WPCVE }.lFVm:[!|۳u&: TT?ӎIPYTZX߬^NSוse@zxßnqҭMe6;zff1w?{5BH EخSr5?NgHiT 0Dcns O@֊CǓC2a."|-y,c%0y+H?σy7!uzR噗Fd&]{om Sm 2ơj}uj*#6B*M嗂QX83p mrlcIwl# % N 0 U&N9 UN z zO   Nm ~o zg-NQ^ Sw_Ec4ey m 0N 0D 0U 0n 0Q 0 0 0 0A 0 0 06 0 0 0 0, 0 bt! 0|! 0" 0" 09# 0# 0$ 0y% 0#& 0& 0e' 0' 0( 0) 0) 0* 0>G+ 0+ 0}, 0_- 0A. 0#/ 00 00 01 02s2 02 0:3 0Y3 0_44 0 4 05 07 B*%9 D/O9 0~9 0; D/o< 0< 06l= B= 0= 0> D5k? D-? 0K? 0:@ ASR@@ 0kA 0DB ASB 0^B 0<\C 1eCU6CU>3DU*qD 1uD 72EE BEHP LaserJet 4050 Series PCL 6,,,,0(`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman Regular(9 Z6Times New Roman Regular C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPT C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wptC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt Dickson COALillard P.J. W.S.HighersHuffstutterHornickHatcherEldridgeBridgefordnuncupativeHemphillPritchardBinkley W]e uncontrovertedMintonC:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5C:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt~-s ,-01s033|xU(O$  R $      1    _Anattestationclauseis  8  [a]provisionattheendofaninstrument([especially]awill)thatissignedbytheinstruments 8 witnessesandthatrecitestheformalitiesrequiredbythejurisdictioninwhichtheinstrumentmight L takeeffect(suchaswherethewillmightbeprobated).Theattestationstrengthensthepresumption  thatallthestatutoryrequirementsforexecutingthewillhavebeensatisfied.   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Tenn.R.App.P.3;JudgmentoftheProbateCourtisAffirmed  `    #P5X )o#X )X.P5HollyKirbyLillard,J.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichW.FrankCrawford,P.J., $"t! W.S.,andAlanE.Highers,J.,joined. #`" DanE.Huffstutter,Nashville,Tennessee,forappellant,LindaSueGuyMinton. $8 $ JosephL.Hornick,Dickson,Tennessee,forappellee,JamesHatcherHayes,Executor. &"&    4-(- _OPINION #P5XX )D #X )XP5  #P5XX )\ #X )XP5    OnJanuary5,1996,MarieH.Guy( Decedent)executedavalidLastWillandTestament  ( Will).TheWillwassignedbytwowitnesses,andwasfollowedbyanattestationclause, #  1      ׀which t wasproperlynotarized.UnderthetermsoftheWill,Plaintiff/AppellantLindaSueGuyMinton ` ( Minton),alongwithanotherbeneficiary,wastoreceiveanequalshareofonefourthofthe L  residuary oftheDecedentsestate. 8    OnMarch2,1999,Decedentexecutedatypeddocumententitled ThisisacodiciltomyLast  ` WillandTestament( Codicil).TheCodicil,interalia,removedMintonasabeneficiaryofthe  L  Decedentsestate.TheCodicilwassignedbytwowitnesses,WandaHemphill( Hemphill)and  8  DanaRace,nowDanaPack( Pack),andwasproperlynotarized.TheCodicilwasnotaccompanied $  byanattestationclause.     TheDecedentdiedonApril19,2000,atageeightynine.Subsequently,theAdministrator   oftheDecedentsestate,Defendant/AppellantJamesHatcherHays( Administrator),petitioned   theProbateCourttoprobatetheDecedents1994Will,insolemnform.Thepetitionwasgranted, p andtheDecedentsWillwasadmittedintoprobate.ConsiderationofwhethertheCodicilshould \ beadmittedintoprobatewaspostponed.MintonlaterfiledaNoticeofContestwiththeProbate H Court,contestingtheadmittanceoftheCodicilintoprobate. 4   OnDecember12,2000andJanuary23,2001,theProbateCourtheldhearingsonwhether  \ toadmittheCodicilintoprobate.BothwitnessestothesigningoftheCodicil,PackandHemphill, H wereemployedbythebankatwhichtheDecedentwasacustomeratthetimetheCodicilwas 4 executed.PacktestifiedthatsherecognizedhersignatureontheCodicil,andthatsheknewthe   Decedentasalongtimecustomerofthebank.ShesaidtheDecedentaskedhertowitnessthe   signingoftheCodicil,andannouncedtoallpresentthatthedocumentwasaCodicil,oramendment,  toherWill.PacksaidthattheDecedentsignedtheCodicilinthepresenceofbothPackand  Hemphill,aswellasanotarypublic.PacksaidthatsheknewtheCodicilwasanamendmenttothe  DecedentsWillwhenshesignedit.PackalsotestifiedthatHemphillwaspresentwhensheandthe l DecedentsignedtheCodicil,andthatPack waspresentwhenHemphillsignedtheCodicil. X    OnJanuary23,2001,HemphilltestifiedthatsherecognizedhersignatureontheCodicilbut 0"  didnotrecallsigningit.ShesaidthatshedidnotknowtheDecedentandthatshehadno #l! recollectionoftheDecedentindicatingtoherthatthedocumentHemphillwassigningwasan  amendmenttoherWill.HemphilltestifiedthatshedidnotremembertheDecedentaskingherto  witnesstheDecedentssigningoftheCodicil,thatshecouldnotrecallseeingtheDecedentsignthe  Codicil,andthatsheknewPackbuthadnomemoryofseeingPacksigntheCodicil.Hemphill t asserted,however,thatshewouldnothavesignedtheCodicilasawitnessunlessshehadseenthe ` DecedentsigntheCodicil.  L    OnFebruary25,2001,theProbateCourtadmittedtheCodicilintoprobate.Mintonthen $ t movedtovacatetheProbateCourtsjudgment,orobtainanewhearingandobjecttoprobateofthe  ` Codicil,arguingthattheDecedentapparentlyfailedtosignifytoeachwitnessthattheCodicilwas  L  anamendmenttoherWill,andthatconsequentlytheCodicilshouldnothavebeenadmittedinto  8  probate.TheProbateCourtdeniedMintonsmotion.Fromthisorder,Mintonnowappeals. $        Onappeal,MintonnotesthattheDecedentwasrequiredtomakeeachwitnessawarethatshe   wassigningtheDecedentsCodicil,andarguesthat,becauseHemphillcouldnotrecallanything   aboutsigningtheCodicil,includingwhethertheDecedenttoldherthatshewassigningthe   DecedentsCodicil,theProbateCourterredinadmittingtheCodicilintoprobate. x  p   Becauseamotiontovacatejudgmentaddressesthesoundjudgmentofthetrialcourt,we H reviewtheProbateCourtsjudgmenttodetermineifitabuseditsdiscretion.X )XXX ) Hallv.Boardof 4 Paroles ,No.01A019901CV00065,1999Tenn.App.LEXIS688,at*5(Tenn.Ct.App.Oct.15,  p 1999)(citing Ellisonv.Alley ,902S.W.2d415,418(Tenn.Ct.App.1995)).Atrialcourtabusesits  \ discretionwhenitreachesadecisionagainstlogicthatcausesaharmtothecomplainingpartyor H whenthetrialcourtappliesanincorrectlegalstandard. Eldridgev.Eldridge ,72S.W.3d82,85 4 (Tenn.2001)(citing Statev.Shirley ,6S.W.3d243,247(Tenn.1999)).Thedecisionofthetrial   court willbeupheldsolongasreasonablemindscandisagreeastotheproprietyofthedecision[of   thetrialcourt]. Statev.Scott ,33S.W.3d746,751(Tenn.2000).#X )XXX )T"##P5XX ) #X )XP5    fX )XXX )MintonssoleargumentonappealisthatthetestimonyshowsthattheDecedentfailedto  makeHemphillawarethatshewassigningtheDecedentsCodicil,andtherefore,theCodicilwas l notdulyexecuted.#X )XXfX )n&##P5XX ).&#X )XP5ԀSection321104ofTennesseeCodeAnnotatedrequiresthefollowing: X  #P5XX )'# d()*+,-/0(03h?+ ` hp x X?8  fP5P5fX )XfP5Theexecutionofawill,otherthanaholographicornuncupativewill,mustbe bythe 0"  signatureofthetestatorandofatleasttwo(2)witnessesasfollows:#l!    8  #fP5XfX )T)#fX )XfP5(1)Thetestatorshallsignifytotheattestingwitnessesthattheinstrumentisthe $D # testatorswillandeither:%0!$   #fP5XfX )*#fX )XfP5   ` (A)Thetestatorsign;#fP5XfX )v+#fX )XfP5 &"%    ` (B)Acknowledgethetestatorssignaturealreadymade;or '#&  X0  0`   (C)Atthetestatorsdirectionandinthetestatorspresencehavesomeone (#' elsesignthetestatorsname;and   )$( (D)Inanyoftheabovecasestheactmustbedoneinthepresenceoftwo(2) |*%) ormoreattestingwitnesses.h+&*` `    (2)Theattestingwitnessesmustsign:     ` (A)Inthepresenceofthetestator;and     ` (B)Inthepresenceofeachother.    X, Tenn.CodeAnn.321104(2001).Thus,whenawillistyped,ratherthanhandwrittenor ` nuncupative, thetestatormustindicatetoanywitnesssigningthedocumentthatthedocumentbeing L  signedisawill.Thesameholdstrueforacodiciltoawill.Tenn.CodeAnn.321101(2)(2001) 8  ( Asusedinthischapter...[w]illincludescodicil.).  $ t   MintonarguesthattheexecutionoftheCodicildidnotmeetthestatutoryrequirements,and  L  therefore,theCodicilshouldnothavebeenenteredintoprobate,relyingon Lawrencev.Lawrence ,  8  250S.W.2d781(Tenn.1951).  In Lawrence ,onlyoneofthetwowitnessestothewillwasstillalive. $  Theremaininglivingwitnessofferedcontradictorytestimonyregardingwhether,atthetimeshe   signedthewill,shehadbeeninformedthatthedocumentshewassigningwasawill. Id. at782.   Notingthatthestatuterequiresthatthetestatorsignifythatthedocumentisawill,inlightofthe   contradictorytestimonyfromtheonlyremainingwitness,the Lawrence courtfoundthatthis   requirementhadnotbeenmet. Id. at784. p   Incontrast,inthecaseatbar,bothwitnessesarestillalive.Althoughonewitnesshadno H recollectionofsigningthecodicil,theotherwitnesstestifiedthatbothwitnesseswereinformedthat 4 thedocumenttheyweresigningwasaCodicil.Thistestimonywasundisputed,sinceHemphill  p testifiedonlythatshecouldnotrecalliftheDecedenttoldherthatthedocumentwasaCodicil.  \   Mintonalsorelieson Cooperv.Austin ,837S.W.2d606(Tenn.Ct.App.1992).In Cooper , 4 affirmativeproofwasofferedthatonewitnesssigningthecodicilwasnottoldthatthedocumentwas   acodicil. Id. at613.Inlightofthis,the Cooper courtfoundthatthetestatordidnotsignifytoone   witnessthatthedocumentwasawilloracodicilandthatthereforethetrialcourtdidnoterrin  decliningtoadmitthewillintoprobate. Id.     Intheinstantcase,thereisnotestimonythattheDecedentdidnottellbothwitnessesthatthe l documentwasacodicil.Rather,thereisonlyHemphillstestimonythatshecouldnotrecallif X  DecedentinformedherthatshewassigningherCodicil,andPacksundisputedtestimonythatthe D! Decedentsignifiedthisfacttobothwitnesses.  0"    ThestandardunderTennesseelawregardingthewitnessingandnoticeofsigningofawill $X" orcodicilisoutlinedinPritchardonWillsandEstates,whichstates:   $D # #X )XXfX )5)#?+ ` hp x X?fX )XXX )8  Infirmityofrecollectiononthepartofthesubscribingwitnessesisnotfataltothe &"% will.Thecourtinsuchcaseswillnotrequirepositive,affirmativeevidence '#& respectingalltherequisiteformalities,but,ifthewillisregularonitsface,willdraw (#' itsconclusionsfromallthecircumstancesdisclosedbytheevidence.#X )XXfX )<#J  fX )XXX )Where,for )$( instance,thesubscribingwitnessestestifythattheydonotrecollectthecircumstance, |*%) butdorecognizetheirsignatures,anddeclarethattheywouldnothaveplacedthem h+&* totheinstrumentunlesstheyhadseenthetestatorsignit,orheardhimacknowledge  hissignature,thedueexecutionmaybepresumed.#X )XXfX )7>#J  fX )XXX )   PritchardonWillsandEstates350(formerly336)(emphasisadded); Cooper ,837S.W.2dat t 612; Leathersv.Binkley ,264S.W.2d561,563(Tenn.1954).The Cooper courtfurtherclarifies:#X )XXfX )\@#?+ ` hp x X?J  J  fX )XXX )  ` 8  Inestablishingthefactsessentialtothevalidityofthewillbyapreponderanceofthe 8  evidence,proponentsare,however,notobligedinallcasestoprove% k #X )XXfX )ZB#%kbCfX )XXX )Ԁeachfactby $ t directevidence;buttheymayrelyuponpresumptions.Thereis,attheoutset,no  ` presumptionthattheallegedtestatorexecutedthewillinquestionoranywill;but  L  whenapaperpropoundedasawillisshowntohavebeensignedbythealleged  8  testatorandtherequisitenumberofwitnesses,#X )XXfX )C#I  fX )XXX )intheabsenceofanysatisfactory $  evidencetothecontrary#X )XXfX )E#IhE  fX )XXX )Ԁthepresumptionisthatalltheformalitieshavebeen   compliedwith.B#X )XXfX )JF#fX )XXX )     #X )XXfX )F#fX )XXX )Cooper ,837S.W.2dat612(quoting Leathers ,264S.W.2dat613(quotingPageonWills,Vol.2,   755at462)).Thus,asthisCourtin Cooper stated: [W]emustexaminethetestimonyinthecase p atbartodetermineifthereisuncontrovertedpositivetestimonythat[theDecedent]didnotsignify \ totheattestingwitnessesthatthe...instrumentwashiswillorcodicil. Cooper ,837S.W.2dat H 612. 4   Tothecontrary,inthiscase,theundisputedtestimonyofferedbyPackestablishesclearlythat  \ theDecedentsignified,inthepresenceofbothwitnessesandthenotarypublic,thatshewasasking H themtosignherCodicil.Asnotedabove,Hemphilltestifiedonlythatshecouldnotrecallifthe 4 DecedentinformedherthatshewassigningherCodicil.Therefore,thereisnotestimonythatthe   Decedentdidnotsignifytothewitnessesthattheinstrumentwasawilloracodicil.Moreover,   HemphillstatedaffirmativelythatshewouldnothavesignedtheCodicilunlessshehadseenthe  DecedentsigntheCodicil. Underthesecircumstances,wemustconcludethattheCodicilwasduly  executed,andthattheProbateCourtproperlyadmittedtheCodicilintoprobate.Likewise,the  ProbateCourtdidnotabuseitsdiscretionwhendenyingMintonsmotiontovacatethejudgment, l nordidtheProbateCourterrindenyingMintonsmotiontoobtainanewhearing,asnoproofwas X  offeredthattheCodicilwasfraudulentlyenteredintoprobate. D!   Thedecisionofthetrialcourtisaffirmed.Costsaretaxedtoappellant,LindaSueGuy #l! Minton,andhersurety,forwhichexecutionmayissue,ifnecessary. G $X" #X )XXfX )`G#   `    `     h     ___________________________________ )$(    `     h     HOLLYKIRBYLILLARD,JUDGEzP