Smith v. Jones

504 So. 2d 570, 1987 La. App. LEXIS 8589
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 4, 1987
DocketNo. 86-185
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 504 So. 2d 570 (Smith v. Jones) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Smith v. Jones, 504 So. 2d 570, 1987 La. App. LEXIS 8589 (La. Ct. App. 1987).

Opinion

LABORDE, Judge.

This is an appeal from a declaratory judgment decreeing to Rudy Donnell Smith two-thirds (2/3) of the value of the property in dispute. The property was purchased by the State of Louisiana, Department of Transportation (hereinafter State) from the putative owner, Gussie Mae Bell Jones. At issue is whether Rudy Donnell Smith is entitled to be compensated or placed in possession of his share of the disputed property. We affirm in part, amend in part, reverse in part, and remand.

Cleveland Jones was married twice, first to Mary Morgan, whom he divorced; then to Gussie Mae Bell Jones. No children were born of either marriage. Prior to his first marriage Cleveland Jones and one Eliza Smith had a son, Rudy Donnell Smith, plaintiff. On March 13, 1961, Cleveland Jones formally acknowledged Rudy Donnell Smith. This acknowledgment took place before a notary and two witnesses thereby satisfying the provisions of La.C.C. art. 203.1

Rosa Jones died intestate. She was survived by a brother and two sisters, namely, [572]*572Cleveland Jones, Ester Jones Broomfield and Sarah Jones Bennett. The succession of Rosa Jones was settled and by judgment of possession, rendered May 18, 1978, the three siblings, as sole heirs, were sent into possession of all of her property. Each received an undivided one-third interest in the property.

On January 14,1978, Ester Jones Broom-field and Sarah Jones Bennett each conveyed to Cleveland Jones and his wife, Gus-sie Mae Bell Jones, their two one-third undivided interests in the1 property for $7,000 ($3,500 apiece). This two-thirds interest, therefore, was community property. Cleveland Jones’ undivided one-third interest remained his separate property.

Cleveland Jones died on January 4, 1980. His succession was opened and a judgment of possession was rendered on October 17, 1980. In the judgment of possession, Gus-sie Mae Bell Jones was sent into possession of all of the property of Cleveland Jones. (Emphasis Ours) The pertinent paragraph of the judgment reads as follows:

“IT IS ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that:
GUSSIE MAE BELL JONES, be recognized as the surviving widow of the deceased, Cleveland Jones, and as such is entitled to the ownership and to be sent into full possession of all of the property belonging to the deceased, Cleveland Jones, which property is described as follows, to-wit:
Deceased’s one-half (1/2) interest in the following property:
A certain piece, parcel or tract of land together with all buildings and improvements thereon situated and all rights, ways and privileges thereunto appertaining, being, lying and situated in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, and being more particularly described as follows, to-wit:
Lot No. Five (5) of Square No. One (1) of Samtown Subdivision of the City of Alexandria, as per plat thereof recorded in Plat Book 5, Page 159 of the records of Rapides Parish, Louisiana. LESS AND EXCEPT: The East half or that half nearest Church Street sold to Lonnie Williams, et ux, as per Deed dated Sept. 26, 1947, Conveyance Book 383, Page 344, of the records of Rap-ides Parish, Louisiana.”

This above judgment of possession incorrectly placed Gussie Mae Bell Jones in possession of all of Cleveland Jones’ interest in the property. Since the decedent died intestate, Rudy Donnell Smith, as the acknowledged child of Cleveland Jones, should have been placed in full ownership of decedent’s separate property and in naked ownership of decedent’s community property subject to the usufruct of the surviving spouse under La.C.C. art. 890.

On February 24, 1984, an amended judgment of possession was filed in an attempt to correct the initial judgment of possession. This judgment recognized Cleveland Jones and his wife as two-thirds owners in community of the disputed property. The judgment further recognized the two sisters, Ester Jones Broomfield and Sarah Jones Bennett, as owners of the one-third separate interest of Cleveland Jones. The judgment provided for Gussie Mae Bell Jones to receive Cleveland Jones’ one-half interest in the community property. No mention was made of Rudy Donnell Smith. Thereafter, two cash sales were executed transferring the interest of the two sisters to Gussie Mae Bell Jones. In effect, Gus-sie Mae Bell Jones would end up with all of the disputed property. On October 8,1984, a sales agreement was executed whereby all of the disputed property was sold to the State for $16,185. At trial, Gussie Mae Bell Jones testified that in total she received $29,500 for the property including an additional $460 for relocation expenses. In the sale to the State, reference was made to the initial and amended judgments of possession.

On March 5, 1985, Rudy Donnell Smith filed this declaratory judgment praying to have the sales from Ester Jones Broom-field and Sarah Jones Bennett to Gussie Mae Bell Jones, together with the sale of all of the property to the State, declared null and void. Smith claims that since he is an acknowledged heir, he is entitled to an undivided two-thirds interest in the proper[573]*573ty. In the alternative, Smith prays that the defendants pay $20,000 to him for his two-thirds interest in the property. The State filed a third party demand against Gussie Mae Bell Jones for indemnity and/or contribution for any sums it might be found to owe to Rudy Donnell Smith. The trial court found in favor of Smith and against the State. Smith was awarded $10,790, two-thirds of the $16,185 recorded in the act of sale plus $1,176 in court costs. The court denied the claims of Smith against Gussie Mae Bell Jones, Ester Jones Broom-field, and Sarah Jones Bennett. Furthermore, the court dismissed without prejudice the third party demand by the State against Gussie Mae Bell Jones. From the judgment decreeing plaintiff entitled to two-thirds of the sales price of the property, the State and Gussie Mae Bell Jones each appealed. Smith answered the appeal requesting attorney fees for frivolous appeal.

On appeal, Gussie Mae Bell Jones argues that under LSA-R.S. 9:5630,2 Rudy Donnell Smith’s cause of action has prescribed. The initial judgment of possession was rendered on October 17, 1980. Appellant alleges that Smith’s declaratory judgment was not filed until March 5, 1985, more than two years later. Appellant’s argument is without merit for two reasons. First, appellant, Gussie Mae Bell Jones, did not file a formal pleading raising this exception at either the trial or appellate level, rather she merely raises the issue in her brief. It is well settled law

“that ‘[t]he court cannot supply the objection of prescription, which must be specifically pleaded’. The same is true on the appellate level. The appellate court may consider the peremptory exception of prescription for the first time, if the exception is properly pleaded before submission of the case for a decision, and if proof of the ground of the exception appears of record. La.C.C.P. [articles 927 and] 2163.
The jurisprudence has been firm and clear on this issue. The peremptory exception of prescription, whether urged at the trial level or on appeal, must be presented in a formal pleading, it cannot be injected into the proceedings by brief or by oral argument.” (Citations omitted)

Michigan Wisconsin Pipeline Co. v. Hebert, 488 So.2d 754, 757 (La.App.

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Related

Bretz v. Samuel
104 So. 3d 415 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 2012)
Parker v. MacHen
567 So. 2d 739 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1990)
Smith v. Jones
508 So. 2d 66 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1987)

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Bluebook (online)
504 So. 2d 570, 1987 La. App. LEXIS 8589, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/smith-v-jones-lactapp-1987.