Edward Hutchinson, James Hutchinson, and Sharon Hutchinson v. Estate of Allien Day Morrison Nunn by and through Rebecca D. Ozier, Executrix

This is an action by remaindermen against a life tenant for property damage and waste to real property. The defendant’s decedent had a life estate in a 1,700 acre tract of land. In September 1995, she sold timber from the property to a timber company. At that time, a timber deed was registered in the county register’s office. The timber deed was later extended through October 1997. The decedent died in February 1998. The plaintiff remaindermen, who had received title to the property in fee simple at the death of the decedent, subsequently discovered that the deceased life tenant had clear-cut all of the timber from the property. In June 2000, the plaintiffs filed this action against the decedent’s estate, claiming damages from the clear-cutting of the property. The estate filed a motion for summary judgment, arguing that the claim was time-barred based on the applicable three-year statute of limitations. It asserted that the cause of action accrued in September 1995 when the timber deed was registered, because registration of that instrument constituted “notice to the world” under T.C.A. § 66-26-102. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of the estate. The plaintiffs now appeal. We reverse, concluding that registration of the timber deed alone does not constitute constructive notice, and that genuine issues of material fact exist as to when the damage occurred and when the plaintiffs knew or should have known of it.