Wright Achieves Reversal in the Court of Appeals

Sonya S. Wright, along with co-counsel Jonathan Cole and Charles Covington McLaurin of Baker Donelson, recently achieved a reversal in the Tennessee Court of Appeals. Ms. Wright, Mr. Cole, and Mr. McLaurin represented appellant Edward Jones Trust Company in appealing a summary judgment regarding pension benefits. They succeeded in their appeal and the summary judgment was reversed and the case remanded to trial court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

The matter is summarized in the Court of Appeals Opinion below:

“A widow received pension benefits that were payable only to her as a surviving spouse. A
trust company representing the decedent’s estate filed suit against the widow arguing that
she breached the antenuptial agreement between her and the decedent that required her to
disclaim any right she had in the decedent’s separate property. The trial court granted
summary judgment to the widow after concluding that the antenuptial agreement contained
an exception that allowed the widow to retain pension benefits that were payable only to
her as surviving spouse. The trust company appealed. Because the antenuptial agreement
is ambiguous, we reverse and remand for further proceedings.”

The full opinion can be read here.