Hebbeler v. Young

875 S.W.2d 163, 1994 Mo. App. LEXIS 438, 1994 WL 75766
Missouri Court of Appeals·Decided March 15, 1994·No. No. 63245·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

GRIMM, Presiding Judge.

This is a probate action for discovery of decedent Bess Hebbeler’s assets. Decedent’s personal representative, Marie Heb-beler, and Marie’s son and daughter as devi-sees (Relatives) brought the action against Obie, Verma, and Barbara Young (Friends). Relatives allege that Friends, while decedent was alive, were in a confidential and fiduciary relationship with her and obtained assets by exerting undue influence over her.

After a bench trial, the trial court entered judgment in Friends’ favor. Relatives appeal; we affirm.

Relatives raise three points. They contend: (1) the trial judge erred in refusing to recuse himself and failing to grant a new trial after soliciting campaign contributions from the parties’ attorneys during the trial; (2) the trial judge erred in permitting decedent’s former attorney to testify in violation of her attorney-client privilege; and (3) “the judgment is not supported by substantial evidence, involves an erroneous application of the law by the trial court, and is against the weight of the evidence.”

I. Background

A.

Marie Hebbeler and decedent married brothers in the mid-1940’s. Brothers’ parents ran what is now known as the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of New Haven. Parents died in 1964-65. Marie * and her husband, until his death in 1975, operated that business. They had two children, Bryan and Ellen.

Decedent and her husband lived on a farm in Jefferson County near Hematite. They did not have any children.

While parents were living, decedent and her husband travelled to New Haven for visits frequently. After their death, the visits diminished. However, the two brothers visited regularly until both became ill in the early 1970’s; they both died in 1975.

Thereafter, the two sisters-in-law kept in touch, primarily by phone and correspondence. However, Marie and her two children would drive to Hematite to see decedent several times a year.

B.

Decedent and Verma Young had been acquainted since at least 1957. They were neighbors, became friends, and would occasionally eat lunch together. In February, 1987, decedent telephoned Verma asking for help in getting her papers together for income tax preparation. Decedent was crying and very upset. Decedent’s cousin had been assisting her with the finances, but she no longer wanted his help. Verma went to decedent’s home and helped get the papers together.

Thereafter, Verma assisted decedent with her finances by: (1) accompanying her to the tax return preparer’s office and answering some of the preparer’s questions, (2) writing cheeks for her signature, (3) depositing checks into her account, and (4) otherwise generally helping her with her accounts.

Verma and her husband Obie began calling or visiting decedent several times per week. Also, they helped her with the household and farm chores. In addition, decedent relied solely on Verma and Obie for transportation. In 1987, Verma and Obie took decedent dinners on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

C.

On February 22, 1988, decedent fell outside her house. Obie found her in a semiconscious state. Obie and Verma then took [165] her to the doctor’s office and hospital. Although decedent initially had difficulty, her understanding “became clear” after two or three days.

About the fifth day of decedent’s hospital stay, Verma and decedent discussed the need to pay one of decedent’s bills. Decedent told Verma to place her name on her checking account so that Verma could pay decedent’s bills. Decedent and Verma executed a signature card retitling decedent’s checking account. On March 1, 1988, decedent gave written authorization for Verma and Obie to be “on” her safe deposit box.

Decedent was discharged from the hospital on March 3, 1988. Following a discussion with her doctor, Verma and Marie decided to put decedent in a nursing facility in New Haven. Verma gave Marie five blank checks on decedent’s checking account which Verma had signed so that Marie could pay some bills.

Between March 8 and 10,1988, Verma and Obie went to New Haven and obtained decedent’s signature on documents authorizing the retitling of her certificates of deposit. The next day, Verma and Obie’s names were added to the certificates.

Also, on March 10, decedent, Verma, Obie, and Marie met with attorney Charles Redd. Marie thought then that decedent was “sufficiently capable in her own mind [that she did not require] a guardianship or conservator-ship.”

Attorney is a member of the law firm that regularly represents Marie and her company. On March 5, Marie contacted the firm and following several telephone conversations, they decided to discuss a durable power of attorney with decedent.

Concerning the March 10 meeting, Verma and Obie testified that they brought up the fact that the checking account and certificates had been retitled. Further, they said that Attorney told decedent, “you know, if something happens to you, this bank account and these certificates will go to [Verma and Obie].” They said decedent replied, “That’s the way I want it.” Attorney agreed with these statements, except he said that the certificates of deposit were not mentioned. A will for decedent was not discussed that day.

On March 14, Attorney called Marie and discussed the “need to avoid guardianship and conservatorship.” He prepared a durable power of attorney and, on March 15, met with decedent. Decedent executed the power of attorney, and appointed Marie and Ver-ma as attomeys-in-fact.

Although the record is unclear, apparently on March 14 Attorney “mentioned somewhat in passing” that decedent should have a will. However, according to Attorney, “there was no specific discussion at that point with regard to what the dispositive plan should be or who the designated fiduciaries should be or anything like that.” Attorney received that information from Marie by phone between March 14 and April 14, the day decedent executed her will.

Attorney drafted the will based upon conversations between he and Marie. That will appointed Marie Personal Representative and her children as alternates. With the exception of a $500 gift to a church in New Haven, all the assets went to Marie’s two children equally. If Marie did not leave any descendants, all assets went to the New Haven Chamber of Commerce. The will included the usual certification of witnesses: “that we believe her to be of sound mind and memory, of age 18 or older, and acting freely.”

Also, in early April, Marie thought decedent should move to a different facility. Marie thought “it was just simply inappropriate for [decedent] to be there since she was improving, and it wasn’t a good surrounding for her.” As a result, she and Verma decided to move her to the De Soto Residential Care Apartments. Marie thought it was a good choice “because there were many friends there who would call her and who would come to see her and she would be happier there.” Decedent was moved on April 15, the day after she executed her will.

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Hebbeler v. Young, 875 S.W.2d 163, 1994 Mo. App. LEXIS 438, 1994 WL 75766 (Mo. Ct. App. 1994).

875 S.W.2d 163 (Hebbeler v. Young) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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