James v. Knotts

705 S.E.2d 572, 227 W. Va. 65, 2010 W. Va. LEXIS 140
CourtWest Virginia Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 18, 2010
Docket35482
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 705 S.E.2d 572 (James v. Knotts) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering West Virginia Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
James v. Knotts, 705 S.E.2d 572, 227 W. Va. 65, 2010 W. Va. LEXIS 140 (W. Va. 2010).

Opinions

PER CURIAM:

The appellants and defendants below, Vivian Knotts and Betty Nelson, appeal a final order of the Circuit Court of Clay County entex’ed on June 12, 2009, denying their mo[69]*69tion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict or, in the alternative, motion for a new trial in this civil action filed by their siblings, the appellees and plaintiffs below, Sharon James and Glen Nelson, challenging the last will and testament of their mother, Irene Triplett Nelson, based upon a lack of testamentary capacity and undue influence. Following a three-day trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the appellees finding that Irene Nelson lacked testamentary capacity and was unduly influenced when she exeeub ed her will on July 29, 2005.

In this appeal, the appellants assert several assignments of error but primarily contend that the circuit court erred by denying their motion for judgment not withstanding the verdict, or in the alternative, motion for a new trial. This Court has before it the petition for appeal, the entire record, and the briefs and argument of counsel. For the reasons set forth below, the final order is reversed, and this case is remanded to the circuit court with directions to enter judgment notwithstanding the verdict in favor of the appellants.

I.

FACTS

Irene Triplett Nelson, a resident of Clay County, West Virginia, died on April 29, 2006. She was preceded in death by her husband, Virgle Nelson, and a daughter, Nancy Nelson. Irene Nelson was survived by four children, Vivian Knotts and Betty Nelson, the appellants and defendants below, and Sharon James and Glen Nelson, the appellees and plaintiffs below. Irene Nelson was also survived by eight grandchildren including Whitney Nelson, the daughter of Nancy Nelson.

On May 1, 2006, Irene Nelson’s last will and testament was admitted to probate by the County Commission of Clay County, and the appellants were qualified as co-executrixes of the estate. On September 18, 2006, this civil action was filed by the appellees seeking to set aside and revoke the order of the County Commission of Clay County granting the probate of the will. The appellees asserted that their mother lacked testamentary capacity and was unduly influenced when she executed her will on July 29, 2005. Thereafter, the matter was remanded to the County Commission for reconsideration, and following a hearing, the County Commission denied the presentation of the last will and testament of Irene Nelson for probate, effectively removing the appellants from their previously appointed positions as co-executrixes of the estate. The appellants appealed the decision to the circuit court. The appellants then filed motions for summary judgment which were denied.

A jury trial commenced on October 2, 2008. Following three days of testimony, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the appellees, finding that Irene Nelson lacked the requisite testamentary capacity to execute her last will and testament on July 29, 2005, and that the will was a product of undue influence by the appellants. Subsequently, the appellants filed a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict or, in the alternative, motion for a new trial. The motion was denied by the circuit court by order entered June 12, 2009. This appeal followed.

II.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

In Syllabus Point 3 of Pipemasters, Inc. v. Putnam County Comm’n, 218 W.Va. 512, 625 S.E.2d 274 (2005), this Court held:

“The standard of review recited in Syllabus Point 1 in Mildred L.M. v. John O.F., 192 W.Va. 345, 452 S.E.2d 436 (1994) and in Syllabus Point 1 in Barefoot v. Sundale Nursing Home, 193 W.Va. 475, 457 S.E.2d 152 (1995), and their progeny, is clarified to read as follows: In reviewing a trial court’s denial of a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, it is not the task of the appellate court reviewing facts to determine how it would have ruled on the evidence presented. Its task is to determine whether the evidence was such that a reasonable trier of fact might have reached the decision below. Thus, in ruling on a denial of a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, the evidence must be viewed in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. If on review, the [70]*70evidence is shown to be legally insufficient to sustain the verdict, it is the obligation of the appellate court to reverse the circuit court and to order judgment for the appellant.” Syllabus Point 1, Alkire v. First National Bank of Parsons, 197 W.Va. 122, 475 S.E.2d 122 (1996).

This Court also explained in Syllabus Point 4 of Pipemasters that

“in determining whether there is sufficient evidence to support a jury verdict the court should: (1) consider the evidence most favorable to the prevailing party; (2) assume that all conflicts in the evidence were resolved by the jury in favor of the prevailing party; (3) assume as proved all facts which the prevailing party’s evidence tends to prove; and (4) give to the prevailing party the benefit of all favorable inferences which reasonably may be drawn from the facts proved.” Syllabus Point 5, Orr v. Crowder, 173 W.Va. 335, 315 S.E.2d 593 (1983), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 981, 105 S.Ct. 384, 83 L.Ed.2d 319 (1984).

Finally, this Court advised that “ ‘[a]n appellate court will not set aside the verdict of a jury, founded on conflicting testimony and approved by the trial court, unless the verdict is against the plain preponderance of the evidence.’ Syllabus Point 2, Stephens v. Bartlett, 118 W.Va. 421, 191 S.E. 550 (1937).” Syllabus Point 5, Pipemasters.

111.

DISCUSSION

As discussed above, the appellants contend that the circuit court erred by denying their motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict or, in the alternative, motion for a new trial. This Court has held:

In order to assert a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict under Rule 50(b) of the West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure, a defendant must move for a directed verdict at the close of the plaintiffs case and assert therein the insufficiency of the evidence to establish a prima facie case. A similar motion for a directed verdict must be made at the close of all the evidence. Finally, the motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict must be filed within ten days from the date of the entry of the judgment order on the jury verdict.

Syllabus Point 5, Huffman v. Appalachian Power Co., 187 W.Va. 1, 415 S.E.2d 145 (1991). The record shows that the appellants made a motion for a directed verdict at the close of the appellees’ evidence and a similar motion at the close of all the evidence. They also timely submitted their motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict. The appellants argue in their brief that the circuit court erred in denying all of these motions.

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James v. Knotts
705 S.E.2d 572 (West Virginia Supreme Court, 2010)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
705 S.E.2d 572, 227 W. Va. 65, 2010 W. Va. LEXIS 140, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/james-v-knotts-wva-2010.