On July 28, 2026, the Mississippi Court of Appeals handed down a decision delivering a hard-fought victory on an appeal for the a deserving client. After a years-long legal battle in a complex estate matter, the client retained Madison Taylor to appeal the chancellor’s decision canceling a substantial probated claim against an estate. As soon as the notice of appeal was filed, the estate challenged the appellate courts’ jurisdiction. That issue was briefed and the Mississippi Supreme Court passed the motion for consideration with the merits and assigned the case to the Mississippi Court of Appeals. At the briefing stage, the estate and a creditor of the estate each filed briefs attacking the appellate courts’ jurisdiction and the merits of the client’s case.

The Mississippi Court of Appeals decided the case in the client’s favor on all issues. The Court first addressed the jurisdictional question and held that the chancery court’s order canceling the client’s probated claim was final and appealable. The Court then turned to the merits and vindicated the client, holding that the chancellor committed manifest error by allowing the client to go without a remedy for the “many wrongs” she suffered. The Court also noted that there were two grounds for an award of attorney’s fees in the client’s favor.

Madison Taylor is a shareholder at Wilkins Patterson and leads the firm's appellate practice. He writes the Mississippi Appeals Blog where he posts summaries of the decisions from the Mississippi Court of Appeals and Mississippi Supreme Court handed down each week.