Griffin v. Barrett

187 S.E. 828, 183 Ga. 152, 1936 Ga. LEXIS 187
CourtSupreme Court of Georgia
DecidedSeptember 18, 1936
DocketNo. 11375
StatusPublished
Cited by36 cases

This text of 187 S.E. 828 (Griffin v. Barrett) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Griffin v. Barrett, 187 S.E. 828, 183 Ga. 152, 1936 Ga. LEXIS 187 (Ga. 1936).

Opinion

Gilbert, Justice.

W. A. Griffin died on January 7, 1935, leaving a will which was executed on October 28, 1933, and which was probated in common form, by the executor named therein, his son, Thos. S. (Nannie) Griffin. By the will the testator bequeathed and-Revised all of his property to his wife, Jane Griffin, during her [153]*153life, anil at her death to five of his children, including the executor. To two of his children, Mrs. Tishie Barrett and Mrs. Addie Massey, he bequeathed the sum of one dollar each, and as to another son, Boss Griffin, who was not bequeathed anything, he made known in the will that “I am executing a deed to certain real estate, being the place where the said Boss Griffin now resides.” In the item with reference to the last-named three children it was stated: “My reason for making this disposition as to these named in this item, they have already gotten their portion and as much as I want them to have.” After the probate of the will in common form, Mrs. Tishie Barrett and Mrs. Addie Massey cited the executor to probate the will in solemn form, and upon his application to do so they filed a caveat upon the grounds: “ (a) It is not the will of W. A. Griffin, deceased, because he, at the time said writing was signed and executed, was insane and incapable of making a will, (b) The will offered for probate in solemn form is not the will of W. A. Griffin, deceased, but the will of Thomas Sylvanus (Yannie) Griffin and Jane Griffin, and had petitioners’ father, W. A. Griffin, been left uninfluenced by Thomas Sylvanus (Yannie) Griffin and Jane Griffin, petitioners would have been remembered in the will of their father, W. A. Griffin, deceased, (c) Petitioners worked in the field continuously while they were at home, and assisted in accumulating the property of which their father died seized and possessed at the time of his death, and have never received anything from the estate as set out in item four of said will, and the testator had no ill will toward petitioners, nor would he have executed a will disinheriting them from the property they assisted and aided in accumulating, had not the mind oi somebody else been substituted for his will, (d) The will offered is an unreasonable will, and shows on its face that it is the will of Thomas Sylvanus (Yannie) Griffin, the executor named therein, as it gives said executor the right to divide, sell, or keep the property of said executor as he may desire. (e) At the time of executing the said will W. A. Griffin, because of advanced years and prolonged illness, was peculiarly susceptible to be influenced by the rvishes of Jane Griffin and Thomas Sylvanus (Yannie) Griffin, and the provisions of the will were not a free and voluntary expression of his own will as to the disposition of his property, but was an expression of the wishes and will of Jane Griffin and Thomas 'Sylvanus (Yannie) Griffin, who, [154]*154knowing of his physical disabilities and afflictions, so harassed and annoyed the testator with constant appeals and importunities as to induce him to discharge his own scheme for the disposition of his estate and substitute therefor the scheme of Jane Griffin and Thomas Sylvanus (Yannie) Griffin.” In the court of ordinary judgment was rendered against the will, and on an appeal to the superior court a verdict and judgment Avere rendered against the Avill. The propounder filed a motion for a neAV trial on the general grounds, and by amendment added a number of special grounds, some of which were expressly disapproved by the court, and those Avhich were approved are dealt with hereinafter. The court overruled the motion, and the propounder excepted.

It can not be seriously contended that the will Avas not executed in the formalities required, by laAV, or that a prima facie case was not made by the propounder. As admitted by the defendants in error, Dr. B. B. Chandler and W. G. Martin, witnesses to the will, testified that the testator was apparently in full possession of his mental faculties at the time the will was executed. Such witnesses are not obliged to give the reasons for their opinions. Scott v. McKee, 105 Ga. 256 (2) (31 S. E. 183); Dyar v. Dyar, 161 Ga. 615, 619 (131 S. E. 535). It is urged, however, that the scrivener, Judge Whelchel, who was also a witness to the will, entertained a doubt as to the testator’s mental capacity; but from a candid examination of his testimony in that respect the only fair and reasonable construction which could be placed upon it is that as a careful lawyer, observing the physical impairment of his client, he wanted to assure himself, and to have the other witnesses assure themselves, that his client was not incapacitated mentally. To that end he engaged in conversation with him, and in conducting the other witnesses to his office requested them to talk to him. A man is not to be deprived of legal assistance in putting his testamentary wishes in legal form merely because his mentality may be considerably impaired though not destroyed; and the conduct of the scrivener in this instance exhibits that honesty, fidelity, and prudence that should always be -exercised under similar circumstances. Judge Whelchel testified: “I talked to him at length. I hadn’t known Mr. Griffin prior to this time, and my reason for taking as much time as I did I wanted to be certain about it as much as possible. He stated to me what he Avanted placed in his will; and [155]*155after I made up my mind that he was capable of executing this instrument I dictated to my stenographer, who took it on the machine, I believe. I read it over to him, and after some conversation asked him if he understood the terms, and if they contained his wishes as to the disposal of his property. He said they did. I called two other witnesses to execute the will with me as subscribing witnesses to the will, and these persons were W. G. Martin and Dr. B. B. Chandler. Coming to my office I told them to talk to Mr. Griffin in order to remember the occasion, and for them to make up their minds as to his testamentary capacity and the signing of the will. The will was prepared, he signed it, and then we signed it as subscribing witnesses in his presence and in the presence of each other. . . At the time this will was prepared I don’t recall anybody else telling me anything to put in the will or saying or doing anything in my presence to influence what was put in it or what was provided in the will.' I don’t know anything of that nature coming to light, because, as I stated at the outset, the only thing I remember about it he told me just what he wanted in it, and I talked to him and asked him several questions and deliberated with him on it, and no one used any persuasion in my presence. If they had I would have known it, and certainly I would not have prepared the will if they had. I would not have prepared the will for him and had it attested by these witnesses if in my opinion he had not essential capacity to make a will. I talked to the old gentleman at length. I saw he was weak in body. (On cross-examination.) Q. Then when you began talking with him there was some doubt in your mind as to his mental capacity to make a will? A.. I saw he was weak in body. Q. Would you say weak of mind? A. That is the reason I talked to him — he impressed me to be weak of body, and I wanted to convince myself in the event anything came up. I got the subscribing witnesses. I would not say there was a doubt in my mind. I wanted some one else to corroborate me. I am still telling you he was weak in body, and I wanted to be sure. The fact he was in the condition he was aroused enough doubt that I wanted some one else to form an opinion.

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Bluebook (online)
187 S.E. 828, 183 Ga. 152, 1936 Ga. LEXIS 187, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/griffin-v-barrett-ga-1936.