Court approves auction sale of conservatorship land at Shelter Branch Road; clerk to process eviction for squatter

Judge David D. Wolfe approved the sale of real property held in a conservatorship after hearing testimony from the auctioneer and conservatorship counsel. The sale was conducted to liquidate estate assets for the benefit of the conservatee’s estate.

Why it matters: The court’s approval clears title transfer steps and allows estate funds to be distributed according to the conservatorship plan; the court also flagged an outstanding occupancy issue the conservator must remove through general sessions eviction proceedings.

Background and auction details: Counsel said the conservatorship was established to sell real property identified as Mr. McCormick’s property on Shelter Branch Road. Auctioneer Jeffrey (Neil) Trice testified that an auction was postponed due to weather and held on January 18, 2025. He said turnout was “probably had 45 to 50 people,” and reported the apparent winning bidder as Philip and Marietta Yoder with a bid the auctioneer stated on the record.

Judge Wolfe reviewed the auction details and accepted the conservator’s recommendation to approve the sale. The court noted the sale appeared to be well-attended and the auction result exceeded tax appraisal figures in the auctioneer’s estimation.

Squatter / detainer issue: Counsel and the auctioneer both told the court there was a squatter on the property; Judge Wolfe directed the conservator or counsel to initiate a detainer/eviction action in general sessions court to clear possession of the property before transfer. The judge said a detainer action was not part of the current conservatorship order but needed to be resolved administratively.

Next steps: The judge signed the order approving the sale and advised the conservator to pursue eviction in general sessions; the clerk will process the signed order and the conservatorship will proceed to finalize the estate distribution steps.