Chaney v. Waddell

In 1975, Albert L. Waddell ("A.L.") gathered his eight children together and showed them a drawing that divided a 40-acre tract of land he owned near Hartselle, Alabama, into 8 parcels. He then had an attorney draw up 8 deeds to the property, reflecting the results of the drawing and giving a 5-acre tract to each child. The deeds were prepared and signed. Thereafter, he placed the deeds in a safe deposit box that he maintained, and the deeds stayed there until his death in 1990. The safe deposit box was in the name of A.L. Waddell, as well as one of his children who had access to the box; and…