Smiley v. King

This case arises out of a dispute between a father and his daughter over the ownership of real property and of two certificates of deposit. The trial court decreed that plaintiff, Clarence Smiley, was the owner of all of the property in dispute. His daughter, defendant Marylon King, appeals.

In 1973 Mr. Smiley, recently widowed, decided to put his affairs in order. He consulted with his daughter, Mrs. King, and with an attorney, and then took several steps to facilitate, as he thought, the disposition of his property upon his death. He executed a bargain and sale deed, absolute on its face,…