Griffin v. Camp

272 S.W.2d 129, 1954 Tex. App. LEXIS 2148
Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided October 15, 1954·No. 3105·Published·Cited by 4 cases

Opinion

GRISSOM, Chief Justice.

Leonard, L. C. and L. L. Camp sued their sister, Ailene Griffin, and her husband for the purpose of canceling, on the ground of undue influence, deeds made to the sister *130 by their mother. Undue influence was defined as:

“ * * * such influence or dominion by excessive importunity, imposition, or fraud, exercised at the time of making' and delivering the deed, as destroys the free agency of the person making and delivering the deed and overcomes , her wishes in regard to the disposition of her property to such an extent.that the deed does not in fact express her wishes as to the disposition of her property, but those of the person or persons - exercising the influence.”

The jury found that three deeds dated February 27, 1951, executed by Mrs. Camp conveying to Ailene Griffin (1) a lot in Abilene and (2) 195.4 acres of land in Jones County-and (3) conveying to Ailene Griffin and L. L: Camp Mrs. Camp’s half interest in a 104 acre tract' and a' 103 acre tract in Jones County were executed and delivered to Mrs. Griffin-by reason of undue influence exercised by her upon their mother', Mrs. Willie E. Camp. The court rendered judgment on said verdict setting aside said deeds and defendants have appealed. They present two points, namely, that the court erred in, refusing to instruct a verdict for the Griffins and in overruling their motion for judgment non obstante veredicto because there was no evidence of probative force that Mrs. Griffin procured the execution and delivery of said 'deeds by the exercise of undue influence.

In Olds v. Traylor, Tex.Civ.App., 180 S.W.2d 511, 514 (Writ Ref.), the court said:

“Where the facts are controverted, or are such that different inferences may be reasonably drawn therefrom, an issue of fact is raised; it is only where the evidence is harmonious and consistent, and the circumstances permit of but one conclusion, that the question becomes one of law for the determination of the court. An issue of fact is raised ‘if, discarding all adverse evidence, and giving credit to all evidence favorable to the plaintiff, and indulging every legitimate conclusion favorable to the plaintiff which might have been drawn from the facts proved, a jury might have found in favor of the plaintiff. Wininger v. Ft. Worth & D. C. R. Co., 105 Tex. 56, 143 S.W. 1150; Texas & P. R. Co. v. Cox, 145 U.S. 593, 12 S.Ct. 905, 36 L.Ed. 829; Brown v. Griffin, 71 Tex. 654, 9 S.W. 546; Texas & P. R. Co. v. Ball, 96 Tex. 622, 75 S.W. 4.”

In Burt v. Lochausen, 151 Tex. 289, 249 S.W.2d 194, 199, Judge Griffin stated the law applicable to the question presented, as follows:

“ * * * to sustain the action of the trial court in granting judgment non obstante veredicto, it must be determined that there is no evidence having probative force upon which the jury could have made the findings relied ' upon. Whiteman v. Harris, Tex. Civ. App., 123 S.W.2d 699, writ refused; Warren v. Schawe, Tex.Civ.App., 163 S.W.2d 415, writ refused.
“(6) ‘It was the jury’s province to weigh all of the evidence, to decide what credence should be given .to .the whole or to any part of the testimony .of each witness. “The jury were the judges not only of the facts proved, but of the inferences to be drawn therefrom, provided such inferences were not unreasonable.” Stephenville, N. & S. T. Ry. Co. v. Shelton, Tex.Com.App., 208. S.W. 915, 916. Lockley v. Page, 142 Tex. 594, 180 S.W.2d 616, 618, (1-3); also 53 Am.Jur. 143, et seq. Trial, Secs. 158 and 159.”

Tersely stated, appellants contend simply that there is no evidence of undue influence. In determining whether the evidence supports the verdict the testimony must be viewed in the light most favorable thereto. A jury having .found undue influence an appellate court is required to indulge the presumption that the jury believed all of the probative evidence tending to sustain its findings. The effect of undue influence must have existed at the time of the execution of the deeds and caused their *131 execution and delivery. Barry v. Graciette, Tex.Civ.App., 71 S.W.'309. Undue influence must have destroyed the grantor’s free agency at the time the deed was executed and substituted in place thereof the will of another. But, undue influence may be proved by circumstantial evidence. Weakness of the mind, or will power, produced by infirmities of age may be considered as a circumstance in determining whether the grantor was in a condition to be susceptible to the undue influence alleged to have been exercised. An unnatural disposition of property by a grantor may be considered, along with other circumstances, in determining whether the deed was a product of undue influence. Long v. Long, 133 Tex. 96, 125 S.W.2d 1034; Besteiro v. Besteiro, Tex.Com.App., 65 S.W.2d 759. See also 42 Tex.Jur. 791, 797; 7 Tex.Jur. 899.

In accordance with the rule announced in Olds v. Traylor, Tex.Civ.App., 180 S.W.2d 511, 514, and Wininger v. Ft. Worth & D. C. R. Co., 105 Tex. 56, 143 S.W. 1150, that is, discarding all evidence contrary to the verdict and giving credit to all evidence favorable thereto and indulging every legitimate inference favorable thereto which might reasonably be’ drawn from the facts proved, we must determine whether there is any evidence that the deeds were executed and delivered to Ailene Griffin by reason of undue influence.

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Griffin v. Camp, 272 S.W.2d 129, 1954 Tex. App. LEXIS 2148 (Tex. Ct. App. 1954).

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