Bracy v. Scott

• Decision Date: 02 August 1991
• Citation: 589 So.2d 145
• Parties: Mingo BRACY, Sr., and Teresa Bracy v. Frank D. SCOTT, Jr., and Mary B. Scott Cobb. 1900042.
• Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Page 145

589 So.2d 145

Mingo BRACY, Sr., and Teresa Bracy v. Frank D. SCOTT, Jr., and Mary B. Scott Cobb.

1900042.

Supreme Court of Alabama.

Aug. 2, 1991.

Rehearing Denied Oct. 18, 1991.

James R. Cooper, Jr., Montgomery, for appellants.

James T. Sasser, Gadsden, for appellees.

ALMON, Justice.

Mingo and Teresa Bracy appeal from a summary judgment against them and in favor of the plaintiffs, Frank D. Scott, Jr., and his sister, Mary B. Scott Cobb (hereinafter referred to collectively as "the Scotts") in this action brought by the Scotts to evict the Bracys from a 60-acre parcel of land owned by the Scotts. These parties have previously been before this court in Scott v. Bracy, 530 So.2d 799 (Ala.1988), an action that also involved the ownership of this same parcel of property.

In Scott, supra, the Bracys alleged that they owned this property by statutory adverse possession or by adverse possession by prescription. The Bracys' allegations were based on their claim that they had derived title by descent cast. Id., at 800. In claiming to derive title by descent cast in the prior action, the Bracys took the position that "there is no dispute among the parties that Nelson Bracy, the plaintiff Mingo Bracy's father, owned this property in fee simple prior to 1928." This Court held that the Bracys' possession of the disputed property was permissive rather than adverse. In its opinion, this Court recognized that "[t]he evidence is undisputed that in 1930 Nelson Bracy, Mingo Bracy's father, conveyed by warranty deed the property in question to W. L. C. Haigler, the grandfather of [the Scotts]." Id.

The Bracys defended this action for eviction by asserting an interest in the disputed property through inheritance from Henry Bracy, who was Nelson Bracy's father and Mingo Bracy's grandfather. In this action, the Bracys allege that Henry Bracy owned this parcel of property and that, upon Henry Bracy's death, the property passed through intestate succession to the heirs of Henry Bracy. Thus, the Bracys' position in this action is that Nelson, as an heir of Henry, owned only a fractional interest in the land along with Henry's other heirs.

The Scotts contend that the Bracys are estopped from asserting that Nelson owned only a fractional interest in the disputed property because of the position they took in Scott, supra. We agree.

"The law is settled in Alabama that a party who has, with knowledge of the facts, assumed a particular position in a judicial proceeding is estopped from assuming a position inconsistent to the first one to the prejudice of an adverse party. Brown v. Terry, 375 So.2d 457 (Ala.1979); United Security Life Insurance Co. v. Birmingham Trust National Bank, 282 Ala. 295, 211 So.2d 139 (1968); Maner v. Maner, 279 Ala. 652, 189 So.2d 336 (1966); Watt v. Lee, 238 Ala. 451, 191 So. 628 (1939); Bromberg v. First Nat. Bank of Mobile, 235 Ala. 226, 178 So. 48 (1937); Wright v. Fannin, 229 Ala. 278, 156 So. 849 (1934); Brown v. French, 159 Ala. 645, 49 So. 255 (1909). Likewise, a party who, for the purpose of maintaining a cause or defense, has deliberately represented a fact or claim in one aspect, cannot be...