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REL:09/30/2009

Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l r e v i s i o n b e f o r e p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e advance s h e e t s o f Southern R e p o r t e r . R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e R e p o r t e r o f D e c i s i o n s , Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r A v e n u e , M o n t g o m e r y , Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f a n y t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may b e made b e f o r e t h e o p i n i o n i s p r i n t e d i n Southern R e p o r t e r .

SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA
SPECIAL TERM, 2009

1071189

F l e t c h e r M i t c h e l l S m i t h , as p e r s o n a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e e s t a t e o f J o E v e r e t t McLeod, d e c e a s e d v. Wachovia Bank, N.A., as p e r s o n a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e e s t a t e o f W i l l i a m Wynn McLeod, d e c e a s e d

of the

of the

1071239

Wachovia Bank, N.A., as p e r s o n a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e e s t a t e o f W i l l i a m Wynn McLeod, d e c e a s e d v.

of the

F l e t c h e r M i t c h e l l S m i t h , as p e r s o n a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e e s t a t e o f J o E v e r e t t McLeod, d e c e a s e d

of the

Appeals

from J e f f e r s o n C i r c u i t (CV-07-2883)

Court

SHAW, In

Justice. case no. 1071189, Fletcher Mitchell Smith, as t h e McLeod Smith;

personal ("the

representative

of the estate

o f Jo E v e r e t t

w i f e " ) , deceased, appeals

from a judgment a g a i n s t

Smith's w i f e , Maria

Smith ("Maria"),

t h ewife's n i e c e ; and t h e a c t i o n f i l e d by Wachovia as the personal ("the crosscertain moot b y

wife's estate i na breach-of-contract Bank, N.A. ("Wachovia"),

i n i t scapacity of William

representative husband"), appeals equitable the both

of the estate I n case

Wynn

McLeod

deceased.

no. 1071239,

Wachovia that

from

the t r i a l asserted

court's

declaration were

claims

by Wachovia favor. We

rendered

judgment cases.

i n Wachovia's

reverse

and remand i n

Facts The

and Procedural were m a r r i e d

History i n 1957. No c h i l d r e n marriage.

husband and w i f e

were b o r n t o them d u r i n g t h e i r a p p r o x i m a t e l y The record reflects that despite f i l i n g and wife f o r t h e most part

49-year

j o i n t t a xreturns, the kept their finances

husband separate.

2

1071189; The

1071239 record of suggests the husband that and the wife separate and the financial of the

arrangements

terms

husband's w i l l , to his

as s e t o u t b e l o w , were between the wife

the husband's

response and only See N.

marital difficulties attempts to leave

the husband an amount

and t h e w i f e equal to or

slightly

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Alabama Law