Thomas v. McGriff ex rel. Estate of McGriff

Justice PLEICONES:

Appellant Floyd Thomas, Jr. (Appellant) brought this action in the family court against Respondent Pearlie Mae McGriff *487(Respondent), as Personal Representative of the Estate of Ella Mae McGriff, for a declaration that Appellant and Ella Mae McGriff were common-law spouses on the date of Ella Mae’s death. The family court granted Respondent’s motion to dismiss for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction, holding that because Ella Mae was deceased and her probate estate was open, the probate court had exclusive jurisdiction over the matter. We certified the case pursuant to Rule…