Neville v. Kelso, 44801

Decision Date10 June 1968
Docket NumberNo. 44801,44801
Citation211 So.2d 825
PartiesBilly NEVILLE, Defendant-Appellant, v. Mrs. William H. KELSO and William H. Kelso, N.C.M., Complainants-Appellees.
CourtMississippi Supreme Court

Lawrence W. Rabb, Dan P. Self, Jr., Thomas L. Goldman, Meridian, for appellant.

Robert D. Coit, Meridian, A. B. Amis, Jr., Newton, for appellee.

PATTERSON, Justice:

This is an appeal from the Chancery Court of Newton County. It originated with a petition to change the guardian of William H. Kelso, a non compos mentis. The petition and supplementary bill of particulars and answer were sufficient to put at issue the question of whether the ward's best interests would be served by retaining his present guardian. After hearing, the lower court determined that the guardian should be removed and directed him to file his final account. From this decree the guardian appeals, setting forth numerous assignments of error. The primary issue is, however, whether the lower court abused its discretion in directing that the best interests of the ward would be preserved by the removal of the guardian.

We have considered the entirety of the record, including the nine annual accounts, and it is our opinion that the decree of the lower court should be affirmed.

The record reflects that the guardian has served ably and well under trying circumstances. The annual accounts having been duly ratified and approved by the court are prima facie correct in behalf of the guardian. Roach v. Jelks, 40 Miss. 754 (1866); Heard v. Daniel, 26 Miss. 451 (1853); Austin v. Lamar, 23 Miss. 189 (1851). We make no finding in this regard as the presumption of correctness will be maintained until displaced by proof on final account.

The record discloses, however, that the ward now harbors ill feeling and animosity toward his guardian. Whether this feeling is justified or is merely the figment of an unbalanced mind need not be determined as it is an actuality which tends to cause the ward to be emotionally upset which in turn causes attacks of asthma. For this reason it is our opinion that the decree of the lower court should be affirmed as we cannot say that the court abused its discretion in finding that another guardian would promote the best interests of the ward in view of his mental and physical condition. Conner v. Polk, 161 Miss. 24, 133 So. 604 (1931).

The decree of the lower court is hereby affirmed and the cause remanded for final account in accord with its former decree, but on such...

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7 cases
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    • United States
    • Mississippi Supreme Court
    • June 9, 2022
    ..."the declarations of the party himself are most important." Hale, 168 So.3d at 952 (internal quotation mark omitted) (quoting Stubbs, 211 So.2d at 825). Although Meredith testified that he resides at the funeral home apartment and intends to remain indefinitely, his declaration must be acco......
  • Meredith v. Clarksdale Democratic Exec. Comm.
    • United States
    • Mississippi Supreme Court
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  • Hale v. State
    • United States
    • Mississippi Supreme Court
    • July 24, 2015
  • Deason v. Stinson (In re Roshto), 2012–IA–01238–SCT.
    • United States
    • Mississippi Supreme Court
    • March 27, 2014
    ...Jackson, 732 So.2d 916, 920–21 (¶ 5) (Miss.1999); Conservatorship of Harris v. King, 480 So.2d 1131, 1132 (Miss.1985); Neville v. Kelso, 211 So.2d 825, 826 (Miss.1968); Conner v. Polk, 161 Miss. 24, 133 So. 604, 605 (1931). “This Court will not disturb the findings of a chancellor when supp......
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