Peoples Bank v. Baxter

298 S.W.2d 732, 41 Tenn. App. 710, 1956 Tenn. App. LEXIS 110
CourtCourt of Appeals of Tennessee
DecidedAugust 23, 1956
StatusPublished
Cited by38 cases

This text of 298 S.W.2d 732 (Peoples Bank v. Baxter) 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
Peoples Bank v. Baxter, 298 S.W.2d 732, 41 Tenn. App. 710, 1956 Tenn. App. LEXIS 110 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1956).

Opinions

[713]*713TIICKERSON, J.

Mrs. H. B. Baxter died intestate in Crockett County, Tennessee, on May 6, 1955. This suit presents a contest between Mrs. W. A. Nippers, a daughter of Mrs. Baxter, and the other next of kin of Mrs. Baxter over the proceeds of a certificate of deposit issued by Peoples Bank of Alamo, Tennessee, in the sum of $2,040 and payable to the order of Mrs. H. B. Baxter, “or payable on her death to Mrs. W. A. Nippers.” Mrs. Baxter died before the maturity date of the certificate of deposit. Because a controversy had arisen between Mrs. Nippers and the other next of kin of Mrs. Baxter, Peoples Bank filed a bill of interpleader, naming all the next of kin of Mrs. Baxter as parties defendant. The bill was sustained as a bill of interpleader, and the Bank paid into the registry of the Court the full amount of $2,040 under the decree of the Chancery Court.

Mrs. W. A. Nippers answered the bill and for her claim to the proceeds of the certificate of deposit alleged that:

“The acceptance of the money on deposit by complainant and the issuance of said Certificate of Deposit was a plain and valid contract entered into by complainant, and for a good consideration, to pay the money called for in the Certificate to Mrs. H. B. Baxter (if she was living) ‘or’ to this defendant, Mrs. W. A. Nippers, if the said Mrs. H. B. Baxter was dead ’ ’

The other claimants contend that:

1. Mrs. H. B. Baxter was not mentally capable of transacting business on the day the certificate of deposit in question was issued.

2. Mrs. W. A. Nippers induced her mother, Mrs. Baxter, to have the certificate of deposit issued to Mrs. Nip[714]*714pers as the result of fraud and undue influence practiced upon Mrs. Baxter by Mrs. Nippers.

3. Mrs. H. B. Baxter did not intend to leave this fund to Mrs. W. A. Nippers; and the certificate of deposit could not be construed under the applicable principles of law to effectuate such result.

4. The proceeds of the certificate of deposit should be decreed to be a part of the estate of Mrs. H. B. Baxter and distributed according to law to her next of kin, subject to all debts against the estate of Mrs. H. B. Baxter.

The Chancellor found all issues in favor of Mrs. W. A. Nippers and decreed:

“It is therefore the order, judgment and decree of the Court that Subject to the valid debts of Mrs. H. B. Baxter, deceased, the said Mrs. W. A. Nippers is entitled to said $2,040.00 and it is the further order of the Court that whatever balance of said money ($2,-040.00) remains after payment of all just and valid debts of Mrs. H. B. Baxter, deceased, shall be paid to Mrs. W. A. Nippers and it is so adjudged and decreed. The funeral and medical expenses of Mrs. H. B. Baxter may be paid without delay, upon a check drawn by the Clerk of the Court payable to the creditor and Mrs. W. A. Nippers, Administratrix of the estate of Mrs. H. B. Baxter, and the costs of the cause will be paid by the Clerk out of the funds now in his hands ($2,040.00), this to include the sum of $100.00 to J. B. Avery, Jr., Attorney for complainant, Peoples Bank, the bill of Mrs. Bessie W. Johnson, Reporter, which is $66.89. Any claims against the estate of Mrs. H. B. Baxter which are approved by Mrs. W. A. Nippers, Administratrix, may be paid [715]*715out of the fund herein referred to by the Clerk and Master, without delay, the balance of the fund will be held by the Clerk and Master pending further orders of the Court.”

To review that decree John Baxter and others have appealed to this Court.

The questions made by the assignments of error are limited materially by admissions made in this Court in the brief filed in behalf of Mrs. Nippers. She concedes that the certificate of deposit was not a gift inter vivos or causa mortis; nor was it a testamentary disposition of the monies represented by the certificate of deposit. As thus limited, the assignments of error present five determinative questions for this Court to consider.

1. "Was Mrs. H. B. Baxter mentally capable of entering into the contract represented by the certificate of deposit in question?

2. Was this certificate of deposit the result of fraud and undue influence of Mrs. W. A. Nippers upon Mrs. Baxter ?

3. Should the certificate of deposit have been held invalid because Mrs. Baxter had no independent advice concerning the transaction?-

4. Did the Chancellor err in holding that Mrs. W. A. Nippers was entitled to the proceeds of the certificate of deposit as a donee third-party beneficiary of the contract represented by the certificate of deposit?

5. Did the Chancellor err in holding that Mrs. Nippers was “entitled to the money called for in and by certificate [716]*716of deposit No. A1774, subject to tbe just debts of Mrs. H. B. Baxter”?

These questions will be considered and determined in tbe order stated.

On May 21, 1951, Peoples Bank of Alamo, Tennessee, issued its certificate of deposit in tbe sum of $1,500, No. A1669, for a deposit furnished by Mrs. H. B. Baxter, “payable to tbe order of herself, or payable on death of tbe said Mrs. H. B. Baxter to Mrs. W. A. Nippers on return of this certificate May 21,1952 after date properly endorsed.” This certificate was renewed on May 21, 1952, with $500 added to tbe deposit and Peoples Bank issued its certificate of deposit to Mrs. H. B. Baxter, No. A1688, in tbe sum of $2,000, “payable to tbe order of herself, or payable on her death to Mrs. W. A. Nippers.” Tbe certificates mentioned herein bad tbe interest for one year added into tbe face of tbe certificate and each certificate ran for a period of one year.

Certificate No. A1688 was renewed with an addition thereto on May 25, 1953, and tbe Bank issued its certificate of deposit No. A1728 to Mrs. H. B. Baxter in tbe sum of $2,100, “payable to tbe order of herself or payable on her death to Mrs. W. A. Nippers. ’ This certificate was renewed by tbe Bank with a reduction, and tbe Bank issued tbe certificate of deposit in question in this suit. We here quote that certificate in full.

“Certificate of Deposit No. A1774
Not subject to check Peoples Bank $2000.00
Int. 40.00
Total $2040.00
[717]*717“Alamo, Tenn., May 25,1954
“This Certifies that Mrs. H. B. Baxter has deposited in this Bank Exactly $2040. and 00 Cts. Dollars payable to the order of Herself or payable on her death to Mrs. W. A. Nippers on the return of this Certificate May 25-55 after date properly endorsed.
“Glen Gates, Cashier.”

As stated, Mrs. H. B. Baxter was the mother of Mrs. W. A. Nippers. She had several other children all of whom were sons. Mrs. Nippers lived in Jackson, Tennessee ; and Mrs. Baxter lived for many years before her death in or near Alamo, Tennessee, with a son or with a granddanghter.

Mrs. Baxter died on May 6, 1955. She was about ninety years old at the time of her death. Mrs. Nippers testified that she personally guaranteed the payment of the funeral bill of Mrs. Baxter; and she made no objection to the provision in the final decree that: “all just and valid debts of Mrs. H. B.

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Bluebook (online)
298 S.W.2d 732, 41 Tenn. App. 710, 1956 Tenn. App. LEXIS 110, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/peoples-bank-v-baxter-tennctapp-1956.