Hamilton v. Alexander
Hamilton v. Alexander
Opinion of the Court
This is the second appearance of this case on appeal. Alexander, et al. v. Hamilton, 216 Miss. 26, 61 So. 2d 683. On the former appeal we reversed and remanded the cause for a new trial for the reason that we were of the opinion that under the proof offered by the contestants on the issue of lack of testamentary capacity, the trial court erred in granting a peremptory instruction in favor of the proponent at the conclusion of the evidence. We did not then discuss the question of whether or not the evidence on the former trial was sufficient to present an issue for the jury on the alleged undue influence that was claimed to have been exercised by the proponent in procuring the execution of a will, first for the reason that the failure of the trial court to submit to the jury the issue of testamentary capacity was deemed by us to be a sufficient ground for reversing and remanding the case for a new trial, and second because the evidence offered on the issue of undue influence on that trial had been excluded and that issue was not fully developed.
We now find from the record on the present appeal that the evidence offered by the contestants on the issue of the lack of testamentary capacity is substantially the same as it was in the record on the former appeal, and this seems to be conceded in the brief of the appellant on this appeal. In fact, the lay witnesses for the contestants elaborated in the second trial on the circumstances upon which they based their opinion as to lack of testamentary capacity on the part of the testatrix.
We are unable to agree with the appellant’s contention, however, that he was entitled either to a directed verdict in his favor on the issue of testamentary capacity or to have the verdict rendered by the jury in favor of the contestants set aside on the alleged ground that it is contrary to the overwhelming weight of the evidence. He is entitled to reversal only because of the submission to the jury of the issue of undue influence on the record now before us.
Reversed and remanded.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- In Re Alexander's Will. Hamilton, Proponent v. Alexander, Contestants
- Status
- Published