Lyons v. Porter
Lyons v. Porter
Opinion
Two sisters are litigating over a family heirloom, an antique four-piece silver tea set. This is the latest of several cases that have been filed involving the sisters and the tea set.
The trial court rendered the following judgment:
"ORDER
"The Plaintiff in the above cause filed her Petition seeking Judgment for an undivided one-fourth interest in the property described therein and damages against the Defendant, Olga Porter, for wrongful detention; and thereafter amended her Complaint, averring in the alternative that the said property, namely an American coin, silver four-piece tea service, could not be equitably divided between the appropriate owners, and seeking the sale thereof at public auction for division of the proceeds between the parties. The amendment also added as parties defendant Yvonne Lyons Sparkman and Jeanette Lyons Riley.
"The Defendants, Yvonne Lyons Sparkman and Jeanette Lyons Riley aver in their Answer to the Complaint that the tea set was wholly owned by the Defendant, Olga Porter, and for the purpose of this action confirmed that any undivided interest which they may have owned was vested in the said Olga Porter and thus disclaimed any further interest therein by virtue of an alleged Louisiana Judgment of February 18, 1983, upon which the Plaintiff bases her case.
"Thereafter, the Defendant, Olga Porter, filed her notice of the desire to purchase the tea set under the provisions of *Page 300 [Sections]
35-6-100 and35-6-101 of the Code of Alabama of 1975, as amended."This Court found that the Judgment of the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana, dated February 18, 1983, was due to be accorded standing in this Court, and found that the Plaintiff, Deborah Lyons, was the owner of an undivided one-fourth interest in the tea set and that Olga Porter was the owner of an undivided three-fourths interest in the said tea set. Thereafter, this Court appointed James Key as a qualified appraiser for the purpose of establishing the value of the tea set and the testimony of Mr. Key was taken in open Court. Mr. Key testified generally to the value of the property but declined to make a specific oral or written appraisal of the value. Thereafter, this Court appointed Roger D. Butler and Betty Callaway, both qualified appraisers, as Commissioners to assess the value of the set. Their written report was submitted to this Court as provided in Section
35-6-101 of the Code of Alabama of 1975, as amended."This matter now being submitted to the Court for Final Judgment, the Court does hereby set the price of $8,500.00 as a fair market value for said tea set, and fixes the value of the Plaintiff's interest therein at $2,125.00.
"It is, therefore, ORDERED, ADJUDGED and DECREED by the Court as follows:
"1. Upon payment into the Court by the Defendant, Olga Porter, of the sum of $2,125.00, the Clerk shall execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, the proper instruments transferring title of said tea set to the purchaser, Olga Porter.
"2. In the event said Olga Porter fails to pay into Court the value of the interest of the Plaintiff as herein specified within thirty days from entry of this Judgment, jurisdiction of this cause is retained for further proceedings by this Court.
"3. The parties hereto shall pay the costs of this proceeding; one-fourth by the Plaintiff, Deborah Lyons, and three-fourths by the Defendant, Olga Porter; for which execution may issue."
The plaintiff timely appealed after her motion for a new trial or to alter, amend, or vacate the judgment was overruled. We affirm.
The plaintiff argues that, since the original record on appeal does not disclose that the defendant paid the $2,125 within thirty days after the judgment as is required by §
The plaintiff contends that the trial court heard no testimony that the tea set could not be equitably divided and, therefore, erred in ordering its sale to the defendant.
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It is argued on behalf of the plaintiff that the commissioners' costs are required by §
It is next argued, in substance, that a jury should have determined the plaintiff's damages from the defendant for her wrongful detention of the tea set. As the case progressed, there was no real issue over title to the tea set. While the plaintiff here attempts to keep alive a claim for wrongful detention, one tenant in common may not bring an action of detinue or trover against another tenant in common to recover the property. Reeves v. Reeves,
The last argument of the plaintiff concerns whether the trial court violated §
The plaintiff also argues under that last issue that she should have been permitted to present evidence and to cross-examine the commissioners. The appraiser who was first appointed testified and was cross-examined, but he would not place a value on the tea set. Thereupon, the trial court determined to appoint other commissioners. They were subsequently appointed on an undisclosed date, and they made and filed a detailed written report. Appraisals are mandated under §
Having determined that none of the issues which were raised by the plaintiff justifies a reversal, we affirm.
The foregoing opinion was prepared by Retired Circuit Judge EDWARD N. SCRUGGS while serving on active duty status as a judge of this court under the provisions of §
AFFIRMED.
All the Judges concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Deborah Lyons v. Olga Porter
- Cited By
- 6 cases
- Status
- Published