McCartney v. Rex
McCartney v. Rex
Opinion of the Court
A jury, in the Noble Circuit Court, found “that the instrument in writing probated as the last will and testament of Charles Edward Compton, deceased, is invalid; that it is not his last will and testament and its probate should be set aside.” Judgment went accordingly. In reaching this verdict the jury, over the appellant’s objections, was permitted
The law applicable to the question before us has long since been definiately established in Indiana. Application of the law, however, to various sets of facts has caused some of the decisions of our courts of appeal to seem inconsistent in their determination of what constitutes undue influence. Undue influence sufficient to void a will must be directly connected with and operate at the time of its execution with such force that the supposed will is in reality that of another and not of the testator. Wiley v. Gordon (1914), 181 Ind. 252, 104 N. E. 500; Workman v. Workman (1943), 113 Ind. App. 245, 46 N. E. 2d 718. However, the one having influence over the testator need not be actually present at the time and place of the preparation and execution of the will in order to vitiate it on such grounds if undue influence previously acquired still persists at such time so that, but for it, the will would have been different from that actually executed. Cooper v. Cooper (1943), 114 Ind. App. 261, 51 N. E. 2d 100. The influence that will vitiate a will must be such, as in some degree, to destroy the free agency of the testator and constrain him to do what is against his will, but what he is unable to refuse or too weak to resist. Rabb v. Graham (1873), 43 Ind. 1; Noyer, Exr. et al. v. Ecker et al. (1954), 125 Ind. App. 63, 119 N. E. 2d 902; Ludwick, Extr. et al. v. Banet et al. (1955), 125 Ind. App. 465, 124 N. E. 2d 214.
Professor Page, in his distinguished work on Wills, Yol. 2, §811, says: “From the nature of undue influence, from the fact that it is frequently employed surreptitiously, that it is shown chiefly by its results, and that in any event, the question is usually one of the effect of a long course of conduct upon the mind or the individual in question, the evidence by which undue influence is established is usually circumstantial. Undue influence is essentially a question of fact. The party who contests the will is entitled to the benefit of all inferences of fact which may be deduced, fairly and reasonably from the
Nevertheless it should be borne in mind that relations arising out of the affection and confidence that naturally exist between a testator and his daughter constitute no evidence that said daughter exerted an undue influence which induced him to make a will which he otherwise would not have made, since the influences which naturally arise from family relationships are not undue or unlawful and should not be confounded with positive dictation and control exercised over the mind of the testator. Cooper v. Cooper, supra.
Charles Edward Compton spent most of his life in Ligonier, Noble County, Indiana, where he accumulated a modest estate which was appraised after his death in the sum of $14,484.74. He was married and had two daughters, Margaret McCartney, the appellant, and Bernice Rex, the mother of the appellees, who was killed in an automobile accident in 1952. His wife died in 1951, after which he went to Chicago and lived with his daughter Margaret and her husband for a short time. Early in 1952, he and the McCartneys returned to Ligonier where they lived together in the old family home. The McCartneys moved back to Chicago in August, 1952, but Compton remained in Ligonier usually spending weekends in Chicago with his daughter Margaret. He had no help in his house in Ligonier and Margaret came down from Chicago every two or three weeks to clean the house, take care of the laundry and put her father’s clothes in order. In May, 1953, under Margaret’s supervision, all of Compton’s household goods were sold at public
Judgment reversed and cause remanded to the Noble Circuit Court with instructions to sustain appellant’s motion for a new trial.
Note. — Reported in 145 N. E. 2d 400.
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