Breckenridge v. Breckenridge

375 S.W.3d 651, 2010 Ark. App. 277, 2010 Ark. App. LEXIS 277
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arkansas
DecidedMarch 31, 2010
DocketNo. CA 09-1035
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 375 S.W.3d 651 (Breckenridge v. Breckenridge) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Breckenridge v. Breckenridge, 375 S.W.3d 651, 2010 Ark. App. 277, 2010 Ark. App. LEXIS 277 (Ark. Ct. App. 2010).

Opinion

M. MICHAEL KINARD, Judge.

1T James Walter Breckenridge appeals from a decision of the circuit court admitting a will executed by his deceased father, James F. Breckenridge, in August 2008 into probate. On appeal, appellant argues that 1) the trial court erred in not applying the presumption that the will was executed under undue influence; 2) if the presumption does not apply, the circuit court erred in finding that the will was not executed under undue influence and that the testator had testamentary capacity at the time the will was executed; and 3) the doctrine of inconsistent positions precludes Marvin Eugene “Gene” Breckenridge from taking the position he did before the circuit court. We affirm the order of the circuit court.

James Walter and Gene are the two adult children of James F. Breckenridge (the testator). In 1970, the testator executed a will naming his wife, Lucille Breckenridge, as the beneficiary of his estate, with his sons to receive an equal share of the estate in the event Lucille predeceased him. Lucille Breckenridge did, in fact, predecease the testator. In 2007, |2the testator was diagnosed with prostate cancer. In January 2008, the testator executed a document granting power of attorney to James Walter. In February 2008, Gene and Gene’s girlfriend, Robin Toney, moved into the testator’s home to take care of him. In May 2008, Gene filed a petition to be appointed guardian of the testator’s estate. A temporary order was entered setting aside the power of attorney. James Walter and Gene informally agreed that Gene would act as guardian until a third party was established as guardian of the estate. No formal guardianship was ever established. On August 18, 2008, the testator executed a second will. In the second will, the testator gave James Walter $100 and devised the remainder of his estate to Gene and Robin Toney, with each to receive an equal share.

The testator passed away on August 27, 2008. On September 12, 2008, Gene filed a petition requesting that the 2008 will be admitted into probate. On October 9, 2008, James Walter filed a response in which he challenged the admission of the 2008 will based upon lack of testamentary capacity by the testator and the exercise of undue influence upon the testator by Gene. In support of his challenge to the 2008 will, James Walter attached an affidavit executed by Rita Allbright, M.D., in which Dr. Allbright stated that she performed an evaluation of the testator on May 19, 2008, and gave her opinion that the testator was an incapacitated person. Also on October 9, 2008, James Walter filed a petition requesting that the testator’s 1970 will be admitted into probate.

A hearing on the parties’ competing petitions was held before the circuit court. At the hearing, the testator’s brother, B.J. Breckenridge, testified that he was present on August 18, 2008, when the testator executed his second will. He testified that Gene was not in the room when the will was executed. He further testified that the testator was of sound mind when |sthe will was executed. B.J. also testified that James Walter had mistreated the testator by placing a mortgage on the testator’s home and then lying to the testator about the mortgage. B.J. also stated that he was in favor of Gene being appointed guardian of the estate.

The 2008 will was prepared by attorney Ralph Myers III, who represented Gene at the hearing. Myers’s assistant, Subrena Thompson, testified that she prepared the will for the testator on August 18, 2008, from notes prepared by Myers. Thompson also testified that neither Gene nor Robin Toney were in the room when the will was executed. Thompson stated that she saw no signs of any undue influence upon the testator at the time the will was executed.

Peteresia Frymire McDonald, who was a nurse at Legacy Hospice, testified that every time she came to the testator’s home, he knew her name. When she was in the testator’s home on August 13, 2008, he was aware of the day of the week and the month, but not the exact day of the month. The testator’s mental condition was the same on August 15, 2008. McDonald admitted on cross-examination that she had discussed her opinion that the testator was forgetful at times with other hospice workers. On August 18, 2008, McDonald arrived at the testator’s home when Myers and Thompson were leaving. She testified that the testator’s condition was the same as it had been previously and that she saw no indication of undue influence. According to McDonald, as of his hospice admission date, the testator was taking oxycodone, which is a narcotic pain medication; aspirin; ibuprofen; and Phenergan, which was prescribed for nausea. Theresa Hanson, another nurse with Legacy Hospice, testified that on August 12, 2008, the testator was “forgetful and confused.” Lasonya Davis, |4a licensed social worker employed by Legacy, gave her opinion that the testator could execute a will.

John Bell, an attorney, testified that he prepared the petition for guardianship that Gene filed in May 2008. Bell testified that he believed that the testator was not competent to revoke the January 2008 power of attorney on May 1, 2008. According to Bell, when he spoke with the testator in May 2008, the testator did not know his entire address, did not know any digit of his social security number, and did not know what month it was. Bell testified that the testator’s condition worsened between May and June 2008. Bell testified that he was not present on August 18, 2008, when the second will was executed, and that he could not testify as to whether the testator had testamentary capacity on that date. Bell stated that in 2007, the testator’s home was mortgaged for $75,000, and that the proceeds from the mortgage loan were given to James Walter so that he could retrieve his home from bankruptcy.

Dr. Rita Allbright testified that, during her examination of the testator in May 2008, the testator displayed moderate dementia and had difficulty with his short-term memory. As a result of her examination, Dr. Allbright opined that the testator was incapacitated. Dr. Allbright testified that she did not know what the testator’s mental condition was on August 18, 2008.

Gene testified that when he began to look into the testator’s financial records after moving in with him, he became convinced that James Walter was taking advantage of the testator. Gene stated that he claimed his father was incapacitated in May 2008 in order to have the power of attorney granted to James Walter revoked. He testified that the testator | ¡¡called Myers personally and met with him regarding the will. Gene stated that he was not in the room while the testator and Myers discussed the will. Gene denied having any input into the contents of the 2008 will and stated that he was also not in the room when the will was executed. Gene gave his opinion that the testator was not incapacitated in August 2008.

James Walter testified that the testator never complained about his handling of the testator’s finances until after Gene moved in with him. James Walter denied hiding anything from the testator and testified that the testator looked at his bank statements every month. According to James Walter, it was the testator’s idea to take out a mortgage on his home and use the proceeds to purchase James Walter’s home out of bankruptcy. James Walter testified that he made the payments on the mortgage loan from December 2006 until June 2008, when, according to him, Gene stopped the monthly bill from coming to him.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
375 S.W.3d 651, 2010 Ark. App. 277, 2010 Ark. App. LEXIS 277, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/breckenridge-v-breckenridge-arkctapp-2010.