Browning v. Holbrook

• Decision Date: 09 April 1981
• Docket Number: No. 36965,36965
• Citation: 247 Ga. 525,276 S.E.2d 635
• Court: Georgia Supreme Court
• Parties: Carolyn BROWNING et al. v. Daniel Randall HOLBROOK et al.

Page 635

276 S.E.2d 635

247 Ga. 525

Carolyn BROWNING et al. v. Daniel Randall HOLBROOK et al.

No. 36965.

Supreme Court of Georgia.

April 9, 1981.

Glyndon C. Pruitt, Buford, for Carolyn Browning et al.

William Rhymer, Winder, for Daniel Randall Holbrook et al.

CLARKE, Justice.

Appellants, propounders of the will of E. W. Hunt, appeal from the jury verdict for the caveators. The matter went to the jury on the issue of testamentary capacity, and the sufficiency of evidence to support a verdict that testator lacked testamentary capacity is the only real issue here. Since we have concluded that the jury verdict must be set aside for insufficient evidence, we need not reach appellants' other enumerations of error.

The testator and his wife were admitted to a nursing home on June 4, 1979. A few days later, testator's wife died. Testator, who was terminally ill with cancer, was hospitalized July 5, 1979. The will in question was signed between 5:30 p. m. and 6:00 p. m., July 7, 1979. Testator died July 8, 1979. Since the discovery of his cancer in October, 1978, testator had been taking a variety of medications, including medication for pain which was available every four hours if needed.

Both subscribing witnesses testified that the testator appeared to have the necessary testamentary capacity when he signed the will. Mr. Hunt's attending physician testified that he saw Mr. Hunt at 9:00 or 9:30 a. m., at which time he seemed quite ill. He saw him again at noon, and he had improved. When the doctor saw him at 5:30 p. m., he was sitting up in a chair. It was the doctor's opinion that Mr. Hunt was in complete control of his mental faculties at the time of this last visit. The doctor further testified that the only time he had observed Mr. Hunt to be without complete control of his faculties was after he had had medication for pain and that Mr. Hunt had not taken this medication on the day of the execution of the will except at 5:40 a. m.

The caveators point to the doctor's statement that Mr. Hunt was not in complete control at 9:30 a. m., July 7, as an indication of his lack of testamentary capacity at 5:30 p. m. However, the doctor testified that Mr. Hunt's lack of control of his faculties was due to the medication. He also, during the course of his testimony, indicated that no pain medication was given after 5:40 a. m. and that Mr. Hunt was in complete control and sitting up at 5:30 p. m. The only other testimony relied upon by caveators in support...