MILLS (MELBOURNE) JR., ET AL. VS. ABBOTT PLAINTIFFS, ET AL.
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RENDERED: JUNE 24, 2011; 10:00 A.M.
TO BE PUBLISHED
Commonwealth of Kentucky
Court of Appeals
NO. 2009-CA-001114-MR
MELBOURNE MILLS, JR;
BERTHA DARLENE LA;
J.P. MORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.; AND
COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
v.
APPELLANTS
APPEAL FROM FAYETTE CIRCUIT COURT
HONORABLE JAMES D. ISHMAEL, JR., JUDGE
ACTION NO. 08-CI-1901
MILDRED ABBOTT; LISA ABRAHAM;
JUANITA ALTON; JOANN ALVEY;
CINDY ARMSTRONG; LINDA BACK;
CARLA BALDWIN; LEE BARTLEY, JR;
PATRICIA BELCHER; LEISA BELDING:
ELEANOR BERRY; MARGIE BERRY;
CAROL BOGGS; ANGIE BOWMAN;
JAMES BRANHAM; KATHY BRANHAM;
NORMA BREWER; KAREN BROWN;
DEBORAH BROWNING;
NATHANIEL BRUMFIELD, ON BEHALF OF
THE ESTATE OF WATHALEE BRUMFIELD;
PATRICIA BRYANT; LESLIE BULLOCK;
TONY CHILDRESS; WILLIAM CLARK;
ROSEMARY CLICK; CAROLYN CONLEY;
SANDRA COTTOM GILLEY; BARBARA
CRAIN; PAMELA CROWE; JUDY DILE;
TERESA DUFF; LINDA DUNAWAY; SUSAN
EZELL; RHONDA FRANKLIN; TIMOTHY FRANKLIN;
FREDA FRIZZELL; BEULAH FUGATE; PATRICIA
GAUNCE; KEN GAYHEART; TARA GIFFORD;
DEBRA GOODE; RHONDA HANCOCK;
BARBARA HELLMUELLER; VIKKI HENLEY;
LORA HOOVER; LORENE HUTCHERSON;
KATHERINE HUTCHISON; BETTY DAVIDSON, ON
BEHALF OF THE ESTATE OF EVELYN JACKSON;
GARNET JOHNSON; APRIL SLATTEN JONES;
GERRY JONES; LINDA JONES; BETTY JORDAN;
KATHERINE KING; JUNE MCPHEARSON;
JONI MCCLANAHAN; MARY MARTIN;
THELMA MERIDA; LINDA F. MILLER; MARIE
MILLER; LINDA L. MILLER; NELLIE MILLER;
ORENE MILLER; LESLIE MINTON; WILMA NOE;
RAYMOND PARKER; LISA PEEK;
SUZANE PRICE; SHARON RAINWATER;
MICHELLE SHARPE ROBERTS; DEBBIE
VOGT SCHNEIDER; BARBARA SMITH;
PEGGY SPEARS; JOE ANN PERKINS SPENCER;
CORA STAPLETON; DEBBIE STATON; SHIRLEY
SUDDUTH, ON BEHALF OF THE ESTATE OF
MARJORIE SUDDUTH; ELLA TAYLOR; LINDA
TAYLOR; BETTY WARD ON BEHALF OF THE
ESTATE OF MARTIN WARD; BETY WIDNER;
CONNIE WOLFE; BILL WOMBLES; KAREN
YOUNG; ELIZABETH ADAMS; KATHY ADAMS;
PHYLLIS ADAMS; RUBY ADAMS; RUBY
ADAMSON; SUSAN ADKINS; CLANTHA AKERS;
EFFIE ALSIP; PHYLLIS APPLEGATE;
SUSAN ARVIN; CLARA ATKINSON; JAMIE BAILEY;
MARY ANN BAILEY; VICKIE BAILEY;
CHARLOTTE BAKER; CHARLOTTE BAKER AND
DAVID WALKER ON BEHALF OF THE ESTATE OF
LANE WALKER; CAROL BARNES, ON BEHALF
OF THE ESTATE OF DANNY ABNEY;
MARILYN BARNES; TERESA BAUMGARDENER;
MELISSA FAYE BEAMON; LINDA BEGGS;
MARGARET BINGHAM; EMMA BLACK; JANICE
BLAIR; SHARON BLAIR; LORI BOONE;
JOIE BOTKINS; KATHY BOWLING;
VIRGINIA BRADEN; LADONNA BRAME;
RUBY BRANHAM; ALMA BROCK; BARBARA
BROWN; JOYCE BROWN; SHARON BROWN;
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KIMBERLY BRUMMETT; SARAH BALENOVICH, ON
BEHALF OF THE ESTATE OF EDITH BROWNING;
BILLIE BRUMLEY; LINDA BRUMLEY; TERESA
BRUNER; WARREN BURGESS; JANICE BURTON;
TINA BUSH; SHERRIE BUTLER; DONNA CAMPBELL;
LORETTA CANADA; BUEL CANTRELL; TONYA
CARTER; WALLACE CARTER; CHARLOTTE
CASON; LISA CAUDILL; CONNIE SUE CENTERS;
GLORIA CLARK; PAMELA CLIFT; ALLEN COKER;
JUDY COLEMAN; SHIRLEY COLEMAN;
TARA COLEMAN; DEBRA COLLIER;
MARGARET COLLIER; LINDA VARNARSDALLCOLLINS; LINDA COLVIN; PHYLLIS COMBS;
RONNIE COOK; GEORGIA COOTS; DONNA
MUDDIMAN-CORNISH; MARK CORNN; NADINE
COUCH; JOSEPH COWLEY; JO ANN COX;
DORIS CREECH; DELORIS CRISWELL; TRACY
CURTIS; DORIS DABNEY; MARY DAUGHTERY;
ELIZABETH DAVIS; SANDRA DAVIS; KATHY
LOVAN-DAY; KAREN DEAN; JAN
DELANEY; REGINA DESPAIN; GERRY DIXON;
AL DOSER; BELVA DOTSON; YNETTA ECKERT;
MARTHA ELLIOT; TAMI EDWARDS-ENGLE;
SAUNDRA ERP; CHARLOTTE ESTEPP; SARAH ESTES;
ELIZABETH FANNIN; JANET FENTRESS; HAYWOOD
FERGUSON, ON BEHALF THE ESTATE OF ALMA
FERGUSON; WILLIAM FITCH, ON BEHALF OF THE
ESTATE OF SHEILA FITCH; VICKIE FLANNERY;
BERNITA FLYNN; BERENDA FORD; ESSIE
FREDRICK; CLARA FULKS; BARBARA GAY;
CRYSTAL SEALS-GIBSON; GINGER DAVIDSONGIBSON; JAMES GIBSON, ON BEHALF OF THE
ESTATE OF JESSIE GIBSON; JONI GIBSON;
GLADYS GILBERT; STEPHANIE GIST; RUBY
GODBEY; JOYCE GORDON; PATRICK GRAHAM;
TAMMIE GRANT; AMY GRAY; DONNA
GREEN; SHERRY GREEN; ALLIE HALL;
GERALDINE HALL; NORMA HALL; BARBARA
HAMPTON; LEONA GAIL HANDLEY; JOYCE
HANLEY; REBECCAHARRIS; DEBRA
HARRISON; DIANE HARRISON; JOY
HASSLER; YOLANDA HAYDEN; BARBARA
HEIZER; WANDA HELTON; BONNIE HENDERSON;
GARY HENDRICKSON; VICKIE HENRY;
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MARCUS HIGHLEY; KAREN HILLARD;
CHARLENE HILL; JANICE HILTON;
LINDA HINKLE; JACQUELINE HOCKER;
MYRA HOOD; VICKY HOOD; EVELYNN HOPKINS;
CHARLENE HORN; MARY HORNING; CLOYD
HOSKINS; LINDA HOSKINS; MARY HOWARD;
MARILYN HOWARD; DONNA HOWSER;
CHAROLOTTE HUGHES; MARCIA HUGHES;
MARGIE HULSE; SHELA HUMPHREYS;
MARGARET HUNT; WANTA HUNTER;
BRENDA HUTCHCRAFT; EMMA ISON; DELLA
JACKSON; KATINA JACKSON; MARY
JACKSON; LINDA JAMES; DEBBIE JEFFREY;
ERNESTINE LESLIE JOHNSTONE; BEULAH
JONES; FRANKLIN JONES; JUDY JONES;
KATHY JONES; MARLENE JONES, ON BEHALF
OF THE ESTATE OF LORETTA EMOND STIDHAM;
TROY JONES; BETTY KELLY; PATRICIA KENNEDY;
GERALD KING; PATTIE KITTS; BETTY KLUCK;
LUCILLE KREY; BILL LADY, ON BEHALF OF THE
ESTATE OF MARY LADY; LINDA LARKINS;
EMILY LEWIS; BEVERLY LITTLE; SANDRA DEE
LITTLETON; LOIS LOCKARD, ON BEHALF OF THE
ESTATE OF LLOYD LOCKARD; LINDA LONG;
SHERRY LONG; NONA LUCA; CHARLOTTE LUSH;
PAULA MANN; PAMELA MARLOWE; BOBBIE MARTIN;
LINDA MARTIN; CONNIE MASON; KAREN
THOMSON MCCLAIN; LAVONNA MCDANIEL;
CONNIE MCGIRR; LINDA MALONE MCGOWAN;
ROBERTA MCGUIRE; TAMMY MCGUIRE;
JACQUELYN MCMURTRY; SHELIA LYNN
MEECE; WANDA METZGER; DELORIS MILLER;
MICHAEL MILLER; WILLIAM MIRACLE, ON
BEHALF OF THE ESTATE OF KATHY MIRACLE;
BEVERLY MITCHELL; EUDORA MONTGOMERY;
ELLA MOORE, ON BEHALF OF THE ESTATE OF
JONETTA MOORE; MARGARET MOORE; RHONDA
MOORE; APRIL MORRIS; LOUISA MOSS;
ANGELA LEWIS-MULLINNIX; MARY NAPIER;
WANDA FAYE NEACE; ELISABETH NEAL;
LINDA NEVELS; DIANA NEWLIN; KATHY NOLAN;
SHEILA NOLAN; RITA PROFITT-NORMAN;
APRIL KELTNER NUXOLL; RHONDA FLYNN OSBURN;
GLENORA PACE; BERTHA PACK; LOUVERNA PARKS;
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MYRTLE PARRIS; ANGELA PEACE; JUDITH PECK
WAGEMAN; RECIE PENNINGTON; HELEN
PERKINS; JEFF PERKINS; STACY PERKINS;
JOY PERRY, ON BEHALF OF THE ESTATE OF
MILTON LEWIS; DORIS PHELPS; NORMA
PICKETT; SONJA PICKETT; DEBRA BAYSPLYBON; BRIAN POWELL; GLENNA BROCKPOWELL; MARY POOL; TRENA PRESTON;
LYNNE PURSEL; BILLIE REESE; BRENDA
RENTAS, ON BEHALF OF THE ESTATE OF
ANTHONY RENTAS; ARLIE RHODES; EVELYN
RHODES; RAYMOND RILEY; LEVETTA
RIVERA; ODENA ROADEN; BILLIE JUNE
ROBERTS; DYAN ROBERTS; PATRICIA ROBERTS;
RENEE ROBERTS; PATRICIA ROBINSON; FETINA
ROBISON; CAROL ROGERS; CATHY ROSE;
VINA ROSE; LARRY ROSEBERRY, JR, ON BEHALF
OF THE ESTATE OF LARRY ROSEBERRY, SR;
BOBBY SALLEE; MARY SAMES; KATHY SANDS;
JUSTUS SCHAROLD; MAXINE SEALS; LISA
SEXTON; MONICA SEXTON; MARGARET SHARON;
DEBRA SHEPHERD; JANET SHORT; LINDA CAUDILL,
ON BEHALF OF THE ESTATE OF LAUREDA
SHORT; MONICA SHUFFETT; LORETTA
SIDWELL; ROSEMARY SIMONS; ADA SIZEMORE;
CAROLE SLONE; ELAINE SMITH; FREDA SMITH;
WESLEY SMITH, ON BEHLAF OF THE ESTATE
OF SHARON SMITH; PAUL STAUFFER; CORINA
STEARNS; CONNIE STEPHENS; NANCY
STEPHENS; KATHY DANIELS-STEPHENSON;
SHARON STEVENSON; MARLENE STEWART;
BETTY STONE; LESTA STOUT; DONNA
STROMOWSKY; CONNIE STURGILL; PAM
SULLIVAN AND SHARON STEPHENS, ON
BEHALF OF THE ESTATE OF REBECCA LOVELL;
LISA SWIGER; ELLA TACKETT; PATTY TACKETT;
PRISCILLA TAFOLLA; CHARLES TAPLEY; MARY
TAYLOR; JEANNE THOMAS; NANCY THOMPSON;
LISA GRANT THURMAN; JAMES G. THURMAN;
STEVE TOLER, ON BEHALF OF THE ESTATE OF
LINDA TOLER; ROY TOLER; ELIZABETH
TRENT; JENNY TRIMBLE; JOETTA TUCKER;
DEBORAH TURNER; DRUCILLA TURNER;
MARIE TURNER; PATRICIA TURNER; VALORIE
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TURNER; LINDA VANCE; BOBBIE WALKER;
LORAINE WALLEN; CINDY WALTERS;
ELIZABETH THOMPSON-WASHBURN; WANDA
WATKINS; CHERYL WATSON; JOYCE GOFF
WELLS; JUDY WHITAKER; KIM WHITE;
MARY WHITE; PATRICIA WHITE; CATHERINE
WHITLOCK; JOYCE WHITT; PETER WILDS;
TODD WILLIAMS, ON BEHALF OF THE ESTATE
OF GLORIA WILLIAMS; BETHANY WILLINGER;
GENEVA WILSON; MELODY WINER; AMANDA
EDWARDS WOOD; ARTIE WOODS; FERN WOOTEN;
DEBORA WRIGHT; EDWINA WRIGHT; ROGER
WRIGHT; SANDRA WRIGHT; TAMMY WRIGHT;
DOYLE YANCY; SHEILA YATES; AND SANDRA ZEMAN
APPELLEES
OPINION
AFFIRMING
** ** ** ** **
BEFORE: LAMBERT AND NICKELL, JUDGES; SHAKE,1 SENIOR JUDGE.
SHAKE, SENIOR JUDGE: Melbourne Mills, Jr. and Bertha Darlene La appeal
from a Fayette Circuit Court summary judgment in favor of the Appellees.2 The
sole issue presented by this appeal is whether La’s dower rights in the encumbered
properties created a material issue of fact. After a review of the record and
1
Senior Judge Ann O’Malley Shake sitting as Special Judge by assignment of the Chief Justice
pursuant to Section 110(5)(b) of the Kentucky Constitution and Kentucky Revised Statutes
(KRS) 21.580.
2
We refer to the parties as “Appellants” and “Appellees” to avoid listing the large number of
Appellees in this case.
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applicable caselaw, we affirm the Fayette Circuit Court summary judgment and
subsequent order denying Mills and La’s motion to amend, alter, or vacate.
On March 31, 2005, the Appellees filed suit in Boone Circuit Court
against Mills and several other attorneys who represented the Appellees as
plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the manufacturers of the drug “Fen-Phen.” In the
lawsuit, the Appellees alleged that Mills and the other attorneys misappropriated
millions of dollars from the settlement. On March 8, 2006, the Boone Circuit
Court granted summary judgment against Mills and his codefendants and found
that each defendant had breached his fiduciary duties to his former clients.
Following the judgment, Mills allegedly transferred half of his interest
in the Tanbark Property to La on April 17, 2007. The recorded deed transfer
states, “in consideration of the LOVE and AFFECTION that Melbourne Mills, Jr.
has for Bertha La, and for other good and valuable consideration.” Coincidently,
La was a plaintiff in the Fen-Phen action. Mills later married La on July 25, 2008.3
On August 1, 2007, the Boone Circuit Court entered a damage judgment
in the amount of $42,000,000, exclusive of prejudgment and postjudgment interest
against Mills. On October 8, 2007, the Appellees filed a judgment lien in Fayette
County against two parcels of property that Mills owned, the Tanbark property and
the Hill-n-Dale property.4 On April 18, 2008, the Appellees filed suit against Mills
in Fayette Circuit Court to enforce their judgment lien. On April 15, 2009, the
3
Mills claimed that the marriage occurred approximately eighteen months after the judgment
lien was filed encumbering the Tanbark and Hill-n-Dale Properties.
4
These properties are called Tanbark and Hill-n-Dale based upon the streets on which they are
located.
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Fayette Circuit Court entered summary judgment in favor of the Appellees on three
counts of the complaint.
Mills moved the court to alter, amend, or vacate its previous ruling
based upon La’s dower interest in the property. On May 18, 2009, the Fayette
Circuit Court denied Mills’s motion. Now, Mills appeals from both the court’s
April 15, 2009, summary judgment and its denial of his motion to alter, amend, or
vacate that judgment.
Summary judgment is appropriate where it appears impossible for the
non-moving party to produce evidence at trial warranting a favorable judgment.
Stahl v. St. Elizabeth Med. Ctr., 948 S.W.2d 419, 421 (Ky. App. 1997). In
reaching its decision, the court must view the record in the light most favorable to
the nonmoving party. Commonwealth v. Whitworth, 74 S.W.3d 695, 698 (Ky.
2002).
Appellate review of the circuit court’s summary judgment is limited to
whether the court correctly found that no genuine issues of material fact existed
and that the moving party was entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Palmer v.
International Ass’n of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, AFL-CIO, 882 S.W.2d
117, 120 (Ky. 1994). Therefore, we must question whether La’s dower interest
created a genuine issue of material fact.
A dower interest is an individual right that vests at the time of the
marriage. Wigginton v. Leech’s Adm’x, 149 S.W.2d 531, 533 (Ky. 1941). A
dower interest may only be lost by sale, forfeiture, or bequeathment. Id. However,
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a dower interest in property does not extend beyond the property interest of the
spouse. Dower rights are subject to the spouse’s right in the property. McMurray
v. McMurray, 410 S.W.2d 139, 142 (Ky. 1966).
Liens are “coeval with the husband's right to the land.” Id. (citations
omitted). Pursuant to KRS 426.720, “A final judgment for the recovery of money
or costs in the courts of record in this Commonwealth, whether state or federal,
shall act as a lien upon all real estate in which the judgment debtor has any
ownership interest.” Since the judgment lien was entered prior to the marriage of
Mills and La, any dower interest is subject to the preexisting encumbrance.5
Therefore, La’s dower interest was not an issue of material fact that should have
precluded summary judgment.
Accordingly, we affirm the Fayette Circuit Court summary judgment
and subsequent order.
ALL CONCUR.
BRIEFS FOR APPELLANTS:
BRIEF FOR APPELLEES:
David M. Cross
Albany, Kentucky
Seth J. Johnston
Angela M. Ford
Lexington, Kentucky
5
The Appellees claim that the transfer of property from Mills to La, on April 17, 2007, was
fraudulent. The alleged transfer occurred after the Boone Circuit Court granted summary
judgment against Mills but before the damage judgment was entered. Although Mills and La did
mention the conveyance in their brief, they did not raise an argument concerning the conveyance.
Instead, Mills and La solely rely on the dower claim.
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