In Re: Estate of: Reed, G.M. Appeal of: Reed, J.

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NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION – SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
IN RE: ESTATE OF: GLADYS M. REED, : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
DECEASED : PENNSYLVANIA
:
APPEAL OF: JANET REED : No. 2054 MDA 2016
Appeal from the Order Entered November 22, 2016,
in the Court of Common Pleas of Northumberland County
Orphans’ Court Division at No. OC-2012-0064
BEFORE: GANTMAN, P.J., SHOGAN, J., AND FORD ELLIOTT, P.J.E.
MEMORANDUM BY FORD ELLIOTT, P.J.E.: FILED NOVEMBER 21, 2017
Janet Reed appeals the order of the Court of Common Pleas of
Northumberland County Orphan’s Court Division that denied appellant’s
petition to show cause why her appeal from the decree of the Register of
Wills admitting will to probate should not be sustained to permit the Register
of Wills to receive and act upon an earlier will. After careful review, we
affirm.
Appellant alleged in her petition that decedent executed a last will and
testament on November 28, 2007, which left the majority of her estate to
her four children, Donald R. Reed (“D. Reed”), Barbara A. Treibley
(“Treibley”), Richard R. Reed (“R. Reed”) (collectively, “appellees”), and
appellant. On April 17, 2012, decedent executed a new will only hours
before her death in which she left the majority of her estate to appellees.
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Those three were named executors when the will was admitted to probate
on April 25, 2012.
On May 11, 2012, appellant appealed from the Register of Wills’
decree admitting the April 17, 2012 decree to probate. Appellant alleged
that at the time of the execution of the will, decedent’s physical and mental
condition was greatly impaired by sickness and infirmity such that she was
not a person of sound mind capable of disposing of her estate by will.
Appellant also alleged that the writing was procured by fraud in the
inducement, undue influence, duress, and constraint practiced upon
decedent by her siblings, D. Reed, Treibley, and R. Reed.
On May 17, 2012, the trial court issued a citation to show cause why
the appeal should not be sustained. On December 6, 2012, the trial court
sustained in part preliminary objections filed by appellees and dismissed
appellant’s petition without prejudice.
On December 26, 2012, appellant filed a first amended petition.
Essentially, appellant contested the will of her mother, Gladys M. Reed
(“decedent”), submitted to the Register of Wills of Northumberland County
and asked that it be set aside based upon lack of mental capacity, undue
influence, and fraud. This time the petition was divided into four counts. In
Count 1, appellant alleged that decedent lacked testamentary capacity to
execute a new will, the new will should be set aside, and that the will dated
November 28, 2007, should be used as the will of the decedent. In Count 2,
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appellant alleged that the undue influence of D. Reed and R. Reed led
decedent to execute the April 17, 2012 will. In Count 3, appellant alleged
that the undue influence of Treibley led decedent to execute the April 17,
2012 will. In Count 4, appellant alleged that her three siblings committed
fraud by making statements to decedent that appellant allegedly stole
everything that decedent owned and/or stole certain property from
decedent.
Appellees answered and denied the material allegations of the petition.
As new matter, appellees alleged that appellant had unclean hands because
appellant used her power of attorney to effectuate a transfer and taking of a
deed, transferring the sum of $19,360.72 from decedent’s checking account
into a Medical Escrow Account, transferring the sum of $140,161.74 from
Certificates of Deposit owned by decedent into the Janet E. Reed Medical
Escrow account, and transferring the sum of $4,360.72 from decedent’s
checking account to the Janet E Reed Medical Escrow Account. Additionally,
appellees alleged that appellant entered decedent’s safe deposit box on
March 13, 2012, and removed all of decedent’s certificates of deposit,
annuity contracts, deeds, and other items showing indicia of ownership of
decedent’s assets. According to appellees, appellant made these transfers
after decedent informed her that decedent wanted to terminate the power of
attorney.
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Appellant replied and asserted that appellant made the transfers under
the mistaken belief that she was preserving decedent’s assets by protecting
them from the nursing home and that she returned them to decedent prior
to decedent’s death.
On June 18, 2015, appellees moved for summary judgment and
alleged that deposition testimony of decedent’s doctor and the appellees as
well as witnesses to the April 17, 2012 will that decedent was of sound mind
and capacity when she executed the 2012 will. Appellees also asserted that
appellant failed to establish any undue influence. On September 24, 2015,
the trial court denied the motion for summary judgment.
On November 22, 2016, after conducting a hearing and accepting
proposed findings of facts from both parties, the trial court issued the
following relevant findings of fact and conclusions of law:
Findings of Fact:
....
3. In August of 2005, [appellant], the youngest
child of the [d]ecedent, was appointed as the
Power of Attorney for the [d]ecedent.
4. The [d]ecedent, while living, executed a Last
Will and Testament on November 28th 2007.
5. On February 22nd 2012, the [d]ecedent broke
her leg and was admitted to the hospital.
6. Prior to this date, the [d]ecedent had handled
her own financial affairs with competency.
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7. Decedent was discharged from the hospital on
or about March 5th 2012 and was admitted to a
nursing home in Watsontown.
8. Following admission of the [d]ecedent to the
hospital, [appellant] began to utilize the Power
of Attorney to take over management of her
mother’s financial affairs.
9. On or about March 11th 2012, [d]ecedent
executed a handwritten Revocation of Power of
Attorney prepared by [R.] Reed.
10. On or about March 13th 2012, [appellant]
began transferring assets of the [d]ecedent
into her own name, including the [d]ecedent’s
house, car, and assorted financial properties
(i.e. bank accounts, annuity contracts, and
certificates of deposit)[.]
11. [Appellant] testified that she did these things
under the mistaken belief that she was
protecting her Mother’s assets from the
nursing home.
12. [R.] Reed testified that [appellant] phoned him
the day following the Revocation of the Power
of Attorney execution and sarcastically
congratulated him on becoming the Power of
Attorney.
13. [Appellant] testified she never saw the
Revocation and was not advised of the same
by the [d]ecedent.
14. [Appellant] did not consult with an attorney
prior to transferring the [d]ecedent’s assets.
15. Several items of personal property of the
[d]ecedent went missing following inspection
of the residence by [R. Reed] and [D. Reed],
[appellant] testified that these were gifts to
her from her mother.
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16. The [d]ecedent was admitted to the hospital
from April 4th to April 7th of 2012.
17. She was sent back to the nursing home on
April 7th and then re-admitted to the hospital
on April 9th 2012.
18. During her time at the hospital, the [d]ecedent
suffered from shortness of breath, congestive
heart failure, and severe pulmonary
hypertension (April 4 to April 7 2012) and
th th
pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation
and endotracheal intubation and hypercapnia
which is increased levels of carbon dioxide in
the blood and can cause confusion (April 9th to
April 16th 2012).
19. [Appellant] was able to see her mother on
April 4th and April 8th of 2012. On April 8th, she
was escorted out of the hospital by a social
worker because of her mother’s desire not to
see her.
20. [Appellant] was prevented from seeing her
mother by the hospital on April 12th, April 13th,
and April 16th 2012.
21. The hospital was acting on direction of
[R.] Reed the newly appointed Power of
Attorney of the [d]ecedent.
22. [Appellant] testified that her mother never told
her she didn’t want to see her.
23. [Appellees] testified that they believed their
mother did not want to see [appellant].
....
25. Decedent, having been advised of the
continued transferring of assets from her name
by [appellees], was prompted to take action to
change her Will.
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26. [R. Reed and D. Reed] contacted the estate
attorney, presumably at the behest of the
[d]ecedent, and directed that a new Power of
Attorney and a codicil to the [d]ecedent’s will
be drafted.
27. Nursing notes from April 17th 2012 indicated
that [d]ecedent was not sure where she was
and had difficulty with orientation questions.
28. The estate attorney met with the [d]ecedent
on the evening of April 17th 2012 to review the
new Power of Attorney and the codicil.
29. The estate attorney indicated that [d]ecedent
appeared lucid and well-reasoned during the
execution of the documents.
30. Said documents were executed by [d]ecedent
on that date at 5:00 p.m.
31. Decedent passed away at approximately
8:00 a.m. on April 18th 2012.
32. The Last Will and Testament of [d]ecedent was
admitted to probate on April 25th 2012.
....
34. A compulsory nonsuit was granted as to the
claims of lack of testamentary capacity and
fraud.
35. A prima facie case of the elements of undue
influence was established at trial, sufficient to
rebut the previously arisen presumption of
proper execution of the will dated April 17th
2012.
36. [Appellees] then present[ed] clear and
convincing evidence of the absence of undue
influence.
Order, 11/22/16 at 1-4, Findings of Fact Nos. 3-23, 25-32, and 34-36.
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On November 22, 2016, the trial court denied the petition contesting
the will on the basis that appellees proved by clear and convincing evidence
that undue influence did not exist at the time of execution of the will on
April 17, 2012. The trial court granted a compulsory non-suit on the
allegations of lack of testamentary capacity and fraud.
Appellant filed a notice of appeal on December 13, 2016. The trial
court ordered appellant to prepare a concise statement of errors complained
of on appeal pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b). On December 29, 2016,
appellant complied with the order and filed a statement of errors complained
of on appeal. On April 21, 2017, the trial court issued an order in lieu of
opinion pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a).
Appellant raises the following issues for this court’s review:
1. Whether the trial court abused its discretion
and/or committed an error of law in failing to
set aside the Will executed by [d]ecedent, [],
on the grounds of undue influence?
2. Whether the trial court abused its discretion
and/or committed an error of law in finding
that [appellees] presented clear and convincing
evidence of the absence of undue influence?
3. Did the trial court abuse its discretion and/or
commit an error of law in granting a
compulsory non-suit in favor of [a]ppellees on
[a]ppellant’s claim of lack of testamentary
capacity?
4. Did the trial court abuse its discretion and/or
commit an error of law in granting a
compulsory non-suit in favor of [a]ppellees on
[a]ppellant’s claim of fraud?
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Appellant’s brief at 4-5.
On appeal from the Register of Wills’ decree
admitting a will to probate, the Orphans’ court must
consider the facts presented and “either dismiss the
petition, grant an issue in case of a substantial
dispute, or set aside the probate.” Wagner’s
Estate, 289 Pa. 361, 367, 137 A. 616, 618 (1927).
With respect to this Court’s standard and scope of
appellate review in will contests, the Orphans’ court
decision will not be reversed unless there has been
an abuse of discretion or a fundamental error in
applying the correct principles of law. In re Elias’
Estate, 429 Pa. 314, 239 A.2d 393 (1968). See
also In re Estate of Presutti, 783 A.2d 803(Pa.Super. 2001). If the record supports the court’s
factual findings, we will defer to these findings and
will not reverse absent an abuse of discretion. In re
Estate of Blumenthal, 812 A.2d 1279, 1286
(Pa.Super. 2002). We are not constrained, however,
to give the same deference to the court’s legal
conclusions. Id.In re Estate of Luongo, 823 A.2d 942, 951 (Pa.Super. 2003) (footnote
omitted).
Initially, appellant argues that the trial court abused its discretion
and/or committed an error of law when it failed to set aside the April 17,
2012 will of decedent on grounds of undue influence.
A presumption of validity arises once a will is
probated, and the burden shifts to the contestant to
prove undue influence. In re Clark’s Estate, [334
A.2d 628 (Pa. 1975)]; Estate of Angle, 777 A.2d
114 (Pa.Super.2001); Burns [v. Kabboul, 595 A.2d
1153 (Pa.Super. 1991)]; In re Estate of Jakiella,
353 Pa.Super. 581, 510 A.2d 815 (1986).
To meet this burden, the contestant
must establish by clear and convincing
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evidence that: (1) the testator was of
weakened intellect at the time the will
was executed; (2) the proponent of the
will stood in a confidential relationship
with the testator; and (3) the proponent
received substantial benefit under the
will.
***
The “weakened intellect” which must be
shown in order to establish a
prima facie case of undue influence
upon the testator need not amount to
testamentary incapacity. Although
testamentary capacity is to be
determined by the condition of the
testator at the very time he executes a
will, evidence of incapacity for a
reasonable time before or after the
making of a will is admissible as an
indication of lack of capacity on the day
the will is executed. While a testator
may dispose of his property as he sees
fit, the law is rigid in its insistence that
one of weak mind, whether from
inherent cause or by reason of illness,
shall not be imposed upon by the art and
craft of designing persons.
***
For purposes of voiding a will on the
ground of undue influence, a confidential
relationship exists whenever
circumstances make it certain that the
parties did not deal on equal terms but
that on the one side there was an
overmastering influence, and on the
other, dependence or trust, justifiably
reposed.
Burns, supra at 1162-63 (internal citations
omitted). Additionally, this Court has explained:
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The term “influence” does not encompass
every line of conduct capable of
convincing a self-directing person to
dispose of property in one’s favor. The
law requires that the influence be control
“acquired over another that virtually
destroys [that person’s] free agency.”
Conduct constituting influence must
consist of “imprisonment of the body or
mind, or fraud, or threats, or
misrepresentations, or circumvention, or
inordinate flattery, or physical or moral
coercion, to such a degree as to
prejudice the mind of the testator, to
destroy his free agency and to operate
as a present restraint upon him in the
making of a will.” A parent-child
relationship does not establish the
existence of a confidential relationship
nor does the fact that the proponent has
a power of attorney where the decedent
wanted the proponent to act as
attorney-in-fact.
In re Estate of Angle, supra at 123 (internal
citations omitted) (emphasis added). An allegation of
alcohol or drug use does not raise a presumption of
weakened intellect. In re Kerr’s Estate, 255 Pa.
399, 100 A. 127 (1917); In re Masseth’s Estate,
213 Pa. 136, 62 A. 640 (1905).
Because undue influence has been described
as subtle, intangible, yet recognizable by human
experience, it may be shown by circumstantial
evidence. In re Ziel’s Estate, 467 Pa. 531, 359
A.2d 728 (1976). Nevertheless, opportunity,
suspicion and conjecture do not create or amount to
proof of either a confidential relationship or undue
influence and cannot carry the cause. In re
Thompson’s Estate, 387 Pa. 82, 126 A.2d 740(1956); In re Quein’s Estate, 361 Pa. 133, 62 A.2d
909 (1949).
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In re Estate of Luongo, 823 A.2d at 963-964 (Pa.Super. 2003).
Appellant asserts that the trial court’s decision is conflicting as to
whether appellant made out a prima facie case for undue influence. As
appellant states, the trial court found that appellant laid out a prima facie
case for undue influence. In a will contest, the opposing party has an
opportunity to rebut the prima facie case. Although the trial court found
that appellant established a prima facie case, conclusions of law that do not
support a finding of undue influence can be based on the evidence presented
by appellees. Although the trial court determined that appellant established
a prima facie case of undue influence, once it heard appellees’ testimony, it
did not conclude that there was undue influence.
Appellant next contends that she established that decedent suffered
from a weakened intellect. While there is no bright line rule that defines the
term “weakened intellect,” courts have recognized that a “weakened
intellect” is often accompanied by disorientation, confusion, and
forgetfulness. In re Estate of Smaling, 80 A.3d 485, 498 (Pa.Super.
2016).
Appellant recounts the worsening of decedent’s health on April 8-9,
2012. According to the medical reports from Evangelical Community
Hospital, decedent, a patient at the hospital, was calling out for the lights to
go on and later was calling out “I love you” to anyone. (Evangelical
Community Hospital, ICU/Stepdown Shift Assessment, 4/17/12 00:04 at 1.)
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A note from a nurse later on April 17, 2012 indicated that decedent did not
know where she was and did not answer orientation questions posed to her.
(Evangelical Community Hospital, ICU/Stepdown Shift Assessment, 4/17/12
00:12 at 1.) At approximately 11:30 a.m. on April 17, 2012, decedent
stated that she wanted to be allowed to die. (Id. at 6.) Decedent executed
the will that appellant contested at approximately 5:00 p.m. on April 17,
2012. Appellant argues that this evidence of decedent’s behavior was
sufficient to establish that decedent possessed weakened intellect.
However, appellant does not take into account the evidence presented
regarding decedent’s intellect that appellees’ presented. Appellees
presented the deposition testimony of Doyle D. Ashburn, D.O.
(“Dr. Ashburn”), decedent’s treating physician at Evangelical Community
Hospital and board-certified in critical care medicine.1 Dr. Ashburn described
decedent as presenting in the emergency room with respiratory distress on
April 9, 2012. Decedent had pneumonia and had to have an endotracheal
tube inserted. (Deposition of Doyle D. Ashburn, D.O., 12/12/13 at 10.) In
addition to the pneumonia, Dr. Ashburn explained that decedent also had
hypercapnia, a high carbon dioxide level and that people with that condition
are “oftentimes confused, disoriented.” (Id. at 15.) Dr. Ashburn further
testified that decedent’s mental state improved as her carbon dioxide levels
1 The parties stipulated that Dr. Ashburn’s discovery deposition would be
used as a trial deposition.
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returned to the normal range and her infection was getting under control.
(Id. at 16.) Dr. Ashburn reported that by the morning of April 16, 2012
decedent’s condition again declined as she was “less interactive, less
responsive again.” (Id. at 34.) On April 17, 2012, decedent was “very clear
in what she wanted at that time” when she discussed end of life medical
issues. (Id. at 40-41.) Dr. Ashburn described decedent as “very lucid, very
clear. She knew she was in the hospital. She knew what was going on, why
she was there.” (Id. at 42.) Dr. Ashburn believed that decedent was
competent to make decisions regarding her resuscitative wishes. (Id. at
50.)
Additionally, Melissa Lobos, Esq. (“Attorney Lobos”), an estate
attorney and scrivener of the April 17, 2012 will, was called by appellant as
a witness. Attorney Lobos testified that at the time decedent signed the
April 17, 2012 will, it was quite clear that decedent “understood what was
going on.” (Notes of testimony, 6/20/16 at 133.) Attorney Lobos was
shocked that decedent died the next day. (Id. at 134.) On
cross-examination, Attorney Lobos testified that when she met with
decedent on March 19, 2012, decedent’s mental capacity was fine. She was
in a nursing home after suffering a broken leg. (Id. at 137.) When
Attorney Lobos again met with decedent on March 23, 2012, she found
decedent “very competent.” (Id. at 139.) When Attorney Lobos saw
decedent in the hospital on April 17, 2012, Attorney Lobos ran through a list
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of questions to ascertain whether decedent had sufficient capacity to execute
a new will and was satisfied that decedent answered satisfactorily. (Id. at
145-146.) On redirect, Attorney Lobos responded to a question concerning
whether she believed decedent was competent enough to sign the will:
I am going to answer that this way. At that point I
had been doing this for 25 years. I had done
hundreds of wills. I have been in nursing homes. I
have been in peoples’ end of life situations. I know
the questions to ask. I would not in any way put my
professional license or reputation on the line if I did
not believe that she knew what she was doing, or
that she was being influenced by somebody else. I
would have absolutely walked out of there with the
Will, and my secretary, and she would not have
signed it.
Id. at 165.
The trial court found credible the testimony of both Dr. Ashburn and
Attorney Lobos that decedent was in control of her faculties and not
weakened mentally during the execution of the April 17, 2012 will. In
Orphans’ Court proceedings, the trial court serves as the fact-finder. This
court will not disturb the trial court’s credibility determinations absent an
abuse of discretion. In re Estate of Presutti, 783 A.2d 803, 805
(Pa.Super. 2001). Here, there is no allegation that the trial court abused its
discretion. The testimony, accepted as credible by the trial court, was
sufficient to establish that decedent did not possess a weakened intellect at
the time she executed the will on April 17, 2012, which is the first prong of
undue influence.
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Appellant next contends that there was a confidential relationship
between R. Reed and decedent. However, as the trial court stated, the
failure to establish one element of undue influence results in the failure of
the cause of action so that it is unnecessary to review the other elements of
the action. Similarly, this court need not address appellant’s contention that
appellees received a substantial benefit, the third element of undue
influence, from the April 17, 2012 will.
Appellant next contends that the trial court abused its discretion
and/or committed an error of law when it found that appellees presented
clear and convincing evidence of the absence of undue influence. Appellant
asserts that the trial court never set forth any legally competent evidence
that showed that appellees established the absence of undue influence.
Appellant ignores the credible evidence that decedent did not suffer from a
weakened intellect at the time she executed her last will and testament.
Appellant next contends that the trial court abused its discretion
and/or committed an error of law when it granted a compulsory non-suit in
favor of the appellees on appellant’s claim of lack of testamentary capacity.
At the conclusion of appellant’s case-in-chief, appellees moved for a
non-suit on the issues of lack of testamentary capacity, undue influence, and
fraud on the basis that appellant had failed to present clear and convincing
evidence as to the allegations. With respect to testamentary capacity,
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appellees argued that the testimony of Attorney Lobos, who was called as a
witness for appellant, refuted the allegation of lack of testamentary capacity.
The trial court granted the motion for non-suit with respect to lack of
testamentary capacity, undue influence with respect to all counts except the
undue influence of R. Reed and D. Reed. (Notes of testimony, 6/21/16 at
256.)
In its order in lieu of opinion, the trial court stated that no appeal
could be taken from the grant of the compulsory non-suit because appellant
failed to file for a removal of the non-suit, pursuant to Pa.R.C.P. No. 230.1.
Appellant argues that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently
adopted amendments to Orphans’ Court Rule 8.1, effective September 1,
2016, where “no exceptions or post-trial motions may be filed to any order
or decree of the court.” Appellant concedes that under the prior Orphans’
Court rules, it was necessary to file a motion for post-trial relief to remove a
compulsory non-suit pursuant to Rule 227.1(a)(3) of the Pennsylvania Rules
of Civil Procedure, but that is no longer the case under the new rule.
Before addressing the merits of appellant’s appeal, this court must
determine whether this court can hear the appeal.
“A nonsuit may be entered against a contestant in a will contest
whenever the contestant has the burden of overcoming the presumption of
validity arising from due proof of execution as required by law and the
contestant has failed to satisfy that burden.” 20 Pa.C.S.A. § 779(b).
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A motion for compulsory non-suit allows a defendant
to test the sufficiency of a plaintiff’s evidence and
may be entered only in cases where it is clear that
the plaintiff has not established a cause of action; in
making this determination, the plaintiff must be
given the benefit of all reasonable inferences arising
from the evidence. When so viewed, a non-suit is
properly entered if the plaintiff has not introduced
sufficient evidence to establish the necessary
elements to maintain a cause of action; it is the duty
of the trial court to make this determination prior to
the submission of the case to the jury. When this
Court reviews the grant of a non-suit, we must
resolve all conflicts in the evidence in favor of the
party against whom the non-suit was entered.
Taliferro v. Johns-Manville Corp., 617 A.2d 796, 799 (Pa.Super. 1992),
citing Hatbob v. Brown, 575 A.2d 607 (Pa.Super. 1990), and Eisenhauer
v. Clock Towers Assoc., 582 A.2d 33 (Pa.Super. 1990).
Rule 230.1 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure provides that if
a motion for compulsory non-suit is granted, then the plaintiff may file a
written motion to remove the non-suit pursuant to Rule 227.1 of the
Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure.
Rule 227.1(a)(3) of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure provides
that a trial court may remove a non-suit following a written motion for
post-trial relief.
Historically, it has been the law in Pennsylvania that the entry of a
compulsory non-suit is not immediately appealable. Rather, it is the denial
of a motion to remove a compulsory non-suit that is appealable. Murphy v.
International Druidic Society, 152 A.3d 286, 289-290 (Pa.Super. 2016).
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In Murphy, this court quashed an appeal where the appellant failed to file a
post-trial motion after the entry of a compulsory non-suit and, instead, just
filed an appeal.
The Pennsylvania Orphans’ Court Rule 8.1 provides that no post-trial
motions may be filed to any order or decree of the court. The explanatory
comment states that post-trial motion practice applicable to civil cases does
not apply to practice in Orphans’ Court. The effective date of this rule was
September 1, 2016.
Here, the motion for non-suit was granted on June 21, 2016. Under
Rule 227.1(c)(2) of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure, post-trial
motions are to be filed within ten days of the notice of non-suit or the filing
of the decision in the case of a non-jury trial. In Papalia v. Montour Auto
Service Co., 682 A.2d 343, 345 (Pa.Super. 1996), this court held that the
time for filing a post-trial motion after a compulsory non-suit commences
when the order of court is entered on the docket. Here, no order was issued
until November 22, 2016. Therefore, appellant did not have the opportunity
to file post-trial motions until this time. However, the date of the order was
after the effective date of Pennsylvania Orphans’ Court Rule 8.1 which
provided that post-trial motions were unnecessary in Orphans’ Court. As a
result, this court agrees with appellant that she was not required to file any
post-trial motions. Consequently, this court will address the merits of
appellant’s arguments on this issue.
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Appellant argues that the trial court abused its discretion and/or
committed an error of law when it granted the compulsory non-suit in favor
of appellees on appellant’s claim of lack of testamentary capacity.
“A testator possesses testamentary capacity if he knows those who are
the natural objects of his bounty, of what his estate consists, and what he
desires to be done with it, even though his memory may have been impaired
by age or disease.” Kuzma Estate, 408 A.2d 1369, 1371 (Pa. 1979). The
condition of the testator at the time of the execution of the will is the critical
factor, although evidence of capacity or incapacity for a reasonable time
before the execution of the will is admissible as evidence of capacity. Id.Appellant argues that decedent did not understand or appreciate her
close relations at the time of the execution of the will because the scrivener
of the will, Attorney Lobos, failed to review the impact that the execution of
the will would have on appellant’s daughter, Jennifer Colleluori (“Colleluori”),
who had a close relationship with decedent. The alleged failure to discuss
the effect of the new will on Colleluori does not appear to establish a lack of
testamentary capacity. Attorney Lobos testified that decedent possessed
sufficient capacity to execute the will. This court concludes that the failure
to discuss Colleluori does not provide evidence of a lack of testamentary
capacity.
Appellant further argues that the medical evidence of Dr. Ashburn
shows that decedent lacked testamentary capacity. However, though
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decedent experienced some confusion earlier in the day, Dr. Ashburn
pronounced decedent to be very lucid, aware of her surroundings, and
competent to make end of life decisions. Once again, this court agrees with
the trial court that appellant failed to prove a lack of testamentary capacity.
Finally, appellant contends that the trial court abused its discretion or
committed an error of law when it granted a compulsory non-suit on the
claim of fraud. Appellant asserts that R. Reed and D. Reed barred appellant
from seeing decedent from April 8, 2012, until decedent’s death. Appellant
wanted to make amends with decedent and explain her actions. Further,
appellant asserts that no one asked decedent if she wanted to see or hear
from appellant before the signing of the will.
“The essence of fraud is deceit intentionally and successfully practiced
to induce another to part with property or with some legal right. Fraud is
practiced when deception of another to his damage is brought about by a
misrepresentation of fact or by silence when good faith required expression.”
Thorne’s Estate, 25 A.2d 811, 816 (Pa. 1942).
Appellant ignores the fact that she transferred assets from decedent to
herself and that decedent was aware that she had done so. Appellant had
the opportunity to convince decedent that she made a mistake before
decedent’s final hospitalization but failed to do so. The trial court found that
these actions apparently led decedent to change the will. While it is clear
that relations were and are strained between appellant and appellees, this
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court determines that the trial court did not abuse its discretion when it
granted the motion for non-suit as appellees successfully established that
appellant failed to establish a cause of action for fraud.
Order affirmed.
Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 11/21/2017
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