Parsley v. Harlan

702 S.W.2d 166, 1985 Tenn. App. LEXIS 2992
CourtCourt of Appeals of Tennessee
DecidedJuly 11, 1985
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 702 S.W.2d 166 (Parsley v. Harlan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Parsley v. Harlan, 702 S.W.2d 166, 1985 Tenn. App. LEXIS 2992 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinions

OPINION

LEWIS, Judge.

This suit was brought by plaintiffs, the Administrator pendente lite of the Estate of Eugene H. Harlan, deceased, and Mr. Harlan’s two surviving children, Gerard W. Harlan and Sheralynn Williams, against the defendant, Norma Jean Harlan, the surviving spouse of Eugene H. Harlan to recover certain mineral interests.

The complaint alleged that at the time of his death Mr. Harlan was the owner of certain mineral leases, rights and property described in a book on inventory containing some 300 pages, and that the defendant refused to turn over to the Administrator these assets, as well as certain other assets of the estate.

In her answer, defendant alleged that on June 19, 1981, Mr. Harlan executed an instrument creating a joint tenancy in the mineral leases and rights with the right of survivorship, and that, by virtue of that instrument, all right, title and interest to the property passed to her at the time of Mr. Harlan’s death.

Subsequent to an evidentiary hearing, the Chancellor found that the June 19th instrument created a joint tenancy in Mr. Harlan and defendant with the right of survivorship in all the mineral leases and rights in Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and Oklahoma, but that the instrument did not convey any interest in United Royalty Corporation nor any other mineral leases owned by Mr. Harlan.

The facts are as follows: Eugene H. Harlan died on January 31, 1982. Surviving him were his widow, defendant Norma Jean Harlan, and two adult children, the plaintiffs Gerard W. Harlan and Sheralynn Williams, of a previous marriage.

In February, 1976, Mr. Harlan had his first stroke and was hospitalized from the middle of February to March 10, 1976. During the years 1976 and 1981, he suffered several “mini strokes.” He remained under the care of a physician from 1976 until his death in 1982 and was seen at least monthly by his physician during this period.

On December 14, 1979, Mr. Harlan executed a general power-of-attomey appointing defendant his attomey-in-fact. Defendant served as attomey-in-fact until Mr. Harlan’s death.

Mr. Harlan was the owner of mineral interests located in Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and Oklahoma. [168]*168On June 19, 1981, he executed the following instrument.

PERSONALLY APPEARED, before me, the undersigned Notary at Large, EUGENE H. HARLAN, and upon his oath, deposes and says:
THAT he is the owner of Mineral and Oil Leases being situated in Texas (19 counties approximately), Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and Oklahoma; THAT he purchased these Mineral Interest from his own father in 1952; FURTHER, that he is very ill with heart disease and the work of assessing and setting up in book form has fallen entirely upon his wife, NORMA JEAN HARLAN.
FURTHER, IT IS THE WISH OF Eugene H. Harlan, by the execution of this instrument, that his wife be considered to own these Mineral interests with him as Joint Tenants, with the right of Sur-vivorship; that this Affidavit will suffice to be filed in the appropriate counties and will stand as indeed a Mineral Deed.
FURTHER, it is the wish of Eugene H. Harlan that his wife be considered to have full power and authority over the now existing producing royalties; that she have the power to sell, assign and convey, if she deems it necessary; that she have full power and authority to sell the non-producing mineral interest or retain them, whatever suits her best. By this Affidavit, Eugene H. Harlan, gives to his wife, to be hers absolutely upon his death, all the right, control and ownership of what was United Royalty Corporation, a Missouri corporation, as well as all interest Eugene H. Harlan had in and to the Mineral Interest that may or may not be in the name of United Royalty Corporation, a Missouri corporation, and conveys, upon his death, full right and title to the mineral interest in his name solely. It is further the wish of Eugene Harlan, that no one cause his wife any problem in carrying out the wishes of Eugene H. Harlan.
DATED THIS the 19th day of June, 1981, and signed in the presence of two witnesses.
/s/ Eugene H. Harlan EUGENE H. HARLAN
/s/ Jimmy Hewlett /s/ Elizabeth Parkerson
SWORN TO AND SUBSCRIBED BEFORE ME THIS THE 19th day of June, 1981
(SEAL) /s/ Nola Walker Notary at Large
My commission expires: 8-29-84

On September 21, 1981, Mr. Harlan executed the following affidavit:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
702 S.W.2d 166, 1985 Tenn. App. LEXIS 2992, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/parsley-v-harlan-tennctapp-1985.