Friday, September 30, 2011

Court determines the rightful owner of real property following the death of one of the tenants

RICHARD RHODEN v. DONALD D. RHODEN (Tenn. Ct. App. September 29, 2011)

This is an action for unlawful detainer. The property at issue was deeded to the plaintiff and his father "as tenants in common with the right of survivorship." For a time, the father, the plaintiff, and the plaintiff's brother all lived together on the property. The father died intestate. After the father's death, the plaintiff asked his brother to leave the property, and the brother refused. The plaintiff then filed this action against his brother for unlawful detainer, claiming that he was the sole owner of the property after their father's death based on his right of survivorship. After a bench trial, the trial court agreed and held in favor of the plaintiff. The brother now appeals. We affirm.

Opinion available at:
http://www.tba2.org/tba_files/TCA/2011/rhodenr_092911.pdf