Parton v. Robinson

574 S.W.2d 679, 25 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1098, 1978 Ky. App. LEXIS 628
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedDecember 1, 1978
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 574 S.W.2d 679 (Parton v. Robinson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Parton v. Robinson, 574 S.W.2d 679, 25 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1098, 1978 Ky. App. LEXIS 628 (Ky. Ct. App. 1978).

Opinion

WHITE, Judge.

Appellant appeals a summary judgment rendered in favor of appellees by the Boone Circuit Court.

Appellant Parton, administrator of the estate of Robert Schindhelm, brought suit against Eileen Franklin Oates, James Drew and Darnell Drew for alleged conversion of personal and real property of decedent Schindhelm. Subsequent thereto, appellant filed an amended complaint to include the present appellees as defendants to the suit. The original defendants are not appellees here but apparently are still parties below in some respect. All appellees except Metropolitan Life Insurance Company are allegedly involved because of a transfer of property owned by decedent. As appellees are numerous and the fact situation rather complex, a chronological narration of the facts is in order at this point.

On June 21, 1973, the deceased, Robert Schindhelm, executed an instrument giving power of attorney to his niece, Eileen Franklin (now Oates), which was duly recorded with the County Clerk of Boone County on October 1, 1973. On October 3, 1973, property owned by Robert Schindhelm located at 14 Julia Avenue, Florence, Kentucky, was conveyed to appellees Link and Hallie Robinson for the sum of $20,860.45. The transaction was negotiated by appellee Estenfelder Realty Company. At the closing of the real estate transaction, the Rob-insons drew certain checks payable to “Eileen Franklin attorney in fact for Robert Schindhelm.” One of these checks, in the amount of $100, was then endorsed by Eileen Franklin as attorney in fact for Robert Schindhelm to Estenfelder Realty Company for payment of a commission fee. The other check was endorsed by Eileen Franklin to Darnell Drew, who deposited it to her checking account at Covington Trust and Banking Company. Appellee Covington Trust and Banking Company credited the deposit to Drew’s checking account and forwarded the instrument through banking channels to the drawer, appellee Florence Deposit Bank, which paid it. On August 29, 1975, the Robinsons deeded the above property to appellee Emma Jurgens.

On June 26, 1973, appellee Metropolitan Life Insurance Company issued two checks totaling $2,910.79 payable to the order of Robert A. Schindhelm, representing cash surrender value of two life insurance policies issued by appellee on the life of Schin-dhelm. The record is unclear as to whether Schindhelm or Eileen Franklin as attorney in fact endorsed the checks.

All of appellant’s complaints against the appellees stem from Eileen Franklin’s exercise of power of attorney. Appellant contends that Schindhelm did not have the requisite mental capacity to execute a valid power of attorney and that Franklin fraudulently induced Schindhelm to sign such document. At the time of the execution of the document, Schindhelm was a resident in a nursing home. Appellant contends that prior to execution of the power Schindhelm had suffered a cerebro vascular accident which resulted in massive brain damage, leaving Schindhelm almost totally blind, non-ambulatory and incoherent from March 5,1973, until the date of his death, April 11, 1974.

Appellant contends that appellees Link and Hallie Robinson were never legal owners of the aforementioned real estate and that their deed was void because Franklin had no power to convey any interest in said real estate; therefore, the Robinsons’ transfer to appellee Jurgens was also void. Appellant seeks to have these transfers set aside.

Appellees Link and Hallie Robinson and Emma Jurgens contend they were bona fide purchasers for value without notice and, as such, appellant cannot seek to have their deeds conveying the property in question set aside. It is noted that appel- *682 lees dealt with Eileen Franklin, who represented herself as possessing power of attorney for Robert Schindhelm. This power of attorney was duly recorded. There is nothing in the record to indicate that appellees had any reason to question the validity of this power or the competency of Schin-dhelm to execute same. Nor is there evidence that appellees had notice of Schin-dhelm’s alleged incompetency or any reason to suspect the power might be defective. It has long been established in this jurisdiction that a third party dealing with the attorney in fact is only required to look to the language of the power of attorney to determine the extent of the power. Reed v. Welsh, 11 Bush 450, 74 Ky. 450 (1875). Furthermore, a good faith purchaser “ . [will] not be bound to consult an attorney, or to look for subtle rules of law, or to make a hypercritical analysis of the language of the power, but must be protected in his purchase made in good faith.” Id. at 458. Under this rule of law, appellees Link and Hallie Robinson are protected in their title to the property. Appellee Jurgens, as a good faith purchaser from the Robinsons, is also protected.

Appellant claims the deeds should be voided because the power of attorney was void due to Sehindhelm’s incapacity. Appellant contends Eileen Franklin induced Schindhelm to sign the power of attorney knowing he had not the requisite mental capacity and therefore any of Ms. Franklin’s actions under the power are fraudulent. The question of the validity of the power of attorney and Schindhelm’s capacity to execute same is not before this court, and it would be improper to rule on the issue at this time. We would point out, however, even if Schindhelm had lacked the requisite mental capacity to execute a power of attorney, the power would not necessarily be void, but merely voidable. 3 Am. Jur.2d Agency § 24. Further, even if it is found that Schindhelm could not legally execute such power and Ms. Franklin fraudulently conveyed the property in question knowing Schindhelm had outstanding debts, appellees Robinsons and Jurgens are protected by KRS 378.010, which states:

Every gift, conveyance, assignment or transfer of, or charge upon, any estate, real or personal, or right or thing in action, or any rent or profit thereof, made with the intent to delay, hinder or defraud creditors, purchasers or other persons, . . . shall be void as against such creditors, purchasers and other persons. This section shall not affect the title of a purchaser for a valuable consideration, unless it appears that he had notice of the fraudulent intent of his immediate grantor or of the fraud rendering void the title of such grantor.

Appellant contends the appellee banks are liable in conversion for paying checks with the endorsement of Eileen Franklin as attorney in fact for Robert Schindhelm. Appellant claims Ms. Franklin’s signature was unauthorized or forged due to the invalid power of attorney, making appellee banks liable for conversion under KRS 355.-3-419(l)(c), which states: “(1) An instrument is converted when . (c) it is paid on a forged indorsement.”

The checks in question were made out to “Eileen Franklin Attorney in Fact Robert Schindhelm” as payee and endorsed in the same manner. KRS 355.3-117 states:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
574 S.W.2d 679, 25 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1098, 1978 Ky. App. LEXIS 628, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/parton-v-robinson-kyctapp-1978.