In Re Estate of Smith

722 So. 2d 606
CourtMississippi Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 22, 1998
Docket96-CA-01190-SCT
StatusPublished
Cited by31 cases

This text of 722 So. 2d 606 (In Re Estate of Smith) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Mississippi Supreme Court 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 Smith, 722 So. 2d 606 (Mich. 1998).

Opinion

722 So.2d 606 (1998)

In re LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT AND ESTATE OF Mrs. Elizabeth R. SMITH, Deceased.
David R. Smith and Mrs. Annette Smith, Husband and Wife
v.
Mrs. Jeanette Averill and Oren Pickering.

No. 96-CA-01190-SCT.

Supreme Court of Mississippi.

October 22, 1998.

*608 Daniel J. O'Beirne, Natchez, Attorney for Appellants.

J. Anthony Williams, Natchez, Attorney for Appellees.

Before SULLIVAN, P.J., and MILLS and WALLER, JJ.

MILLS, Justice, for the Court:

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

¶ 1. On December 16, 1994, the Last Will and Testament of Mrs. Elizabeth R. Smith was admitted to probate in Adams County, Mississippi. Jeanette Averill and Oren Pickering, the sole surviving heirs at law of the testatrix, filed their petition to contest probate of will and for accounting on February 2, 1995. They contend that the testatrix, Mrs. Elizabeth R. Smith, lacked testamentary capacity and was unduly influenced by either David R. Smith, his wife Annette Smith, or both. On August 29, 1996, a jury in Adams County, Mississippi, entered a unanimous verdict in favor of Averill and Pickering. Aggrieved, David R. Smith and his wife, Annette Smith, bring this appeal assigning the following issues as error:

I. WHETHER THE CHANCERY COURT ERRED IN RESERVING RULING ON THE SMITHS' MOTION IN LIMINE ON THE ISSUE OF WILL SUBSTITUTES AND ALLOWING AMENDMENT BY AVERILL AND PICKERING ON THIS ISSUE.
II. WHETHER THE VERDICT OF THE JURY WAS CONTRARY TO THE OVERWHELMING WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE AND CONTRARY TO LAW.
III. WHETHER THE CHANCERY COURT ERRED IN OVERRULING THE SMITHS' MOTIONS FOR A DIRECTED VERDICT ON THE ISSUES OF TESTAMENTARY CAPACITY AND UNDUE INFLUENCE.
IV. WHETHER THE CHANCERY COURT ERRED IN OVERRULING THE SMITHS' MOTION FOR JUDGMENT NOTWITHSTANDING THE VERDICT OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE MOTION FOR A NEW TRIAL.
V. WHETHER THE CHANCERY COURT ERRED IN OVERRULING THE SMITHS' MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON THE ISSUE OF WILL SUBSTITUTES AND RIGHTS OF SURVIVORSHIP.
VI. WHETHER THE CHANCELLOR ERRED IN OBJECTING FROM THE *609 BENCH TO THE TESTIMONY OF DANIEL J. O'BEIRNE.

Jeanette Averill and Oren Pickering crossappeal raising the following issue:

WHETHER THE CHANCERY COURT ERRED IN HOLDING THAT THE JOINT BANK ACCOUNTS PASSED OUTSIDE THE ESTATE AND WERE NOT PART OF THE WILL CONTEST.

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

¶ 2. The testatrix, Mrs. Elizabeth R. Smith lived on Springfield Road in a mobile home on the property of her daughter, Jeanette Averill, until late May or early June 1994. She moved her trailer to Morgantown Road around June 1994 and died December 11, 1994, after signing an instrument titled "Last Will and Testament" in September 1994. This instrument purported to convey the entire estate of the testatrix to David R. Smith Sr., the nephew of the testatrix by marriage, and his wife, Annette Smith. This conveyance expressly excluded Jeanette Averill and Oren Pickering, the testatrix's children by a prior marriage and the sole heirs at law of the testatrix. A residuary clause provided that if both David R. Smith Sr., and wife, Annette Smith, predeceased the testatrix the estate should go in trust to four named great nephews. This instrument recited that it revoked all prior wills, specifically providing for revocation of a will dated May 23, 1993. There were at least two prior wills including the one dated May 23, 1993, and one dated June 29, 1994. The will in contest was created by changing certain provisions in the will dated June 29, 1994.

¶ 3. The testatrix had two bank accounts at Britton and Koontz First National Bank. One account was designated a N.O.W. account and the other a M.M.A. account. The testatrix initially listed Jeanette Averill on both accounts as a joint tenant with rights of survivorship. Prior to June 1994, the testatrix took Jeanette Averill's name off these accounts and instead added David R. Smith Sr., as a joint tenant with rights of survivorship. In June 1994, the testatrix executed a power of attorney in favor of David R. Smith Sr. Averill and Pickering contested the probate of the latest will upon learning the testatrix had excluded them from inheriting and had left her entire estate to the Smiths.

I. WHETHER THE CHANCERY COURT ERRED IN RESERVING RULING ON THE SMITHS' MOTION IN LIMINE ON THE ISSUE OF WILL SUBSTITUTES AND ALLOWING AMENDMENT BY AVERILL AND PICKERING ON THIS ISSUE.

A. Motion in Limine

¶ 4. A trial judge enjoys wide discretion with regard to the relevancy and admissibility of evidence. Fisher v. State, 690 So.2d 268, 274 (Miss.1996). The Court will not reverse the ruling of the trial judge unless the judge commits an abuse of discretion which prejudices the party bringing the motion. Fisher, 690 So.2d at 274.

¶ 5. The Smiths made a motion in limine to exclude any mention of the joint accounts of the testatrix. They claim the accounts, as will substitutes, pass outside of the will and should be no part of this will contest. On Friday, before the will contest began Monday, the chancellor discussed his decision regarding the motion in limine:

It would seem to me that I have ruled that this case today [there] will be one issue decided, the issue [of] whether this Will is good or bad. It is either good or it is bad by reason of undue influence or lack of capacity.... I think that there can be evidence ... [that] when this bank account was opened that they took her down there and they did this and they did that.... I think that is relevant and probative....

The chancellor bifurcated the will substitutes issue and reserved ruling on that issue until necessary. The chancellor ruled that in the will contest there should be no mention of rights of survivorship on the bank accounts. He limited any mention of the accounts to evidence of a confidential relationship to prove undue influence. The Smiths suffered no prejudice because of the chancellor's ruling and there was no error.

B. Amendment To Pleadings

¶ 6. While the chancellor granted the Smiths' motion in limine in this portion of the trial, one issue remains. Should the chancellor *610 have ordered bifurcation of the trial and allowed amendment to the pleadings? The Smiths assert that the chancellor should not have allowed an amendment since Averill and Pickering made no motion seeking amendment of the pleadings. In fact, appellees made no argument that they should be allowed to amend even on the Friday the chancellor discussed his ruling.

¶ 7. Counsel for the Smiths alleged the issue of the joint bank accounts had not been specifically pled. In response, counsel for the appellees said, "Well, it's not. It says that she was without capacity to make the will and there was undue influence in the execution of the will. The cases don't make that distinction."

¶ 8. Mississippi Rule of Civil Procedure 15 governs amendment to pleadings and recites: "[L]eave shall be freely given when justice so requires." M.R.C.P. 15(a). This Court reviews the decision to allow amendment under an abuse of discretion standard. Church v. Massey, 697 So.2d 407, 413 (Miss. 1997). We have held that unless we are convinced there was an abuse of discretion by the trial judge, we have no authority to reverse. Id. Additionally, we have ruled, "The court is to be liberal in granting permission to amend when justice so requires." Shipley v. Ferguson, 638 So.2d 1295, 1300 (Miss.1994)(quoting M.R.C.P.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Tanner v. Mitchell
Fifth Circuit, 2021
E. Milton Burris, Jr. v. Renee Sims Burris
270 So. 3d 984 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2018)
Frederick M. Rogers, Jr. v. Walter T. Rogers
270 So. 3d 1 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2018)
Irene Phelps Terry v. Henry Vick Phelps, III
180 So. 3d 835 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2015)
Paula B. Hicks v. Mark S. Bowling
155 So. 3d 907 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2014)
Johnson v. Washington
117 So. 3d 647 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2013)
NOBLIN v. Burgess
54 So. 3d 282 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2010)
Estate & Last Will & Testament of Rutland v. Rutland
24 So. 3d 347 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2009)
In Re Estate of Laughter
23 So. 3d 1055 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 2009)
Foster v. Williams
23 So. 3d 1055 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 2009)
In Re Last Will and Testament of Kistler
22 So. 3d 1209 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2009)
Rubye C. Foster v. Marjorie Williams
Mississippi Supreme Court, 2008
Ashburn v. Ashburn
970 So. 2d 204 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2007)
Williams v. Estate of Cheeks
961 So. 2d 65 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2007)
Johnson v. Dodson
911 So. 2d 961 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2004)
Last Will & Testament of Bascombe v. Booker
856 So. 2d 742 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2003)
In Re Estate of Pigg
877 So. 2d 406 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2003)
McClendon v. McClendon
877 So. 2d 406 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2003)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
722 So. 2d 606, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-estate-of-smith-miss-1998.