In Re Estate of Rose

2001 OK CIV APP 109, 32 P.3d 221, 72 O.B.A.J. 2762, 2001 Okla. Civ. App. LEXIS 83, 2001 WL 1079784
CourtCourt of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedJuly 13, 2001
DocketNo. 95,412
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 2001 OK CIV APP 109 (In Re Estate of Rose) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Estate of Rose, 2001 OK CIV APP 109, 32 P.3d 221, 72 O.B.A.J. 2762, 2001 Okla. Civ. App. LEXIS 83, 2001 WL 1079784 (Okla. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

HANSEN, Chief Judge:

T 1 Appellant, Jimmy Rose, seeks review of the trial court's order approving the final account of the estate of Rose's deceased mother, Zelma Rose, directing distribution, denying Rose's motion to remove Appellee, Robert Rose, as personal representative, and assessing attorney fees and costs against Jimmy Rose. At issue is whether certain assets Zelma held in joint tenancy with Robert were part of the probate estate. We reverse because the order is contrary to law and is against the clear weight of the evidence.

T2 Zelma Rose owned a one-third share in a nursing home in Shawnee, Oklahoma. In 1990, she executed a will providing her interest in the nursing home as well as her other assets would be split equally upon her death between her two surviving sons, Robert and Jimmy. In 1993, she changed the will to give all her interest in the nursing home to Robert, while still dividing the remainder of the property equally between her sons. The will nominated Robert to act as personal representative. When Zelma died in 1999, Robert presented the 1998 will for probate and petitioned to be appointed personal representative. Jimmy objected to both the admission of the will and Robert's appointment as per[223]*223sonal representative. He contested the validity of the will, asserting Zelma executed it under Robert's undue influence. The trial court found no undue influence and admitted the will to probate. The Court of Civil Appeals affirmed the trial court's order in Case No. 98,834.

13 At the will contest hearing, Robert testified under direct examination by his own lawyer:

Q What about your mother's liquid assets, as far as cash in the bank and CDs, and things of that nature? In '90 and '93, were they about the same?
A Yes.
Q Okay. And it's your understanding that it's to be split 50-50; is that correct?
A Yes.
Q In both wills?
A Yes.
Q Okay. The only exception is your mother devising you in '98 the stock in [the nursing home] that had very little value at the time.
A. Yes.

Later in the hearing, under cross-examination by his own lawyer during Jimmy's casein-chief as contestant, Robert testified as follows:

Q You testified that there are several accounts-and I think the exhibits that have been admitted by stipulation of the parties with respect to the bank accounts that were held both in your mother and your name jointly, some were payable on death and some were CD's; is that correct?
A Yes.
Q And I believe your testimony was that your understanding is that money is both-should be divided equally between the two of you?
Yes. |»
Regardless of how it was held? ©
Yes. }|>
Was that your mother's intentions? ©
Yes. |p
She never understood that "payable on death", did she? &
A She never understood it until it was explained to her in detail.
Q And did she ever understand a joint tenant account bank account?
A No.
Q So however it was held, if it was you or with Jimmy, she never understood that it would go to one or the other legally?
A No. She never intended that way.

T4 In demurring to the contestant's evidence, Robert's lawyer argued Jimmy would get his half of the estate even though the money was in Robert's name. She also argued, "The car, the car is Ms. Rose's car. It's going into the estate. I don't even understand why that's an issue."

15 After Robert was appointed personal representative, he filed an inventory and ap-praisement on August 12, 1999, under oath, showing estate assets with a total appraised value of $629,898.00. The inventory included 83 % shares of stock in the nursing home valued at $266,666.66, a 1992 Toyota Camry valued at $5,000.00, two certificates of deposit valued at $81,057.86 and $18,772.62 respectively, three certificates of deposit held in joint tenancy with Robert Rose valued at $108,418.17, $60,000.00, and $37,168.24 respectively, a checking account held in joint tenancy with Robert Rose valued at $62,320.67, and a savings account valued at $34,792.07. The inventory also listed Zelma's one-third share in three accounts of the nursing home, valued at $11.09, $1,528.92, and $4,161.70 respectively. Jimmy objected to the inventory, but never sought a hearing on his objection.

6 On September 28, 1999, Robert moved for partial distribution, seeking to have the shares of stock in the nursing home distributed to himself. The trial court granted the motion over Jimmy's objection. On June 28, 2000, Robert filed a release from the Oklahoma Tax Commission, showing he had paid $13,583.00 in estate taxes.

17 On August 1, 2000, he filed a "Final Account and Petition for Order Allowing Final Account, Determination of Heirship and Distribution of Assets." The final account stated, "[that attached hereto and marked Exhibit "A" is a full and correct statement of [224]*224all assets, money and properties remaining in the hands of said Personal Representative for distribution pursuant to the terms of the Will." It alleged Robert Rose's interest under the will was "[all right and interest in her shares in [the nursing home] and % interest of the residue of the Estate as shown on Exhibit 'A'" and Jimmy Rose's interest was "[aln undivided % interest of the residue of the Estate as shown on Exhibit 'A'." Exhibit A in its entirety listed only an "Estate Checking Account at BaneFirst to be disbursed to Robert H. Rose, deposits from [the nursing home] Shares," valued at $63,684.21.

T8 Jimmy objected to the final account and moved to remove Robert as the estate's personal representative. He asserted Robert failed to account for all the estate assets which were listed on the inventory and had created a conflict of interest that required he be removed as personal representative. Jimmy also moved for a continuance and to compel Stillwater National Bank to turn over bank records of accounts held by Zelma Rose and Robert Rose as joint tenants. Robert filed a response taking the position the bank accounts held in joint tenancy were not assets of the estate. He attached to the response copies of the Stillwater National Bank records which were responsive to Jimmy's subpoena to the bank.

T 9 The bank's attorney appeared at hearing on August 28, 2000. Robert's attorney announced Robert consented to the release of the bank records, but the bank's attorney said she had never received a release from Robert Rose consenting in his individual capacity. After the parties agreed to release of the records, the bank's attorney asked for attorney fees, asserting Jimmy failed to follow proper procedure for obtaining the records. The trial court told her to file a motion.

110 In support of his petition for final account, Robert testified he had paid funeral expenses, prescription bills, expenses for the treatment of his mother's last illness, and the fees of the estate's attorney and accountant. He said he had filed federal and state tax returns and paid the taxes due.

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Bluebook (online)
2001 OK CIV APP 109, 32 P.3d 221, 72 O.B.A.J. 2762, 2001 Okla. Civ. App. LEXIS 83, 2001 WL 1079784, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-estate-of-rose-oklacivapp-2001.