Succession of Russo

596 So. 2d 365, 1992 La. App. LEXIS 708, 1992 WL 47774
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 17, 1992
Docket91-CA-0669
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 596 So. 2d 365 (Succession of Russo) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Succession of Russo, 596 So. 2d 365, 1992 La. App. LEXIS 708, 1992 WL 47774 (La. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

596 So.2d 365 (1992)

SUCCESSION OF Sadie RUSSO.

No. 91-CA-0669.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.

March 17, 1992.

Mark M. Dennis, Metairie, for appellant.

Anthony S. Taormina, Metairie, for appellee.

Before BYRNES, WARD and ARMSTRONG, JJ.

ARMSTRONG, Judge.

Plaintiff, Rosemary Snow, appeals from a judgment dismissing her petition to set aside a judgment of possession rendered in favor of defendant, Edwin P. Russo. Defendant has filed an answer seeking damages *366 and attorney's fees. We now affirm and remand.

On January 29, 1989, Sadie E. Russo died in New Orleans, Louisiana. On February 3, 1989, Edwin P. Russo, her nephew, probated an olographic will dated October 11, 1987, and was placed in possession of decedent's property by a judgment of possession. On March 8, 1989, plaintiff, a niece of the decedent, filed a petition to set aside the judgment of possession, along with a motion for a preliminary injunction and appointment of a notary to take inventory. A preliminary injunction was issued prohibiting the disposal of the estate of Sadie Russo, ordering that rents from her property be placed in the registry of the court, and ordering a $2,500.00 bond posted for damages. After denying Edwin Russo's motion for summary judgment, the trial court removed him as administrator, and appointed Snow as administratrix. On May 18, 1990, Edwin Russo filed a reconventional demand against Snow for damages and attorney's fees.

On November 14, 1990, following trial on the merits, the trial court rendered judgment in favor of Edwin Russo in the original action, dismissing Snow's petition to set aside the judgment of possession. The judgment was silent as to Edwin Russo's reconventional demand and, thus, it is presumed that the trial court rejected the reconventional demand. Sun Finance Co., Inc. v. Jackson, 525 So.2d 532 (La.1988); Palama v. Palama, 338 So.2d 776 (La.App. 4th Cir.1976). On November 26, 1990, Edwin Russo filed a timely motion for a new trial on the issue of damages and attorney's fees. On motion of counsel for Snow, hearing on the motion for new trial was continued from January 11, 1991 until February 8, 1991. There is no indication in the record that the trial court ever ruled on Edwin Russo's motion for new trial. On February 20, 1991, Edwin Russo filed an answer to Snow's appeal seeking damages and attorney's fees.

The broad issue before us in Rosemary Snow's appeal is whether Sadie Russo had the capacity to make the October 11, 1987 olographic will. Testamentary capacity is presumed and the burden of establishing the contrary is on the party attacking the will. Succession of Lyons, 452 So.2d 1161 (La.1984); Succession of Riggio, 405 So.2d 513 (La.1981). This presumption continues until overcome by clear and convincing evidence. Succession of Catanzano, 417 So.2d 863 (La.App. 4th Cir.1982). The narrow issue before this court is whether the trial court was clearly wrong in finding that Snow failed to meet her burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that Sadie Russo lacked testamentary capacity.

Testamentary capacity is tested as of the time the will was made. La.C.C. art. 1472 (now repealed). At the time Sadie Russo made out the will in question, La.C.C. art. 1475 (now repealed) provided that the testator must have been "of sound mind."[1]See Succession of Riggio, supra; Succession of Catanzano, supra. The question is whether the testator understood the nature of the testamentary act and appreciated its effects. Succession of Moody, 227 La. 609, 80 So.2d 93 (1955).

On October 6, 1986, Sadie Russo, then 88 years old, fell and injured herself. At the time of her injury she lived in one half of a double home she owned on Navarre Avenue in New Orleans. Subsequently, she moved in with her niece, Rosemary Snow, and Snow's husband. She lived with Snow until her death on January 29, 1989. Sadie never married and had no *367 descendants. On October 29, 1986, shortly after Sadie moved in with her, Snow took Sadie to an attorney's office where she executed a statutory will leaving her whole estate to Snow.[2] Approximately one week later, on November 6, 1986, Snow took Sadie once again to the attorney's office where Sadie executed a power of attorney to Snow.

On Sunday, October 11, 1987, Snow arranged for Sadie to spend most of the day at the home of Edwin Russo, Sadie's nephew and Rosemary's first cousin, so that Snow could attend a fair in the country. Perry Russo, Edwin's brother, picked Sadie up that morning and drove her to Edwin's. While they were driving, Sadie complained to Perry—as she had apparently done in the past—about Snow's handling of her finances. At Edwin's, Sadie, Perry, Edwin and his wife, Barbara, talked and then ate lunch. After lunch Sadie requested a piece of paper and pen which were furnished by Barbara. In front of the three, Sadie then wrote:

October 11, 1987 I will all my money and property to Edwin P. Russo. Sadie E. Russo

It is this olographic will which is the focus of the suit filed by Rosemary Snow attacking Sadie's testamentary capacity. Snow called as a witness Sadie's treating physician since January 1984, Dr. Hanckes Klein, an internist. Dr. Klein treated Sadie on three occasions in 1984 for shingles. He said at that time he noticed no evidence of mental incapacity, although he noted that Sadie was forgetful. His records reflect that he treated her on September 18, 1985, prescribing some vitamins and a medication, Hydergine, to increase the blood supply to the brain. On September 27, 1985, Dr. Klein noted that Sadie had gained a pound. He continued her on the vitamins and Hydergine.

Dr. Klein next saw plaintiff on February 14, 1986. He noted that she had gained another pound and noted the presence of arthritis in her right hip and lumbar spine. Sadie was hospitalized on January 5, 1987 for pneumonia. Dr. Klein noted at that time the presence of generalized arteriosclerotic vascular disease—hardening of the arteries—which he said was expected in a patient of Sadie's age. On March 3, 1987, he noted that Sadie appeared forgetful, had a cough, and complained of headaches.

On April 3, 1987 Sadie was hospitalized for eighteen days for treatment of strep pneumonia. Dr. Klein noted that she had congestive heart failure and generalized heart disease, and he noted for the first time what he characterized as "cerebral atrophy." Dr. Klein defined cerebral atrophy as the death of brain cells and shrinking of the brain, which he said was part of the normal aging process. He also noted that Sadie's hearing was impaired. He said that she did not communicate very well, i.e., that she was not responsive to some of his questions. He admitted that this may have been due to toxicity from a 105 degree fever. He later stated that similar unresponsiveness could have been due to Sadie's hearing impairment.

Dr. Klein saw Sadie on June 25, 1987. During that visit Snow presented a Social Security form which Dr. Klein signed indicating that plaintiff was unable to handle her finances. This allowed Snow to get Sadie's Social Security check made payable to either she or Sadie. Dr. Klein felt that Sadie was incapable of handling her finances, and he didn't feel that she would ever improve to the extent that she could do so again. At this June 1987 visit, Dr. Klein diagnosed cerebrovascular accidents or small strokes. He made no notes of plaintiff's mental state during a mid-September 1987 office visit. He next saw Sadie on March 3, 1988 when she was suffering from a low-grade fever and upper respiratory infection.

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Bluebook (online)
596 So. 2d 365, 1992 La. App. LEXIS 708, 1992 WL 47774, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/succession-of-russo-lactapp-1992.