Alabama § 35-4-191 - Application; Notice; Guardian Ad Litem; Hearing; Costs.

§ 35-4-191. Application; Notice; Guardian Ad Litem; Hearing; Costs.

(a) The application referred to in Section 35-4-190 shall set out the names and places of residence of all the persons interested in the funds in which such dower or life interest exists, stating which, if any, are infants or persons of unsound mind. If any of the parties or their places of residence are unknown, the application shall so state. The court shall set a day for the hearing of said application not less than 30 days from the date of the filing thereof, and notice thereof shall be given by the clerk, judge, or register and served on such other persons as may be interested in the funds, residing in the state, not less than 10 days prior to the hearing; and, if any are nonresidents or their names or places of residence are unknown, then service on them shall be by registered or certified mail where practicable in the same manner as now provided by law for service by registered mail, or by publication once a week for three successive weeks in some newspaper published in the county or, if none are published in the county, then in some newspaper published in an adjoining county. The hearing shall take place on the day set or on any day to which said hearing may be continued. A guardian ad litem shall be appointed to represent infants or persons of unsound mind. All costs of such proceedings, including any fee for the guardian ad litem, shall be paid out of the common fund in which the life or dower interest exists, to the end that, as nearly as may be, the life tenant shall be taxed with such proportion of such costs as his share of the common fund, when ascertained, shall bear to the whole; provided, however, that the court shall be clothed with discretion in such taxation of costs as to it may otherwise appear just and equitable.

(b) In ascertaining the value of such life interest, the court may examine witnesses touching their opinion on such value and may take into consideration the age and health of the life tenant, the earning power of the money representing the lands or the interest therein, as well as any other factor which may reasonably shed light on the inquiry. Witnesses may be examined orally or by depositions, and no notice shall be required for oral examination of such witnesses on the day set for the hearing, any rule of civil procedure or probate practice to the contrary notwithstanding.