Law & Justice

Tennessee Court Restores Fraud Claim Against Title Company Over Inherited Home Sale

By TOI World Desk

A Tennessee appeals court has reinstated the fraud claim of Barbara Chesnut, who discovered that the house she inherited from her brother had been sold without her knowledge in 2020 using a fake identity and forged documents. Chesnut, who acquired the property in Cottontown in 2012 after her brother James Upchurch died intestate, had moved to the United Arab Emirates while keeping the house as her permanent address. She returned to the U.S. in 2021 to find the home occupied by strangers. The sale, completed in January 2020, was conducted by a person posing as “Dorothy Chestnut,” who claimed to be Upchurch’s only child. The transaction was handled by Ultra Home Solutions, LLC, with Rudy Title and Escrow, LLC acting as the buyer’s closing attorney. Documents presented included affidavits, an Arizona driver’s licence, and authorisation for John Gleaves of Rudy Title to sign on behalf of the alleged seller. The property changed hands twice more before Chesnut learned of the sales. She filed a civil suit in August 2022 against Rudy Title, the original buyer, and subsequent purchasers, alleging negligence and fraud. The circuit court dismissed the case in March 2025, ruling that Chesnut had not shown reliance on the title company’s information. The appeals court upheld the dismissal of the negligence claim but found that the lower court had improperly dismissed the fraud allegation. It restored the fraud claim and ordered further proceedings. The title company maintains it owed no duty of care to Chesnut, claiming no contractual relationship. The case highlights the importance of verifying heirs’ identities and estate records in property transactions.