Martin v. Dodson

878 S.W.2d 513, 1994 Mo. App. LEXIS 1062
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 27, 1994
DocketNo. 19198
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 878 S.W.2d 513 (Martin v. Dodson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Martin v. Dodson, 878 S.W.2d 513, 1994 Mo. App. LEXIS 1062 (Mo. Ct. App. 1994).

Opinion

CROW, Judge.

Claimant, Rosemary Martin, filed a claim against the Estate of William Lacy Dodson, Deceased, seeking $302,199.51. Claimant characterizes the claim as one in “quantum meruit for goods provided and services rendered” by her to William Lacy Dodson (“Decedent”) from September 24, 1981, until he died April 7, 1993.

The claim was tried in the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Jasper County (“the trial court”) without a jury. The trial court entered extensive findings of fact and conclusions of law, and denied the claim. Claimant appeals.

One of the trial court’s conclusions of law was that Claimant and Decedent lived together as a “family unit.” The effect of that conclusion was that the following rules of law applied:

“If a family relationship exists, there is a presumption that any services performed are rendered gratuitously even though the claimant entertained the hope of payment, unless the claimant can show by direct evidence, or evidence from which it may be reasonably inferred, that there was an agreement or mutual understanding the claimant was to be remunerated. Jaycox v. Brune, 434 S.W.2d 539, 544 (Mo.1968); Estate of Sanders, 719 S.W.2d 947, 949 (Mo.App.1986).”

Osborne v. Boatmen’s National Bank of Springfield, 732 S.W.2d 242, 244[1] (Mo.App.S.D.1987).

“Even if it is believed that [the claimant] ‘expected’ to be paid, there must be some evidence that decedent intended to pay her.”

[515]*515Estate of Erickson, 722 S.W.2d 330, 335 (Mo. App.W.D.1986) (emphasis in original).

The first of Claimant’s two points relied on asserts the trial court erred in concluding that a family relationship existed between Claimant and Decedent. Claimant cites Smith v. Estate of Sypret, 421 S.W.2d 9, 14[3] (Mo.1967), which holds that to constitute a family: (1) there must be a social status, (2) there must be a head who has a right, at least in a limited way, to direct and control those gathered into the household, (3) the head must be obligated either legally or morally to support the other members, and (4) there must be a corresponding state of at least partial dependence of the other members for this support. Claimant maintains the evidence did not establish those elements.

As noted in Osborne, 732 S.W.2d at 245, our review is governed by Rule 73.01(c),1 as construed by Murphy v. Carron, 536 S.W.2d 30 (Mo. banc 1976). The judgment of the trial court will be sustained unless there is no substantial evidence to support it, unless it is against the weight of the evidence, unless it erroneously declares the law, or unless it erroneously applies the law. Murphy, 536 S.W.2d at 32[1], Credibility of the witnesses and the weight to be given their testimony was a matter for the trial court, which was free to believe none, part, or all of the testimony of any witness. Herbert v. Harl, 757 S.W.2d 585, 587[1] (Mo. banc 1988). Accordingly, in determining the sufficiency of the evidence, we accept as true the evidence and inferences from it favorable to the judgment and disregard contrary evidence. T.B.G. v. C.A.G., 772 S.W.2d 653, 654[2] (Mo. banc 1989).

Decedent was in the dairy cattle business and had a dairy. He resided in a house near Reeds, Missouri. He never married and had no children.

Claimant, a career bank employee, had known Decedent almost all her life. She testified she and he began a “personal relationship” on September 24, 1981, the date her husband died. At that time, she resided and worked in Joplin. Claimant’s testimony

regarding her relationship with Decedent included this:

“Q. And during that period of time of September 24, 1981 to the date of his death, did you live with Mr. Dodson at least off and on?
A. Yes.
[[Image here]]
Q. ... Would you describe what that relationship was please?
A. Personal relationship to me is loving and caring for each other.
[[Image here]]
Q. Your personal relationship started on September 24th, 1981?
A. That’s correct.
Q. That relationship continued in the same capacity up to the time of his death?
A. Caring, personal, yes.”

Claimant sought recovery for a broad range of items, one of which consisted of payments by her for utility services to her places of residence throughout the entire period covered by the claim, September 24, 1981, to April 7,1993. When the relationship began in 1981, Claimant resided in a house at Joplin. She moved to a different address in Joplin in 1984, and eventually to an apartment in Joplin on January 1, 1986. She maintained that apartment until Decedent died.

In support of her claim for the utility expense, Claimant testified:

“Q. ... Did Lacy live [at those addresses]?
A. Yes, he stayed with me some.
Q. And how often did he stay in ... those residences?
A. Oh, my, there again, too, he was over at least — almost five nights out of seven at any given time. That’s one thing that was in here, especially on my cable that Lacy liked to watch. He always came in and had dinner, et cetera.
Q. Now, other than living there, did you use these three residences for any other purpose involving your relationship with Lacy?
[516]*516A. Yes, I have.
Q. What were those other things?
A. It is due to cattle buyers coming in to be entertained and that at given times at these residences that I have entertained and cooked dinner there and helped with his business in this relationship with this.
Q. All right. These are cattle buyers, fellows that were involved with Lacy in his business?
A. Yes.”

As we understand Claimant’s testimony, as the years passed she and Decedent spent more time at his residence and less at hers. Nonetheless, she continued to maintain the apartment. Her testimony:

“Q. ... did Lacy insist that you have this [apartment]?
A. Yes.
Q. He did. Was that for the purposes of business or what?
A. For business.
Q. And did you entertain there?
A. Yes, sir.

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878 S.W.2d 513, 1994 Mo. App. LEXIS 1062, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/martin-v-dodson-moctapp-1994.