Paine v. Walker

61 S.W.3d 925, 76 Ark. App. 217, 2001 Ark. App. LEXIS 859
Court of Appeals of Arkansas·Decided December 12, 2001·No. CA 01-232·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinions

Josephine Linker Hart, Judge.

Appellant, Michael Paine, appeals from the chancellor's decree settling the accounts of appellant and appellee Timothy Walker, after the parties dissolved their partnership, WP. Farms. Mr. Paine argues that the chancellor erred in determining that an intervenor to the lawsuit, appellee Rose Walker, held a life estate in certain property that she deeded to the partnership. Further, he argues that the chancellor erred in permitting Mr. Walker to introduce hearsay testimony regarding their respective cash capital contributions to the partnership. Finally, he generally argues that the chancellor failed to follow the dictates of the Uniform Partnership Act in winding up the partnership. We reverse on the first two issues and remand for a new trial without addressing Mr. Paine’s final point.

According to the chancellor’s order, in 1991 Mr. Paine and Mr. Walker entered into a partnership under the name of WP. Farms for the purpose of engaging in farming operations, with the parties agreeing to share profits and losses equally. In mid-September of 1998, the parties agreed to dissolve the partnership but failed to reach an enforceable agreement as to how the parties would settle their accounts. In settling the accounts, the chancellor made several dispositions regarding property in the partnership.

In particular, in December of 1994, the intervenor, appellee Rose Walker, deeded to the partnership approximately seventy acres, further providing as follows:

The right to live in the dwelling located on the NWfrl/4 pf (sic) tje (sic) NWfrll/4 Section 5, Township 19 North, Range 24 West is hereby reserved by Grantor, Rose Walker, for as long as she desires to live there.

In settling accounts, the chancellor concluded that Ms. Walker conveyed by general warranty deed a gift to the partnership. Further, the chancellor determined that she reserved a life estate in the 29.92 acres described above and the home located there.

On appeal, Mr. Paine argues that the chancellor erred in finding that Ms. Walker held a life estate in the entire 29.92 acres. We agree. The above-quoted language closely resembles that in Middleton v. Lockhart, 344 Ark. 572, 43 S.W.3d 113 (2001), where the deed provided that the grantor “reserves for herself the exclusive right to use and occupy the residence situated on said land for and during the remainder of her lifetime.” Middleton, 344 Ark. at 580, 43 S.W.3d at 119. The Arkansas Supreme Court concluded that such language reserved only a life estate in the residence, not in the land. Id. Because of the similarity of the language in the case at bar and Middleton, we conclude that the chancellor erred in finding that Ms. Walker held a life estate in the 29.92 acres, rather than just the dwelling.

In his order, the chancellor further concluded that Mr. Paine provided cash contributions of $46,628.42 and Mr. Walker provided cash contributions of $126,849.18, the same figures that Mr. Walker presented in his testimony. On direct examination, Mr. Walker testified that money was placed in various accounts for partnership business. Mr. Walker was asked whether “based on your looking at those accounts and adding up the figures,” how much both he and Mr. Paine had put into the partnership, and Mr. Walker provided the above-referenced figures without further elaboration.

On cross examination, however, Mr. Walker admitted that he did not have any records and that he relied on what he was told by the bank. Mr. Paine objected, arguing that the testimony was hearsay. In the decree, the chancellor noted that evidence of these totals came from Mr. Walker’s testimony that was admitted over Mr. Paine’s hearsay objection and that Mr. Walker testified that the totals were “compiled by the First National Bank of Berryville, Arkansas.” The chancellor found that Mr. Walker’s testimony was admissible under the business-records exception to the hearsay rule.

On appeal, Mr. Paine argues that the court’s ruling was error. We agree. As an exception to the hearsay rule, Rule 803(6) of the Arkansas Rules of Evidence permits the admission of business records.1 For a record to be admitted under this exception it must be: (1) a record or other compilation, (2) of acts or events, (3) made at or near the time the act or event occurred, (4) by a person with knowledge, or from information transmitted by a person with knowledge, (5) kept in the course of regularly conducted business, (6) which has a regular practice of recording such information, (7) all as known by the testimony of the custodian or other qualified witness. Edwards v. Stills, 335 Ark. 470, 511, 984 S.W.2d 366, 388 (1998). One who offers evidence has the burden of showing its admissibility, and we will not reverse the court’s decision to permit introduction of the evidence absent an abuse of the court’s discretion. Id.

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Paine v. Walker, 61 S.W.3d 925, 76 Ark. App. 217, 2001 Ark. App. LEXIS 859 (Ark. Ct. App. 2001).

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