ÿWPC ƒQñIœÆœù_ú—ùNúÙI°Æ]ªU;jœ™( jí¤¯öSÍg‘³7-kï‰ã#g9íxÿ†¾õÚ¸µM6ŠÕÿÈ|»2§><Úó× k\J’dì3L*5V~&ªË ^™•!ïè ödö&S=‡]rYI˜ÎÀ‘[Í×çðqí¾¿. !Á¢LýÉA Ð…SMJ®´7¶Ð=ã{³ÌÉQ„£k÷ȪÅ|\mù>}ˆþ³,ûݺ¥EÏ$‚Œ-¢Êê¤æA×~Võwhdò>!ò.Yý³—7_Ù†n­q4ò@5‰W¯Øl[¶eÅháŸûAÚ"Sqì¤æcSz*÷¦Œ#­ñ:ã[¶?Ÿ$WØ@H<ÅJcxþ¹$’Å]ëøð<^Òù¡†“¥ÿ´¢çÎ (ÕÐ ˜y‹û*É­y:²'…Ó7Ðôèßð¯3³8s‚õŒ¸VûÔÓ¬J£FOþ ¯¡óômƒáhgQ3NÂÐ,µX“Ð PNÂs¹ Ò| xôáNÚpg`'AÇúÀÕŠmÆÂÜühµÛ¨Û£béÇ›ŽEžèî­±p\Í-„?+!©¨:öiZµ£ VÝâ„Gë\÷éxÁ$Y‰yŸÚîU±B¬t±K÷Ž 5{FŠ5p¼‘@b#É\ %% ^ + 0ˆ7 UN¿ w 4 z% ÒŸ q € m‚ UN™ Æç Æ­ ÆsÆ9 0DÿNCØEEEÑ5555555555555555555b 0ë Bùù 0¤ D3º D-í 0K ASeƸ 0¤~ 0D" A«f˜\\IB01S08\KNOXCLERK4ÈÈ,,,,ÈÈ0»9t/Ï (`£ª$¡¡Ñ€.ÑÑ8€½­»»d»»d8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  Ó(í€"  Z6Times New Roman Regular=ƒ.ê:i¢Ø+00 ˜C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt3|xÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ(ÖÃ9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5‚Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5„Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5…Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó WALTMANCockeTelfordForgetyCowanWaltmansMcMerrimanShiel N.E.Longshore Rptr Ñ ° Ñ ÇÝ ƒRR+$ÝÓ  Óà  àòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÔ€XSX»»ÔÝ  ÝÔ_ÔThe€handwritten€document€states:€Ð ° ÐÌà0  àà0` (#(#àI€Gloria€Franklin€leaves€[sic]€everything€to€Terry€&€Jess€Waltman.€ÐˆØ` (#` (# ÐÌà0  àà0` (#(#àI€Gloria€Franklin€leaves€[sic]€everything€I€own€including€farm,€Ô_ÔvehicklesÔ_Ô€[sic]Ð `° Ðeverything€to€Jess€&€Terry€Waltman€in€case€I€die€on€my€way€to€&€from€Jersey.ÐL œ` (#` (# ÐÌThe€document€was€signed€by€Gloria€Franklin€and€Jessie€M.€Hall€and€Gertrude€E.€Hall,€and€dated€JulyÐ $ t Ð7,€1993.- ù-(|G2R+$¤¤Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€»»dd8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóÔ€XSX»»Ô d(|3Gd$££Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€»»dd8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  ÝVVVV'ÿÿdxd)!ÈÈÈÈdxdx( ±þ$’’ò òFigure€Ú  Ú1Ú  Úó ó^_X`YEþÿ<<CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3Gd$¢¢Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€»»dd8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó óX[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿCÿÿ HKKKKÝ ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€»»ddÈ8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÔ€¼»»»ÔÑ8€SXXdì»»d8ÑÑ€OYÑà@¦ ¦ ìàIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEˆÐ ° Ðà@””$ìàAT€KNOXVILLEˆÐ  Ðà@44ìàOctober€17,€2003€SessionˆÐ Ô$ ÐÔ‡XSX»¼ÔÌò òÔ#†¼»XXS³#ÔÓ  ÓIN€RE:€ESTATE€OF€GLORIA€ELEANOR€FRANKLIN,€EDWARDÐ Ò" ÐMANNING€ADMINISTRATOR€WITH€THE€WILL€ANNEXED,€v.€W.€JESSÐ æ 6 ÐWALTMANòòóóÔ‡XSX»¼Ôó óÐ ú J ÐÓùÓÌà@, , ìàò òDirect€Appeal€from€the€Chancery€Court€for€Cocke€CountyˆÐ ú J Ðà@¤ ¤ ìàNo.€P„3490€€€€€€Hon.€Telford€E.€Forgety,€Jr.,€JudgeˆÐ æ 6  ÐÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àFILED€NOVEMBER€20,€Ô_Ô2003Ô_ÔÐ ¾  Ðà@ìì*ìàßA€V) °°` d€÷E<©` A߈Ð ªú  ÐÌà@¶¶ìàNo.€E2003„00926„Ô_ÔCOAÔ_Ô„R3„CV€ˆÐ ¥õ  ÐÌßA€V) °°` dE<|` AßÐ }Í Ðó óÌÌThe€Trial€Court€following€an€evidentiary€hearing,€held€decedentððs€holographic€will€to€be€conditionalÐ d´ Ðand€inoperative.€€On€appeal,€we€reverse.Ð P  ÐÔ#†¼»XXS£#ÔÔ‡XSX»¼ÔÌò òTenn.€R.€App.€P.3€Appeal€as€of€Right;€Judgment€of€the€Chancery€Court€Reversed€andÐ (x ÐRemanded.ó óÐ d ÐÌòòHerschel€Pickens€Franks,€Jóó.€delivered€the€opinion€of€the€court,€in€whichòò€Charles€D.€Susano,Ð ì< ÐJr.,€J.óó,€and€òòD.€Michael€Ô_ÔSwineyÔ_Ô,€Jóó.,€joined.Ð Ø( ÐÌÔ#†¼»XXS4#ÔÔ‡XSX»¼ÔMark€A.€Cowan,€Ô_ÔMorristownÔ_Ô,€Tennessee,€for€Appellant.Ð ° ÐÌRoy€T.€Campbell,€Jr.,€Newport,€Tennessee,€for€Appellee.Ð ˆØ ÐÌÌÌà@66'ìàò òOPINIONó óÔ#†¼»XXSå#ÔÔ‡XSX»¼ÔˆÐ 8#ˆ" ÐÌòòóóÔ#†¼»XXSÿ#ÔÔ‡XSX»¼ÔÔ‡ X;KXXXSÔà0  àà0` (#(#àÐ ` (#` (# Ðà  àà ` àGloria€Eleanor€Franklin€died€on€May€16,€1999.€€A€will€executed€by€her€in€1975€wasÐ ü%L!% Ðadmitted€to€probate€on€December€15,€1999,€designating€Edward€Manning€as€Administrator,€with€theÐ è&8"& Ðwill€annexed.€€On€January€18,€2000,€a€petition€was€filed€to€probate€a€later€will,€which€was€signed€onÐ Ô'$#' ÐJuly€7,€1993€with€two€attesting€witnesses€who€were€her€sisters.€€The€will€had€been€recently€found€byÐ À($( Ðthe€petitioner€and€his€wife.€€In€rejecting€the€latter€will,€the€Trial€Court€said€ð ðThe€question€of€whetherÐ ¬)ü$) Ðor€not€the€document€proffered€for€probate€was€in€the€handwriting€of€the€decedent€and€found€amongÐ ˜*è%* Ðher€papers€met€the€formal€requirements€for€a€holographic€will€or€a€witnessed€will€was€not€an€issueÐ „+Ô&+ Ðin€this€hearing,€and€the€case€was€heard€on€the€legal€issue€of€whether€or€not€the€document€was€aÐ p,À', Ðconditional€document€and€not€subject€to€probate.ðð€€The€Court€then€found€that€the€document€inÐ \-¬(-ý ÐÔ_Ôquestion€ð ðwas€a€conditional€document€which€by€its€terms€was€to€take€effect€only€upon€the€happeningÐ ° Ðof€a€certain€contingency,€and€that€the€contingency€did€not€occur.ðð€€Ð œì ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€Courtððs€Judgment€was€appealed€and€this€Court€in€remanding€the€issue€for€trial,Ð tÄ Ðsaid:Ð `° ÐÌà0  àà0` (#(#àOur€survey€of€the€decisions€of€other€jurisdictions€leads€us€to€conclude€that€whetherÐ 8 ˆ Ðthe€decedent€in€the€instant€case€intended€her€will€to€be€operative€òòonlyóó€if€she€died€onÐ $ t Ðher€way€to€or€from€New€Jersey€should€not€be€ascertained€based€solely€upon€the€useÐ  ` Ðof€what€is€arguably€contingent€language€in€the€will.׃×Ý ƒ#ÃÝòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€€In€our€judgment,€other€relevantÐ ü L  Ðfactors€should€also€be€considered:€(1)€the€circumstances€surrounding€the€executionÐ è 8  Ðof€the€document;€(2)€any€statements€made€by€the€decedent€following€the€executionÐ Ô$  Ðof€the€document;€(3)€the€manner€in€which€the€document€was€kept€after€the€time€forÐ À  Ðthe€purported€contingency€had€lapsed;€(4)€the€decedentððs€education€and€knowledgeÐ ¬ü  Ðof€the€law;€(5)€whether€any€subsequent€testamentary€documents€were€made;€(6)Ð ˜è  Ðwhether€the€contingency€bears€a€reasonable€relation€to€the€disposition€of€theÐ „Ô  Ðdecedentððs€property;€(7)€whether€a€finding€of€a€conditional€will€means€that€theÐ pÀ Ðdecedent€died€intestate;€(8)€whether€effectuating€the€terms€of€the€will€would€beÐ \¬ Ðequitable€under€the€circumstances;€and€(9)€such€other€relevant€factors€as€bear€on€theÐ H˜ Ðissue€at€hand.Ð4„` (#` (# ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€proponents€of€the€will€offered€several€witnesses€who€testified€that€the€deceasedÐ  \ Ðhad€said€repeatedly€that€she€wanted€Jess€and€Terry€Waltman€to€have€her€property.€€The€estate€offeredÐ øH Ðno€proof.€€Ð ä4 ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€Court€observed€the€decedent€wrote€the€will€and€signed€it€in€the€presence€of€herÐ ¼  Ðsisters€and€that€she€did€so€because€she€had€heard€about€an€automobile€accident.€€The€Court€thenÐ ¨ø Ðconsidered€the€factors€set€out€in€this€Courtððs€Opinion€and€found€that€the€circumstances€surroundingÐ ”ä Ðthe€making€of€the€will€was€that€decedent€was€about€to€take€a€road€trip€and€heard€about€a€badÐ €Ð Ðaccident.€€The€Court€found€that€decedentððs€husband€predeceased€her€and€they€had€no€children.€€TheÐ l¼ ÐCourt€further€found€that€the€Waltmans€did€a€lot€for€the€decedent.€€Ð X ¨ ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€Court€found€that€the€decedent€made€statements€to€many€people€regarding€the€factÐ 0"€  Ðthat€she€wanted€the€Waltmans€to€have€all€of€her€property€because€they€had€done€so€much€for€her€andÐ ° Ðbecause€she€wanted€the€property€kept€in€the€family.€€The€Court€found€the€1975€will€of€decedent€andÐ œì Ðher€husband€was€kept€in€a€safe€and€that€the€will€in€question€was€given€to€Terry€in€a€sealed€envelopeÐ ˆØ Ðand€kept€by€her€until€after€decedent€died.€€The€Court€thought€it€was€notable€that€the€safe€containedÐ tÄ Ðother€important€documents€and€the€deceased€could€have€asked€for€the€holographic€will€and€placedÐ `° Ðit€in€the€safe€as€well.Ð L œ ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€Court€found€that€decedent€had€no€special€education€or€knowledge€of€the€law,€andÐ $ t Ðthat€there€were€no€later€wills€made,€but€found€it€significant€that€decedent€had€taken€steps€towardÐ  ` Ðmaking€another€will.€€The€Court€concluded€the€distribution€set€forth€in€the€holographic€will€wouldÐ ü L  Ðnot€be€inequitable€considering€the€circumstances,€but€that€the€1975€willððs€distribution€was€notÐ è 8  Ðinequitable€either.€€The€Court€found€the€contingency€in€the€will€bore€no€relation€to€the€disposition.€Ð Ô$  ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€Court€ruled€that€the€petitioner€failed€to€carry€the€burden€of€proof€on€the€factorsÐ ¬ü  Ðenumerated€by€this€Court,€and€said€the€most€important€factor€to€consider€was€that€decedent€intendedÐ ˜è  Ðto€make€another€will,€and€she€probably€would€not€have€considered€doing€so€if€she€thought€theÐ „Ô  Ðholographic€will€was€valid.€€€Ð pÀ ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€issue€on€appeal€is€whether€the€holographic€will€is€conditional?Ð H˜ ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€proof€is€undisputed€that€decedent€was€motivated€by€the€news€of€an€automobileÐ  p Ðaccident€to€make€a€will.€€It€is€also€undisputed,€however,€that€decedent€told€others€that€she€wanted€theÐ  \ Ðsame€disposition€of€property€whether€she€died€on€the€trip€or€at€any€other€time.Ð øH ÐÌà  àà ` àIt€is€undisputed€that€decedent€told€several€people€before€and€after€the€trip€to€NewÐ Ð  ÐJersey€that€she€wanted€her€property€to€go€to€the€Waltmans€and€never€changed€her€mind€about€thatÐ ¼  Ðdisposition.Ð ¨ø ÐÌà  àà ` àDecedent€gave€the€document€to€Terry€in€a€sealed€envelope€and€never€asked€for€itÐ €Ð Ðback.€€The€Trial€Court€was€concerned€about€this,€speculating€that€if€the€decedent€wanted€thisÐ l¼ Ðdocument€to€control€she€could€have€asked€for€it€back€some€time€in€the€ensuing€six€years€and€placedÐ X ¨ Ðit€in€her€safe€where€the€1975€wills€were€found.€€There€is€no€suggestion€that€the€decedent€thought€theÐ D!” Ðdocument€would€not€be€kept€safely€by€her€niece.Ð 0"€  ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€Trial€Court€correctly€found€decedent€had€no€special€education€and€knowledgeÐ $X" Ðof€the€law,€and€this€factor€is€significant€because€it€demonstrates€the€decedent€would€have€no€reasonÐ ô$D # Ðto€think€that€the€language€she€used€about€the€trip€to€New€Jersey€might€somehow€affect€the€validityÐ à%0!$ Ðof€the€will.€€The€Trial€Court€correctly€found€that€no€subsequent€testimony€or€documents€were€made,Ð Ì&"% Ðalthough€the€Court€thought€it€was€significant€that€the€decedent€apparently€met€with€an€attorney€andÐ ¸'#& Ðtalked€about€making€a€formal€will.€€The€Trial€Court€observed€that€if€the€decedent€had€intended€theÐ ¤(ô#' Ðholographic€will€to€control,€or€thoughtÔ#†XSXX X;K} #ÔÔ‡ X;KXXXSÔÔ#† ¼i§ »X X;K^ #ÔÔ‡ X;KX » ¼i§Ô€it€was€still€valid,€decedent€would€not€have€sought€to€makeÐ )à$( Ðanother€will.€€However,€the€undisputed€proof€was€the€decedent€wanted€the€Waltmans€to€have€herÐ |*Ì%) Ðproperty€no€matter€what,€not€just€if€she€died€on€a€trip€to€New€Jersey.Ð h+¸&* Їà  àà ` àThe€Trial€Court€correctly€found€that€the€finding€of€a€conditional€will€would€not€leaveÐ ° Ðthe€decedent€intestate,€as€the€older€will€controlled,€and€that€the€terms€of€the€holographic€will€wouldÐ œì Ðbe€equitable€under€the€circumstances,€as€the€Waltmans€had€done€so€much€for€the€decedent.Ð ˆØ ÐÌà  àà ` àTaking€into€account€the€evidence€as€to€the€factors€in€their€entirety,€we€conclude€theÐ `° ÐTrial€Court€erred€in€ruling€the€will€was€conditional.€€The€Trial€Court,€in€making€his€ruling€said:Ð L œ ÐÌà0  àà0` (#(#àAnd€as€the€Court€has€said€.€.€.€it€is€a€close€case.€€The€biggest€thing€in€the€Courtððs€mindÐ $ t Ðis€the€fact€without€question€this€lady€indicated€an€intent€to€make€a€later€formal€Will,Ð  ` Ðeven€took€steps€toward€doing€it.€€The€point€of€that€being,€that€if€she€intended€thatÐ ü L  Ðearlier€Holograph€to€be€a€permanent€Will,€and€if€she€intended€the€same€dispositionÐ è 8  Ðlater€then€why€go€through€the€steps€of€making€a€later€formal€Will.€ÐÔ$ ` (#` (# ÐÌà  àà ` àWe€conclude€that€the€Trial€Courtððs€finding€as€to€what€motivated€decedent€to€considerÐ ¬ü  Ðmaking€a€new€will€is€not€supported€by€the€evidence.€There€is€no€proof€that€decedent€wanted€aÐ ˜è  Ðdifferent€disposition€than€if€the€decedent€did€not€survive€the€trip€to€New€Jersey.€€In€fact,€the€proofÐ „Ô  Ðclearly€established€that€she€continued€to€tell€everyone€up€until€her€death€six€years€later€that€this€wasÐ pÀ Ðthe€disposition€she€intended.€€There€is€no€evidence€to€infer€that€had€she€made€a€new€will,€theÐ \¬ Ðdisposition€of€her€estate€would€have€been€any€different€from€her€holographic€will.€€The€factor€to€beÐ H˜ Ðconsidered€is€whether€any€subsequent€testamentary€documents€were€made€by€deceased,€and€thereÐ 4„ Ðare€none.Ð  p ÐÌà  àà ` àIn€sum,€taking€into€account€and€evaluating€the€factors€set€forth€in€our€prior€Opinion,Ð øH Ðwe€conclude€that€the€holographic€will€should€be€admitted€to€probate€and€executed.Ð ä4 ÐÌà  àà ` àBased€upon€the€guiding€principles€from€other€jurisdictions€and€the€proof€in€the€record,Ð ¼  Ðthe€holographic€will€reflects€the€decedentððs€intent,€and€the€trip€mentioned€therein€was€simply€anÐ ¨ø Ðinducement€to€its€making€and€not€a€condition€precedent€to€its€operation.€€òòSeeóó€òòBlack€v.€Tayloróó,€259Ð ”ä ÐP.2d€1014,€1018€(Cal.€Dist.€Ct.€App.€1953);€€òòMcMerriman€v.€Shielóó,€140€N.E.€600€(Ohio€1923);€òòInÐ €Ð Ðre€Will€of€Cohenóó,€491€A.2d€1292€(N.J.€Sup.€Ct.€App.€Div.€1985);€€òòMason€v.€Masonóó,€268€S.E.2d€67Ð l¼ Ð(W.€Va.€1980);€and€òòLongshore€v.€Desmondóó,€35€Cal.€Rptr.€737€(Cal.€Dist.€Ct.€App.€1963).€€WeÐ X ¨ Ðreverse€the€Judgment€of€the€Trial€Court€and€remand,€with€the€direction€that€the€will€be€admitted€toÐ D!” Ðprobate€as€the€decedentððs€will.Ð 0"€  ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€cost€of€the€appeal€is€assessed€to€the€estate.Ð $X" ÐÌÔ#†XSXX X;Kg(#ÔÔ#†¼»XXS©(#ÔÔ‡XSX»¼ÔÌÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à_________________________Ð ¸'#& Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àòòHerschel€Pickens€Franks,€J.Ô#†¼»àXS7#ÔòòóóÔ‡XSX.¼Ôóó