Kenney v. Estate of Kenney

829 S.W.2d 888, 1992 Tex. App. LEXIS 1243, 1992 WL 76512
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedApril 13, 1992
DocketNo. 05-91-00629-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 829 S.W.2d 888 (Kenney v. Estate of Kenney) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kenney v. Estate of Kenney, 829 S.W.2d 888, 1992 Tex. App. LEXIS 1243, 1992 WL 76512 (Tex. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

OPINION

STEWART, Justice.

Robert E. Kenney, III (Robert) appeals from the trial court’s judgment denying probate of the will executed by his wife, Dorothy M. Kenney (Dorothy), on August 17, 1990 (the August will). After hearing evidence, the trial court found that Dorothy lacked testamentary capacity when she executed the August will and that, therefore, Dorothy never revoked the will that she executed on July 11, 1990 (the July will). In two points of error, Robert complains that: (1) the trial court’s finding that Dorothy lacked testamentary capacity when she executed the August will is against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence; and (2) the order admitting the July will to probate should be reversed because no record of the hearing was made by a court reporter and, therefore, he is unable to obtain a statement of facts. We affirm the trial court’s judgment.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Robert and Dorothy married in September 1955. Dorothy was diagnosed as having cancer in 1988. On July 11, 1990, she executed a will leaving her entire estate to the Kenneys’ children. On August 17, 1990, Dorothy executed another will, leav[890]*890ing everything to Robert if he survived her and naming the Kenneys’ children as contingent beneficiaries. Dorothy died on August 24, 1990. The July will was offered for probate on October 4, 1990. On October 16,1990, the trial court signed an order probating the July will and issuing letters testamentary. On January 7, 1991, Robert filed an application to set aside the July will and for probate of the August will and issuance of letters testamentary. After hearing evidence, the trial court found that Dorothy lacked testamentary capacity to execute the August will and that the July will was Dorothy’s last will and testament. Robert then perfected this appeal.

TESTAMENTARY CAPACITY

In his first point, Robert contends that the trial court’s finding that Dorothy lacked testamentary capacity when she executed the August will is against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence. He asserts that, at trial, numerous witnesses testified that Dorothy had the mental capacity to make a valid will on August 17, 1990. Appellee replies that there is ample evidence in the record to support the trial court's findings of fact and conclusions of law.

Findings of fact are reviewable for factual sufficiency of the evidence by the same standards that are applied in reviewing the evidence supporting a jury’s answer. Burnett v. Motyka, 610 S.W.2d 735, 736 (Tex.1980); Okon v. Levy, 612 S.W.2d 938, 941 (Tex.Civ.App.—Dallas 1981, writ ref’d n.r.e.). In reviewing an appellant’s great-weight-and-preponderance point of error, this Court must consider and weigh all of the evidence relevant to the fact being challenged to determine whether the verdict is so against the great weight and preponderance of the evidence as to be manifestly unjust. Harco Nat’l Ins. Co. v. Villanueva, 765 S.W.2d 809, 810 (Tex.App.—Dallas 1988, writ denied); Ellsworth v. Bishop Jewelry & Loan Co., 742 S.W.2d 533, 535 (Tex.App.—Dallas 1987, writ denied). However, this Court is not a fact finder, and we do not pass upon the credibility of the witnesses or substitute our judgment for that of the trier of fact, even if there is conflicting evidence that would support a different conclusion. Cain v. Bain, 709 S.W.2d 175, 176 (Tex.1986); Harco Nat’l Ins. Co., 765 S.W.2d at 810.

The burden of proving testamentary capacity is on the proponent of a will. Croucher v. Croucher, 660 S.W.2d 55, 57 (Tex.1983). “Testamentary capacity” generally is defined as sufficient mental ability, at the time of the execution of the will, (1) to understand the business in which the testatrix is engaged, the effect of making the will, and the general nature and extent of her property; (2) to know the testatrix’s next of kin and the natural objects of her bounty; and (3) to have sufficient memory to assimilate the elements of the business to be transacted, to hold those elements long enough to perceive their obvious relation to each other, and to form a reasonable judgment as to them. Jones v. LaFargue, 758 S.W.2d 320, 325 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1988, writ denied).

The testatrix’s mental capacity on the day that the will was executed is controlling. Campbell v. Groves, 774 S.W.2d 717, 719 (Tex.App.—El Paso 1989, writ denied). However, evidence of incompetency at other times can be used to establish incompetency on the day the will was executed if it demonstrates that the condition persisted and had some probability of being the same condition that existed at the time of the will’s making. Croucher, 660 S.W.2d at 57 (citing Lee v. Lee, 424 S.W.2d 609 (Tex.1968)). Such evidence of incompetency may include lay opinion testimony of witnesses’ observations of the testatrix’s conduct, either prior or subsequent to execution of the will. See Campbell, 774 S.W.2d at 719.

Robert presented the following evidence of Dorothy’s testamentary capacity on August 17, 1990, the day the August will was executed. Richard Heffernan, a bookkeeper who prepared the Kenneys' income taxes, testified that he witnessed Dorothy execute the August will. He was in the room with Dorothy for about thirty minutes. Dorothy looked tired and very [891]*891sick when she signed the will, but she was alert and conscious. Heffernan believed that Dorothy still had her memory because she recognized Heffernan and his wife right away and remarked that Heffeman’s son was getting big. Heffernan stated that Dorothy was “pretty much near the end. So, you know, it wasn’t like we had a real big conversation.” The notary told Dorothy that the document was her will and showed her where to sign. No one discussed the terms of the will with Dorothy while Heffernan was there. Dorothy did not appear to be under pressure or duress. Heffernan assumed that she voluntarily signed the August will and that she knew what she was doing. Nothing unusual occurred during the signing or witnessing of the August will.

Ted Cain, who notarized the August will, testified that Dorothy signed the will on August 17, 1990. Cain never had met Dorothy before that day. Although Dorothy looked sick and was lying flat on her back in the bed, she was awake and alert. She did not talk much. Cain asked Dorothy whether she knew that she was signing a will; she said that she did. Cain had no way to know whether Dorothy knew what she was doing or whether she signed the will of her own volition, but he felt sure that she did.

Robert testified that he married Dorothy in September 1955; they were married until she died. Robert stated that Dorothy asked him to have a will drawn. The Ken-neys each had wills prepared. Dorothy never discussed'the terms of the August will with the attorney who drafted it.

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829 S.W.2d 888, 1992 Tex. App. LEXIS 1243, 1992 WL 76512, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kenney-v-estate-of-kenney-texapp-1992.