Stewart v. Dickerson
Stewart v. Dickerson
Opinion
The only issue on this appeal is whether the grantor was entitled to have a deed declared void pursuant to §
"Any conveyance of realty wherein a material part of the consideration is the agreement of the grantee to support the grantor during life is void at the option of the grantor, except as to bona fide purchasers for value, lienees and mortgagees without notice, if, during the life of the grantor, he takes proceedings to annul such conveyance."
Jennie Stewart, aged 84, conveyed to Harold and Linda Dickerson all of her interest in a parcel of land upon which was the house she had lived in for about thirty years. Linda Dickerson is her granddaughter, and Harold Dickerson is Linda's husband. Harold and Linda moved into the house in March 1981. About one year later, Jennie Stewart moved out.
Jennie Stewart filed this action to void the deed under §
The only issue is whether there was clear, satisfactory, and convincing evidence that a material part of the consideration for the deed was the promise of the grantees to support Jennie Stewart for the rest of her life.
The deed was prepared by the granddaughter, Linda, and stated that the consideration was "One Dollar and other valuable considerations." "Parol evidence is admissible to show that the actual consideration for the execution of the deed was the promise on the part of the grantee[s] to support *Page 810
the grantor during . . . [her] life." Entrekin v. Entrekin,
Harold and Linda Dickerson testified that, as consideration for the deed, they had promised Jennie Stewart that she could continue to live in the house for the rest of her life. They also promised to provide her with food, "warmth in the wintertime, and cool in the summer." Mrs. Stewart apparently did pay for some of the groceries on occasion. However, this fact does not remove the deed from the purview of the statute. See Heartsill v. Thompson,
We hold that the evidence is clear, satisfactory, and convincing that the Dickersons' promises were tantamount to a promise to support Mrs. Stewart for the rest of her life in consideration for the deed. The Dickersons, by their own testimony, have stated as much. The agreement was contemplated and accepted by the parties prior to the execution of the deed and was undisputedly a material part of the consideration.
The statute was enacted to protect "the aged, weak, or afflicted [who] had improvidently executed conveyances upon the promise of support." Heartsill v. Thompson,
We hold that, under the undisputed facts, the trial court erred in holding that the case did not come within the purview of §
REVERSED AND REMANDED.
MADDOX, JONES, SHORES, EMBRY and BEATTY, JJ., concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Jennie Stewart v. Harold Dickerson and Linda Dickerson.
- Cited By
- 8 cases
- Status
- Published