ÿWPCß X# àUNë %9 0(?w|g4ã÷ 0P 0lV 0D 0J 0TX 0^¬ 0h 0rr 0|ä 0†` 0æ 1uv 0dë D3O U>‚ BÀ B)Ý DC AMI 0@– AQÖ Æ' 0Dí 0D1 D/u B¤U*Áëòv~vÓ A`˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLHÎ(ÈhH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡"E#$E%[&['(E)*[+,E-.E/0E12V3Ó€?BB\J#3|xB((3/Q$¬¬Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÔ d Ô((3üÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ$$$$'ÿÿdxd< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman d% Line 7 d%%%%7Border 1dd*(&Cþÿ << Gÿÿ("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò*+(,-Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó..'÷ÿ dxdüÿP Pd< Œ 9p`(Arial ýÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€#ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ+"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€/ÔÔ€/ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€/XÔÌÌò òNovember€14,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€/ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€#ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝAlthough€technically€Terry€Construction€is€the€appellee€in€this€case,€we€will€refer€to€Terry,Ïthe€owner,€as€the€party.ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÒ  ion-F Geneva Ò(yúÿ  <<= 8ÀÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿCÿÿÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€#ÔÝ  ÝÑ\R AØ'\ÑÓ  ÓÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›Þ ÞÌà@ àò òIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àWESTERN€SECTION€AT€JACKSONÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€òò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌÌóóÌKENNETH€R.€RUDSTROM,€€€€€€€€€à à)ÌEXECUTOR€OF€THE€ESTATE€OF€à à)ÌFRANK€E.€MUSTIN,€Deceased,à à€à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àœó óAppellant,à à›à àà àà àò ò)à àó óShelby€Probate€No.€B„17481Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àò ò)̜ـ*ÙßR€'0&A1-j|Ì` Å `€€@ÿRß›vs.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àó óAppeal€No.€02A01„9605„PB„00098ò òÌRONALD€S.€TERRY,€Individually€andà à)Ìd/b/a€RONALD€S.€TERRY€à à€€€€€€€à à)ÌCONSTRUCTION€CO.,€INC.€€€€€€€€€€à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àœó óAppellee.à à›à àà àà àò ò)ÌÌó óÌÌà0 àà àà@ àAPPEAL€FROM€THE€PROBATE€COURT€OF€SHELBY€COUNTYÌà@ àAT€MEMPHIS,€TENNESSEEÌÌÌà@ àTHE€HONORABLE€LEONARD€D.€PIEROTTI,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌòòÌFor€the€œAppellantóó:òò›à àà àà àœà àFor›€the€œAppelleeóó:›ÌÌS.€Newton€Anderson€à àà àà àà àRex€L.€Brasher,€Jr.ÌMemphis,€Tennessee€€à àà àà àMemphis,€Tennessee€€€€€ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àò òAFFIRMEDó óÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àHOLLY€KIRBY€LILLARD,€J.ÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€J.ÌÌÌDAVID€R.€FARMER,€J.€ÇØØÙ  ÙÓÓÑ7€Œ´XXdðXXdð7ÑÑ  Ñà@ àò òOPINIONó óÌà àThis€case€involves€a€claim€against€an€estate€for€money€allegedly€loaned€to€the€decedentÏwhile€he€was€alive.€€The€trial€court€found€the€evidence€sufficient€to€establish€that€the€check€writtenÏto€the€decedent€was€a€loan,€not€payment€on€a€debt.€€We€affirm.Ìà àIn€August€of€1991,€Appellee€Ronald€S.€Terry€Construction€Company,€Inc.€(ð ðTerryÏConstructionðð)€filed€a€claim€against€the€estate€of€Frank€Mustin,€Sr.€(ð ðMustinðð)€for€$100,000.€ÏTerry€Construction€alleged€that€Ronald€Terry€(ð ðTerryðð),€the€companyððs€owner,€had€loaned€MustinÏmoney€for€the€purchase€of€real€estate.œ× ƒ1 ××  ×›€€The€executor€of€the€estate,€Appellant€Kenneth€R.€RudstromÏ(ð ðRudstromðð),€filed€an€exception€to€the€claim€on€the€grounds€that€the€estate€was€not€indebted€toÏTerry.€Ìà àA€bench€trial€was€held.€€The€evidence€established€that€Mustin€and€Terry€had€a€history€ofÏoral€business€deals,€and€never€reduced€their€agreements€to€writing.€€On€June€13,€1990,€Terry€tookÏout€a€bank€loan€for€$100,000€and€had€the€bank€issue€a€cashierððs€check€in€the€amount€ofÏ$99,000.05.€€The€check€was€made€out€to€Nat€Parham€(ð ðParhamðð),€Mustinððs€closing€attorney€on€aÏreal€estate€purchase€Mustin€was€making€in€Mississippi.€€The€check€showed€that€Terry€ConstructionÏwas€the€remitter.€€Terryððs€son€picked€up€the€check€from€the€bank€and€took€it€to€Terry€Construction.€ÏA€Mustin€employee€went€to€Terry€Construction€to€get€the€check€and€took€it€to€Parham.€€ParhamÏused€the€check€to€pay€the€balance€purchase€price€of€the€Mississippi€property€and€related€expenses,Ïwhich€also€totaled€$99,000.05.€€The€closing€occurred€on€June€14,€1990,€the€day€after€the€bankÏloan€to€Terry€was€made.Ìà àDuring€the€trial,€Terry€began€to€testify€about€his€transaction€with€Mustin,€but€RudstromÏobjected,€invoking€the€Dead€Manððs€Statute.€€At€that€point,€the€trial€court€began€questioning€Terry:ÌÓÓà8 àà àTHE€COURT:€€Let€me€ask€you€this.€€Why€were€you€sending€this€check€toÏMr.€Parham?ÌÌà8 àà àTHE€WITNESS:€€Mr.€Frank€Mustin€„„ÌÌà8 àà àTHE€COURT:€€Had€you€talked€to€Mr.€Parham?ÌÌà8 àà àTHE€WITNESS:€€No,€sir.€€Mr.€Mustin€asked€me€to€make€the€check€out€toÏMr.€Nat€Parham.€€He€would€pick€it€up€in€my€office€and€deliver€it€to€Mr.€Parham€toÏbuy€this€property€with.€€He€wanted€it€„„€needed€the€money€for€the€loan.Ì̜Ǜà8 àà àTHE€COURT:€€You€didnððt€know€Mr.€Parham€at€all€as€far€as€this€transactionÏis€concerned?ÌÌà8 àà àTHE€WITNESS:€€Yes,€sir.€€Mr.€Parham€had€„„€I€had€bought€some€propertyÏwhere€my€office€is€from€Mr.€Mustin€in€19€„„ÌÌà8 àà àTHE€COURT:€€Well,€did€you€know€Mr.€Parham€was€handling€this€at€theÏtime?ÌÌà8 àà àTHE€WITNESS:€€Yeah.€€Mr.€Mustin€told€me€he€was.€€Mr.€MustinÏinstructed€me€to€write€the€check€to€Mr.€Parham€for€this€property.ÌÌà àà8 àTHE€COURT:€€Thatððs€as€far€as€I€am€going€to€let€him€testify.ÌÌÓÓRudstrom€renewed€his€objection€for€the€record.Ìà àMustinððs€widow,€Rebecca€Crawford€Sebree€(ð ðSebreeðð),€also€testified€at€the€trial.€€SheÏtestified€that€her€husband€had€owned€several€pieces€of€property,€only€one€of€which€wasÏmortgaged.€€Sebree€said€that€she€believed€Mustin€might€have€had€a€$100,000€line€of€credit€at€FirstÏTennessee€Bank,€which€she€thought€was€unused.€€She€also€stated€that,€shortly€after€MustinððsÏdeath,€Terry€had€told€her€that€Mustin€owed€him€$16,000€but€did€not,€at€that€time,€mention€aÏ$99,000€debt.€€In€response€to€questions€from€the€trial€court,€Sebree€testified€that€Mustin€had€toldÏher€that€the€$99,000€from€Terry€had€been€a€payment€for€some€equipment€of€Mustinððs€that€TerryÏhad€been€using,€as€well€as€for€the€privilege€of€dumping€concrete€on€some€of€Mustinððs€property.ÏSebree€acknowledged€that€apart€from€what€Mustin€had€told€her,€€she€had€no€independentÏknowledge€about€the€check€from€Terry€or€the€reason€why€it€was€written.Ìà àThe€trial€court€found€that€the€check€from€Terry€had€been€a€loan,€not€payment€on€a€debt.€€InÏits€Memorandum€Opinion,€the€trial€court€set€forth€the€reasons€for€its€decision:ÌÓÓà8 àà àThe€fact€that€there€is€no€contract€or€anything€in€writing€evidencing€thisÏtransaction€has€made€it€difficult€for€the€Court€to€determine€its€character.€€The€CourtÏrecognizes€that€there€is€a€presumption€that€the€transaction€was€payment€of€a€debtÏowed€to€the€Decedent€[Mustin],€but€the€circumstances€surrounding€the€transactionÏindicate€that€the€$99,000.05€was€intended€to€be€a€loan€for€the€purchase€of€theÏDecedentððs€property€in€Mississippi.€€The€events€that€transpired€were€characteristicÏof€such€a€loan.ÌÌà8 àà àA€copy€of€the€cashierððs€check€was€submitted€to€the€Court.€€The€cashierððsÏcheck€was€made€payable€to€the€Decedentððs€closing€attorney€in€the€amount€ofÏ$99,000.05€and€showed€the€Claimant€[Terry]€as€the€remitter.€€Coincidently,€theÍamount€that€the€Decedent€was€required€to€bring€to€the€closing€was€$99,000.05.€.€.€.ÏIt€seems€hard€to€believe€that€a€debt€owed€to€the€Decedent€was€the€exact€amount€dueÏat€closing.€€Mr.€Parham€testified€that€the€check€was€used€in€the€purchase€of€theÏMississippi€property,€and€the€purchase€of€said€property€was€made€one€day€after€theÏClaimant€purchased€the€cashierððs€check.€€The€Claimant€testified€that€matters€wereÏhandled€in€the€aforementioned€manner€at€the€Decedentððs€direction.€€In€summary,Ïfrom€the€fact€that€1)€the€amount€of€the€check€was€$99,000.05€(the€exact€amount€thatÏthe€Decedent€was€to€bring€to€closing);€2)€the€check€was€made€payable€to€theÏDecedentððs€closing€attorney;€3)€the€Claimant€was€the€remitter;€and€4)€the€DecedentÏused€the€check€to€purchase€property€in€Mississippi€ð ðit€may€fairly€and€reasonably€beÏinferred€that€the€transaction€was€in€fact€a€loan.ðð€€òòWilliamsóó,€6€Tenn.App.€at€218.ÌÌÓ  Ó*€*€*ÌÌÓ  Óà8 àà àThe€Court€finds€that€the€Claimant€brought€forth€clear€and€convincing€proofÏso€that€it€is€reasonable€to€infer€from€the€circumstances€in€this€case€that€theÏtransaction€was€in€fact€a€loan.ÌÌÓÓThe€court€also€found€the€evidence€that€Terry€owed€the€money€to€Mustin€unconvincing,€concludingÏthat€the€testimony€from€Mustinððs€widow€left€questions€unanswered€and€ð ðhighly€questionable.ðð€ÏRudstrom€now€appeals€the€decision€of€the€trial€court.Ìà àOn€appeal,€Rudstrom€contends€that€the€trial€court€erred€in€finding€the€proof€of€a€loanÏsufficient€to€overcome€the€presumption€that€the€check€had€been€payment€of€a€debt.€€Rudstrom€alsoÏargues€that€the€trial€court€erred€in€allowing€Terry€to€testify€concerning€his€transaction€with€Mustin,Ïcontending€that€this€testimony€was€inadmissible€under€the€Dead€Manððs€Statute.€€Ìà àOur€review€of€this€case€is€ò òòòde€novoó óóó€upon€the€record€with€a€presumption€of€correctness€ofÏthe€findings€of€fact€by€the€trial€court.€€Absent€error€of€law,€the€trial€courtððs€decision€will€beÏaffirmed,€unless€the€evidence€preponderates€against€the€factual€findings.€€Tenn.€R.€App.€P.€13(d).€ÏNo€presumption€of€correctness€attaches€to€the€trial€courtððs€conclusions€of€law.€€€òòò òSee€Carvell€v.ÏBottomsó óóó,€900€S.W.2d€23,€26€(Tenn.€1995).€€€Ìà àIn€Tennessee,€the€unexplained€delivery€of€a€check€raises€the€presumption€that€the€checkÏwas€payment€of€a€debt,€not€a€loan.€€ò òòòWilliams€v.€Frazeró óóó,€6€Tenn.€App.€211,€218€(1927).€ÏSimilarly,€there€is€a€presumption€that€the€check€was€a€loan€rather€than€a€gift.€€ò òòòId.ó óóó€€The€presumptionÏthat€the€check€was€payment€for€a€debt,€however,€is€not€a€conclusive€one.€€It€ð ðis€overcome€by€proofÏof€circumstances€from€which€it€may€fairly€and€reasonably€be€inferred€that€the€transaction€was€inÍfact€a€loan.ðð€€ò òòòId.ó óóó€(quoting€5€ò òòòRuling€Case€Lawó óóó€ðð€9,€at€486„87).Ìà àApart€from€Terryððs€testimony€concerning€his€transaction€with€Mustin,€the€remainingÏevidence€of€a€loan€is€circumstantial.€€However,€as€previously€noted€by€this€Court:ÌÓÓà8 àà àAny€material€fact€can€be€proved€by€circumstantial€evidence.€€In€certainÏcases,€this€Court€has€recognized€that€a€well€connected€train€of€circumstances€may€beÏmore€convincing€than€direct€evidence€on€the€same€matters.ÌÌÓÓò òòòKnapp€v.€Holiday€Inns,€Inc.óóó ó,€682€S.W.2d€936,€944€(Tenn.€App.€1984).€€In€this€case,€theÏevidence€showed€that€Mustin€and€Terry€had€a€history€of€doing€business€with€nothing€more€than€aÏhandshake,€that€the€check€was€for€an€unusual€amount€($99,000.05),€that€the€amount€correspondedÏexactly€to€the€amount€needed€by€Mustin€to€close€the€real€estate€deal,€that€the€check€was€made€out€toÏthe€lawyer€in€charge€of€closing€that€deal,€that€Terryððs€name€was€on€the€check€as€its€remitter,€andÏthat€the€check€was€used€to€close€Mustinððs€deal.€€The€testimony€of€Mustinððs€widow€presented€someÏevidence€of€a€debt,€but€the€trial€court€found€this€testimony€left€many€questions€unanswered€and€Ïð ðhighly€questionable.ðð€€The€trial€court€had€the€opportunity€to€view€the€witnessesðð€demeanor,€andÏwe€defer€to€the€trial€courtððs€determination€of€œcredibility.€€ò òòòThompson€v.€Creswell€Indus.ÏSupply,€Inc.ó óóó,€936€S.W.2d€955,€957€(Tenn.€App.€1996);€ò òòòLindsey€v.€Lindseyó óóó,€930€S.W.2dÏ553,€556€(Tenn.€App.€1996).›Ìà àViewing€the€evidence€as€a€whole,€even€without€considering€Terryððs€testimony€regarding€theÏtransaction€with€Mustin,€we€find€the€presumption€of€payment€of€a€debt€has€been€ð ðovercome€byÏproof€of€circumstances€from€which€it€may€fairly€and€reasonably€be€inferred€that€the€transaction€wasÏin€fact€a€loan.ðð€€ò òòòWilliamsó óóó,€6€Tenn.€App.€at€218.€€Based€on€this€holding,€the€issue€regardingÏwhether€Terryððs€testimony€was€inadmissible€is€pretermitted.€€We€affirm€the€decision€of€the€trialÏcourt.€€Ìà àThe€decision€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed.€€Costs€are€assessed€against€Appellant,€for€whichÏexecution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà àòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àò òóóHOLLY€KIRBY€LILLARD,€J.ÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌòòÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ÌóóALAN€E.€HIGHERS,€J.ÌÌÌòòÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÌDAVID€R.€FARMER,€J.ó óÌ