Tarlton v. Stidham

SMITH, Judge.

In this appeal from summary judgment against them, plaintiffs seek a declaratory judgment concerning distribution of property under a will. Plaintiffs represent the estate of Edna T. Griggs (decedent), who died testate in 1994. Defendants are the brothers and sisters (and others similarly situated) of the decedent’s late husband, Walter Eugene Griggs (Griggs), who died partially testate in 1982. The central issue concerns whether four parcels of land from the Griggs estate passed as a life estate to decedent, with remainder to defendants, or in fee simple to decedent, with no…