ÿWPCc ŠUóÒ†¾zjg5£èé¦ìé—Dÿ0¯Í·ÃÞOËký?)vx,\ƒ¬ó9Gñº£›´X&ü Ü¥—hü}B#n,ÂîkjÑ»ÝÔ|—ÅuðeÿÓ³$uùؽý©âtùiÉ“erÔë†éû±Ïõ•`åöõX¨ù¯ŒÑÝ'uŒÞ;j¢êñ±Þ‘wÿÑ~¡}› M׿¥D| J^[Ð `yë)n•¸7±Áþ¹p}òÿd…¶0ž9ª5]D‘iœqßÑ[»Å¦âûÿ ý#¦×º !Õ[„g`8 ;bcñœŽ…¶%DcªQ.ż¨sÌ^Ã^8 ;jçuõz[gs)'µ´ n6Ûü˜ Pç€SM¨äÌšëÿ)ÀCÞ¬ó§ãÚ?ÄÀïÅõôCù)òèþÎǃÿÞ¯Á§Ûì#Ïó°bd‰6ÖÇ“h “ÚJíÞGÇk8ºS)áKQpP.–Lã5¾¿èpÑ ÉÛéQ ¨PcBjäÞ¾Éã<22Ó8\}¸ íì°a2Y‚á¸ÀÓg%O6˜A’þ?+M¥- ÿݪL †õRVE¦Ró6pÅ/é’+;œ#vàÃöb²»ô“·¨ýž VëúzX¾œ¾i0/sË>¿šºOèoYØa#ÁNUN %] 0(c w‹ 4 £ b² º ¶Â  x O Nß á ^ é õ m÷ Æ ÆÔ Æš A«` 0D  EOÄQ BU @2222222 0Drrrrrrr A[¶Æ 0F× D+ 0‹HHHHHHH D5ÓÓÓ A« 0K³Æþ AŸÄ˜HP LaserJet 8000 Series PSØÚØÚÚØØÚ0(ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡òK+3|x- ù- ¬Ý ƒRÕÜ$Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú2Ú  ÚóóÔ€ô‰ òXXÔÝ  ÝÔ_Ôà ` àThis€case€is€still€pending€in€the€trial€court. Ѱ°Ñ EÑ  ÑÑ8€xXXdìXXdì8Ñ tz$+â ÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ‚Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5ƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5„Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5_#^-&OLE 2.0 Box <=8ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿCÿÿ HKKKK(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó ºÝ ƒRÕÜ$Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÔ€ô‰ òXXÔÝ  ÝÔ_Ô€€€€€Mr.€Ô_ÔLeQuireÔ_Ô€owned€no€interest€in€the€property€and€his€only€connection€therewith€is€that€his€deceasedÐ ° Ðwife€was€the€step„grandchild€of€Margaret€Cooley,€a€former€owner€of€the€property,€and€was€named€executrix€in€Ms.Ð tÄ ÐCooleyððs€will.Ð 8ˆ Ð d(æ() Z‹(Times New Roman (3¯$££Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý+#,-Oüÿ << deUU…Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(n$––ò ò(Ú  Ú1Ú  Ú)ó ó'ÈÈÈÈdxd(G2ÕÜ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóÔ€ô…|òXXÔ)ÿÿ!dxdx_#^-&OLE 2.0 Box <=8ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿCÿÿ HKKKK( ±þ$’’ò òFigure€Ú  Ú1Ú  Úó óLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5_#^-‘ I&mage <=8ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿCÿÿ HKKKKÝ ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÔ€Xj XXXÔÔ_ÔÔÿÿÔÑ  ÑÔ‡¼»XXj ÔÔÿÿÔò òÑ€ÑÑ8€j XXdìdÈ8ÑÑ  ÑÑ€ ‡µÑÑ€ öÑà@m m ìàÔ#†Xj X»¼f#ÔÔ‡îšîXXj ÔIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEˆÐ ° Ðà@''$ìàAT€KNOXVILLEÔ#†Xj XîîšC#ÔÔ‡¼»XXj ÔˆÐ Ô$ ÐÓ  ÓJuly€10,€2001€SessionÐ øH ÐÔ#†Xj X»¼Ý#Ôó óÌò òÔ‡¼»XXj ÔRUTH€N.€WILSON€v.€LANDON€HAYNES€SNAPP,€JR.,€òòet€alóó.Ô#†Xj X»¼r#Ôó óÐ øH ÐÌà@@½½ìàò ò€Appeal€from€the€Chancery€Court€for€Sullivan€CountyÐ ø H Ðà@@øøìàNo.€16„128€€€€€€Richard€E.€Ladd,€ChancellorÐ ä 4 ÐÌFILED€AUGUST€31,€2001Ð ¼  Ðà@@ìì*ìàßA€) °°` d€÷E<§` AßÐ ¨ø  ÐÌà@@TTìàNo.€E2001„00172„COA„R3„CVÐ £ó  ÐÌßA€) °°` dE<z` AßÐ {Ë  Ðó óÌÓ  ÓIn€this€suit€the€Trial€Court€held€a€purported€deed€from€Ruth€N.€Wilson€to€Landon€Haynes€Snapp,€Jr.,Ð vÆ  Ðand€Gene€L.€Snapp€was€champertous€and€void.€€The€Snapps€appeal,€contending€this€holding€was€inÐ b² Ðerror.€€We€affirm.Ð Nž ÐÓãÓÌò òTenn.R.App.P.€3€Appeal€as€of€Right;€Judgment€of€the€Chancery€Court€Affirmed;€Ð &v ÐCause€Remandedó óÐ b ÐÌòòÓ  ÓHouston€M.€Goddard,€P.J.óó,€delivered€the€opinion€of€the€court,€in€which€òòHerschel€P.€Franksóó€andÐ ê: ÐòòCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.óó,€joined.Ð Ö& ÐÌThomas€A.€Snapp,€Knoxville,€Tennessee,€for€the€Appellants,€Landon€Haynes€Snapp,€Jr.,€and€GeneÐ ®þ ÐL.€Snapp.Ð šê ÐÌWilliam€W.€Davis,€Jr.,€Knoxville,€Tennessee,€for€the€Intervening€Appellees,€James€E.€Willis€andÐ r ÐNeil€Leonard.Ð ^® ÐÌÓ¡ÓÌò òOPINIONó óÐ ""r! ÐÓ  ÓÔÿÿ…ÔÔÿÿÔÌÔÿÿÞÔÔÿÿÔòòóóÓ  Óà  àThis€litigation€was€initiated€by€Ruth€N.€Wilson,€who€resides€in€Virginia,€seeking€to€have€aÐ ú#J# ÐMarch€16,€1998,€quitclaim€deed€executed€by€her€transferring€58.54€acres€of€land€located€principallyÐ æ$6 $ Ðin€Tennessee€and€partially€in€Virginia€declared€void€as€champertous.€€The€grantees€in€this€quitclaimÐ Ò%"!% Ðdeed€were€Landon€Haynes€Snapp,€Jr.,€and€Gene€L.€Snapp.Ð ¾&"& Ðâ âÐ ª'ú"' Ðà  àJames€E.€Willis€and€Neil€Leonard€who,€on€May€2,€1983,€had€obtained€a€quitclaim€deed€toÐ ° Ðthe€property€from€Paul€D.€LeQuire,׃×Ý ƒ#ÃÝòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€were€permitted€to€intervene,€and€likewise€alleged€the€deed€fromÐ œì ÐMs.€Wilson€to€the€Snapps€was€void€as€champertous.€Ð ˆØ Ðâ âÌà  àThe€Trial€Court€dismissed€Ms.€Wilsonððs€suit,€finding€that€she€had€no€standing€to€contest€theÐ `° Ðvalidity€of€a€deed€that€she€herself€had€signed,€and€that€her€allegations€that€the€Snapps€had€perpetratedÐ L œ Ða€fraud€on€her€in€connection€with€the€execution€of€the€quitclaim€deed€was€not€proved€by€aÐ 8 ˆ Ðpreponderance€of€the€evidence.€€We€also€note€that€in€the€case€of€òòFerguson€v.€Princeóó,€190€S.W.€548Ð $ t Ð(Tenn.€1916€),€a€grantor€is€estopped€to€challenge€the€validity€of€a€deed€as€champertous.€€Ms.€WilsonÐ  ` Ðdoes€not€appeal€dismissal€of€her€suit.Ð ü L  ÐÌà  àThe€Chancellor,€however,€sustained€the€position€of€the€Intervening€Plaintiffs€and€held€thatÐ Ô$  Ðthe€deed€from€Ms.€Wilson€to€the€Snapps€was€void€because€it€was€champertous.Ð À  ÐÌà  àThe€Snapps€appeal,€raising€the€following€issue:Ð ˜è  ÐÌÒ€°ÒÒ€°Ò1.€€WHETHER€OR€NOT€THE€TRIAL€COURT€ERRED€WHEN€IT€HELD€THATÐ pÀ ÐTHE€MARCH€16,€1998€QUITCLAIM€DEED€EXECUTED€BY€PLAINTIFFÐ \¬ ÐRUTH€WILSON€TO€DEFENDANTS€LANDON€SNAPP€AND€GENE€SNAPPÐ H˜ ÐWAS€VOID€AS€A€CHAMPERTOUS€TRANSFER?Ð 4„ ÐÌÒ°€ÒÒ°€Òà  àIn€this€non„jury€case€our€review€is€òòde€novoóó€upon€the€record€of€the€proceedings€below;Ð  \ Ðhowever,€that€record€comes€to€us€with€a€presumption€that€the€Chancellorððs€factual€findings€areÐ øH Ðcorrect.€€Tenn.R.App.P.€13(d).€€We€must€honor€that€presumption€unless€we€find€that€the€evidenceÐ ä4 Ðpreponderates€against€the€Chancellorððs€factual€findings.€€òòUnion€Carbide€Corp.€v.€Huddlestonóó,€854Ð Ð  ÐS.W.2d€87€(Tenn.€1993).€€The€Chancellorððs€conclusions€of€law,€however,€are€not€accorded€the€sameÐ ¼  Ðdeference.€€òòCampbell€v.€Florida€Steel€Corp.óó,€919€S.W.2d€26€€(Tenn.€1996).Ð ¨ø ÐÌà  àTennessee€has€codified€the€law€of€champerty,€which€is€found€in€T.C.A.,€Title€66,€Chapter€4,Ð €Ð Ðand€as€pertinent€to€this€appeal€is€as€follows:Ð l¼ ÐÌÒ€°ÒÒ€°Òò òó óà Ø àò ò66-4-201.€Champertous€sales€of€pretended€interest€prohibited.ó ó€ð!ð€NoÐ D!” Ðperson€shall€agree€to€buy,€or€to€bargain€or€sell€any€pretended€right€or€title€in€landsÐ 4"„  Ðor€tenements,€or€any€interest€in€such€pretended€right€or€title.€€Ð  #p! Ðò òÌó óà Ø àò ò66-4-202.€Sale€without€possession.€ð!ð€ó óAny€such€agreement,€bargain,€sale,Ð ø$H # Ðpromise,€covenant€or€grant€shall€be€utterly€void€where€the€seller€has€notÐ è%8!$ Ðpersonally,€or€by€the€seller's€agent€or€tenant,€or€the€seller's€ancestor,€been€in€actualÐ Ô&$"% ÐÑ ‡µÑâ  âѰ°Ñâ  âÑ  Ñpossession€of€the€lands€or€tenements,€or€of€the€reversion€or€remainder,€or€taken€theÐ ° Ðrents€or€profits€for€one€(1)€whole€year€next€before€the€sale.€€Ð œì ÐÌà Ø à.€.€.€.Ð tÄ ÐÌà Ø àò ò66-4-204.€Bona€fide€sales€unimpaired.ó ó€ð!ð€The€provisions€of€this€part€shallÐ L œ Ðnot€prevent€an€absolute€and€bona€fide€sale€or€mortgage€of€lands€or€tenements€notÐ < Œ Ðpossessed€and€held€adversely€at€the€time€of€such€sale€or€mortgage;€nor€a€sale€byÐ ( x Ðexecution,€nor€a€sale€and€conveyance€by€a€nonresident€of€this€state,€of€lands€whichÐ  d Ðsuch€nonresident€may€own,€and€of€which€lands€no€person,€at€the€time€of€such€sale,Ð  P  Ðholds€adverse€possession€by€deed,€devise,€or€inheritance.€€Ð ì <  ÐÌà Ø àò ò66-4-205.€Presumption€of€champerty€from€sale€of€land€adversely€heldÐ Ä  Ðby€another.ó ó€ð!ð€If€any€person€sells€any€lands€or€tenements,€not€having€possessionÐ °  Ðof€them€personally€or€by€agent€or€tenant,€the€same€being€adversely€held€by€colorÐ  ð  Ðof€title,€champerty€shall€be€presumed€until€the€purchaser€shows€that€such€sale€wasÐ ŒÜ  Ðbona€fide€made.Ð xÈ ÐÌÒ°€ÒÒ°€Òà  àThe€Defendants€make€three€arguments€assailing€the€Chancellorððs€determination.€€First,€theyÐ P  Ðsay€the€evidence€preponderates€against€his€finding€that€the€property€was€being€adversely€held€by€theÐ <Œ ÐIntervening€Plaintiffs€at€the€time€of€the€transfer€of€the€property€to€them.€€Second,€they€say€that€theÐ (x Ðproperty€in€question€had€been€attached€in€another€proceeding€between€the€heirs€of€the€former€ownerÐ d Ðand€the€Intervening€Plaintiffs€and,€consequently,€the€property€could€not€be€held€adversely€by€theÐ P ÐIntervening€Plaintiffs.€€Lastly,€they€say€because€Ms.€Wilson€is€a€€non„resident€the€deed€comes€withinÐ ì< Ðthe€exception€to€the€Champerty€Statutes€set€out€in€T.C.A.€66„4„204.Ð Ø( ÐÌà  àOur€review€of€the€record€persuades€us€that€as€to€the€first€insistence€the€evidence€does€notÐ ° Ðpreponderate€against€the€Trial€Courtððs€finding€of€adverse€possession,€and€as€to€that€issue€we€affirmÐ œì Ðthe€Chancellor€under€Rule€10€of€this€Court.Ð ˆØ ÐÌà  àThe€Chancellor€addressed€the€second€argument,€which€insists€the€Intervening€Plaintiffs€couldÐ ` ° Ðnot€have€held€the€property€adversely€because€it€had€been€attached€in€an€earlier€chancery€law€suit€filedÐ L!œ Ðby€Ms.€Wilson,€as€follows:Ð 8"ˆ  ÐÌÒ€°ÒÒ€°Òà Ø àò òTHE€COURT:€€ó óI€find€the€attachment...Ð $`" ÐÌà Ø àò ò.€.€.€.ó óÐ ì%