€from€the€debts€and€charges€of€the€decedent€incurred€after€April€1,€1977.Ð œì  ÐÌà Ø àò ò31„4„105.€€Death€of€surviving€spouseó ó.€ð!ð€In€the€event€the€surviving€spouseÐ tÄ Ðdies€after€the€death€of€the€spouse„testator€and€before€the€time€for€dissent€expires,Ð d´ Ðthe€personal€representative€of€the€decedentððs€surviving€spouse€may,€in€like€mannerÐ P  Ðand€every€respect,€make€such€election€on€behalf€of€such€deceased€spouse.€€In€likeÐ <Œ Ðmanner,€the€personal€representative€may€withdraw€a€demand€for€an€elective€shareÐ (x Ðat€any€time€before€entry€of€a€final€determination€by€the€court.Ð d ÐÌÒ°€ÒÒ°Òà  àThe€Trial€Court€found€that€the€words€ððmay,€in€like€manner€and€every€respect,ðð€€had€referenceÐ ì< Ðto€the€preceding€Section€regarding€incompetent€spouses,€which€provides€the€following:Ð Ø( ÐÌÒ°ÒÒ€°Òà ` àò ò31„4„104.€€Mental€incompetency€or€minority€of€surviving€spouse.ó ó€ð!ðÐ ° ÐWhen€the€surviving€spouse€has€been€adjudged€mentally€incompetent€as€describedÐ  ð Ðby€title€34,€chapters€11„13,€or€is€under€the€age€of€eighteen€(18)€years,€at€the€time€theÐ ŒÜ Ðwill€is€admitted€to€probate,€upon€a€petition€filed€by€a€guardian,€conservator€or€nextÐ xÈ Ðfriend€of€either,€within€one€(1)€year€from€probate,€or€within€any€extension€periodÐ d ´ Ðso€granted,€alleging€that€it€would€be€to€the€interest€of€the€survivor€to€take€theÐ P!  Ðsurvivorððs€elective€share,€the€court€having€the€proper€jurisdiction€is€empowered€toÐ <"Œ  Ðappoint€a€guardian€ad€litem€and€hear€proof€and€to€declare€or€not€declare€an€election,Ð (#x! Ðand€enter€judgment€accordingly,€subject€to€appeal.Ð $d" ÐÌÒ°ÒÒ°€Òà  àWhile€such€a€construction€might€otherwise€be€tenable,€it€appears€that€the€LegislatureÐ ì%