Foley v. Elliot Community Hosp.

• Decision Date: 05 May 1953
• Citation: 96 A.2d 735,98 N.H. 186
• Parties: FOLEY v. ELLIOT COMMUNITY HOSPITAL et al.
• Court: New Hampshire Supreme Court

Page 735

96 A.2d 735

98 N.H. 186

FOLEY v. ELLIOT COMMUNITY HOSPITAL et al.

Supreme Court of New Hampshire.

May 5, 1953.

As Modified on Denial of Rehearing June 2, 1953.

McLane, Davis, Carleton & Graf and Stanley M. Brown, Manchester, Howard B. Lane, Keene, for plaintiff.

Francis W. Johnston, Orr & Reno, Concord, Philip H. Faulkner, N. Michael Plaut and Homer S. Bradley, Keene, for defendants.

KENISON, Chief Justice.

In this state the applicable law relative to the necessary proof to establish irrevocable mutual wills is set forth in Boyle v. Dudley, 87 N.H. 282, 179 A. 11, and Knox v. Perkins, 86 N.H. 66, 70-71, 163 A. 497, 499. The fact that husband and wife 'made mutual wills is not in itself evidence of an agreement not to revoke them. 1 Jarman, Wills (7th ed.), p. 44. 'The vital question is, Was it agreed by them that the wills should remain irrevocable after the death of either? For the solution of this we must look to the extraneous testimony, keeping in mind that, to establish an agreement, the proofs must be clear and convincing. The contract may be found in an express promise, or inferred as a conclusion of fact, from the circumstances surrounding the parties.' Tooker v. Vreeland, 92 N.J.Eq. 340, 343, 112 A. 665.' Knox v. Perkins, supra. It is clear from these decisions that evidence of the existence of an agreement not to revoke mutual wills may be found from the conduct of the parties as shown by the surrounding circumstances including the language used in the wills.

There was evidence in this case that on August 18, 1937, after the wills had been executed that Frank said to a relative in the presence of his wife that they had 'been up to lawyer Faulkner's office this afternoon, and we have drawn up our wills, and we agreed on everything. Isn't that so, Mamie'? to which Mary (Mamie) replied, 'Yes.' This evidence was not contradicted and no claim is made that the parties are not bound by the language used in the wills. This testimony that Mary and Frank had agreed on everything supports the language of the will that they are 'in perfect accord in regard to the objects of our bounty.' The words used in clause C are stated in terms of contract language and are mandatory in form. It is not seriously disputed that this testimony and the wills clearly established a common purpose of disposing of their estates so that the survivor would have the benefit of it and that thereafter it would go to the common purposes and common objects of their bounty as set forth in the dispositive provisions in their wills. The defendants maintain however that there is no convincing proof either from the wills or the surrounding circumstances that the parties agreed that their wills should remain irrevocable after the death of one. It is urged that this evidence merely establishes the execution of mutual wills but furnishes no support for the finding of the Court that the wills were to be irrevocable after the death of either.

The contract terminology used in clause C of the mutual wills, the statement that they are in perfect accord, the use of mandatory terms, the acknowledgment of reciprocal obligations if the survivor acquires property under the will of the first to die and the disposition in each will of some property belonging to the other by means of the identical twenty-four clauses of their respective wills are all factors...