Bond v. ESTATE OF PYLANT

63 So. 3d 638, 2010 Ala. Civ. App. LEXIS 254, 2010 WL 3611976
CourtCourt of Civil Appeals of Alabama
DecidedSeptember 17, 2010
Docket2090406 and 2090422
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 63 So. 3d 638 (Bond v. ESTATE OF PYLANT) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bond v. ESTATE OF PYLANT, 63 So. 3d 638, 2010 Ala. Civ. App. LEXIS 254, 2010 WL 3611976 (Ala. Ct. App. 2010).

Opinion

BRYAN, Judge.

Following the removal of the administration of the estate of Kenneth Pylant II, deceased (“Pylant”), from the Probate Court of Lee County (“the probate court”) to the Lee Circuit Court (“the circuit court”), the circuit court entered a judgment that, among other things, determined who was entitled to certain land in Lee County (“the disputed land”) and whether Pylant’s estate was responsible for paying certain debts Pylant and his widow, Kim Bond (“Kim”), owed at his death. In appeal no. 2090406, Katie Bond (“Katie”), a minor, who is one of three children Pylant and Kim had together, appeals the circuit court’s judgment insofar as it determined who was entitled to the disputed land. In appeal no. 2090422, Kim appeals the circuit court’s judgment insofar as it determined *640 who was entitled to the disputed land and whether the estate was responsible for debts Pylant and she owed at his death. Pylant’s former wife, Bethany Pylant (“Bethany”), cross-appeals insofar as the circuit court’s judgment determined who was entitled to the disputed land. We affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand.

The following facts are undisputed. Py-lant and Bethany married in 1981 and had four sons together, Kenneth Pylant III (“Ken”), who was born in 1982; Adam Pylant (“Adam”), who was born in 1985; Blake Pylant (“Blake”), who was born in 1991; and Will Pylant (“Will”), who was born in 1992.

During the marriage between Pylant and Bethany, Pylant acquired title in his name only to a 15-acre parcel of land in Lee County (“the 15-acre parcel”). Also during the marriage between Pylant and Bethany, Pylant and Bethany acquired title as joint tenants with right of survivor-ship to a 71.73-acre parcel of land in Lee County (“the 71.73-acre parcel”). The disputed land consists of the 15-acre parcel and the 71.73-acre parcel. Both the 15-acre parcel and the 71.73-acre parcel abut the western right-of-way of Cox Road; the southern boundary of the 15-acre parcel and the northern boundary of the 71.73-acre parcel are coterminous. A blue house with a street address of 1990 Cox Road is located on the 15-acre parcel. A house with a street address of 2010 Cox Road is located on the 71.73-acre parcel.

On December 27, 1993, Pylant and Bethany signed a separation agreement (“the separation agreement”). In pertinent part, the separation agreement stated:

“1. [Bethany] shall be vested with all the right, title and interest, in and to the home located at 2010 Cox Road, Auburn, Alabama and the surrounding approximately four (4) acres, the pool house and pool. A diagram with approximate lines of division is attached hereto as Exhibit ‘A’. In addition to the home and four (4) acres, [Bethany] shall have all the right, title and interest in and to twenty two (22) acres, for a total of twenty six (26) acres, more or less.
“2. [Pylant] shall have all the right, title and interest in and to the remainder of the land, which is 60.71 acres, more or less.1 1 3
“3.[Pylant] shall have all the right, title and interest in and to 1990 Cox Road, which is a blue house situated on approximately fifteen (15) acres! 2 1
“15. [Bethany], at the time of this divorce, will obtain ownership to a coastal hayfield located around the home. [Bethany] shall be obligated to continue to lease this coastal field to [Pylant] at the fair market value. The parties agree that the fair market value as of September, 1993, is $20.00 per acre, per year. [Bethany] shall be obligated to continue to lease this field to [Pylant] as long as he desires to continue the lease at the fair market value, provided it has been properly maintained with fencing, fertilizer and maintenance at [Pylant’s] expense.
“23. Each party agrees to execute whatever documents are necessary to *641 effect this agreement or the related conveyances. This would include, but not be limited to, deeds....
“31. Each of the parties shall on demand execute and deliver to the other any deeds ... to effectuate the provisions and purposes of this agreement. ...”

On January 26, 1994, the circuit court entered a judgment divorcing Pylant and Bethany and incorporating the settlement agreement. The deeds contemplated by the settlement agreement with respect to the 71.73-acre parcel and the 15-acre parcel were never executed.

In June 1994, Pylant and Bethany executed a note payable to Auburn University Federal Credit Union (“Auburn Credit Union”) in the principal amount of $35,000 and secured its payment by executing a mortgage on a 3-acre portion of the 26 acres allocated to Bethany by the settlement agreement.

After his January 26, 1994, divorce from Bethany, Pylant and Kim had three children together. Their eldest child, Katie, was born in September 1994. Pylant and Kim ceremonially married on April 30, 2004.

In 1996, Pylant and Kim executed a note payable to AuburnBank in the principal amount of $57,500 and secured its payment by executing a mortgage on a parcel of land located on North Ryan Street in Auburn, which they owned as joint tenants with right of survivorship. In 2002, Pylant and Kim executed a note payable to Union Bank in the principal amount of $96,000 and secured its payment by executing a mortgage on 20 acres of land that was titled in Kim’s name only. In 2004, Pylant and Kim executed a note payable to Au-burnBank in the principal amount of $675,550.20 and secured its payment by executing a mortgage on land located on Pirates Cove in Tallassee, which they owned as joint tenants with right of surviv-orship.

Pylant executed a will (“the will”) on March 19, 2001. On December 16, 2004, Pylant and Kim signed a written agreement stating, in pertinent part, that “it is agreed that if either spouse dies, all mortgages and debts of both parties will be paid in full by the estate of the deceased spouse and become the property of the surviving spouse.” They each signed that agreement in the presence of a single witness.

On September 5, 2005, Pylant was killed in a motorcycle accident. After Pylant died, the original of the will could not be found. However, the executor named in the will petitioned the probate court to admit a copy of the will to probate. Following a hearing, the probate court admitted the copy of the will to probate on November 19, 2005. Thereafter, Kim attempted to contest the will, but her will contest was dismissed due to her failure to comply with the statutes governing will contests. She appealed to the supreme court, which affirmed the dismissal of her will contest. See Bond v. Pylant, 3 So.3d 852 (Ala.2008).

In pertinent part, the will provides:

“ARTICLE I
“I desire that all my just debts, including the expense of my last illness, be paid by my Executor, hereinafter named, as soon after my death as may be practicable.
“ARTICLE II
“(H) I direct that my Executor divide the eighty-eight (88) acres (approximately) that I own in Lee County,[ 3

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Bond v. McLaughlin
229 So. 3d 760 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2017)
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85 So. 3d 424 (Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama, 2011)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
63 So. 3d 638, 2010 Ala. Civ. App. LEXIS 254, 2010 WL 3611976, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bond-v-estate-of-pylant-alacivapp-2010.