Foster v. Shepherd
| Decision Date | 09 April 1959 |
| Docket Number | 4 Div. 916 |
| Citation | 269 Ala. 94,110 So.2d 894 |
| Court | Alabama Supreme Court |
| Parties | Sterling FOSTER v. Lula SHEPHERD et al. |
Rushton, Stakely & Johnston, Montgomery, for appellant. Lawrence K. Andrews, Union Springs, for appellees.
This is a will contest involving the will of P. L. Posey, deceased, executed by him on January 27, 1954. The appellant, Sterling Foster, named in the will as executor, filed a petition in the probate court of Bullock County for probate of the will. Several of Mr. Posey's heirs (appellees) filed a contest in said court with a demand for transfer of the contest to the circuit court of Bullock County for trial before a jury pursuant to Code 1940, Tit. 61, § 63. The transfer was made and the issue as to Mr. Posey's testamentary capacity was presented to a jury for determination. The jury found for the contestants and judgment on said verdict was duly rendered. This appeal is from that judgment. There was no motion for a new trial.
The only question presented to the jury was whether Mr. Posey had testamentary capacity at the time he executed the contested will.
Appellant insists that the evidence does not meet the required proof as to Mr. Posey's testamentary incapacity at the time he executed the will; that the verdict of the jury is contrary to the evidence 'for that the only evidence of P. L. Posey's testamentary capacity on January 27, 1954, the date of the signing of his will, was that on the date of the signing, Mr. Posey did have testamentary capacity', and 'for that there was no evidence of permanent insanity on the part of Mr. P. L. Posey (Testator) prior to the date of the execution of the will on January 27, 1954, and there was no evidence of the testamentary incapacity of Mr. P. L. Posey on January 27, 1954.' There is also and assignment of error that the verdict is 'contrary to the great weight and preponderance of the evidence.'
As we see it, there are two questions presented, viz.: (A) Whether there is before us for review any question as to the weight of the evidence and, if so, whether the verdict of the jury 'is contrary to the great weight and preponderance of the evidence,' and (B) Whether it was error to refuse appellant's requested affirmative charge with hypothesis.
Since there was no motion for a new trial, the question of the weight of the evidence is not before us for review. Water Works and Sewer Board of Fairhope v. Brown, Ala., 105 So.2d 71, 74; Aldridge v. Seaborn, 253 Ala. 603, 46 So.2d 424; Collins v. State, 250 Ala. 58, 60, 33 So.2d 18; Kennon v. Gunnels, 249 Ala. 225, 226, 30 So.2d 582; Street v. Street, 246 Ala. 683, 688, 22 So.2d 35; Orman v. Scharnagel, 210 Ala. 381, 382, 98 So. 123.
Our one problem, then, is to determine whether the issue of testamentary incapacity was properly submitted to the jury. After carefully considering the evidence in consultation we are at the conclusion that it was.
It appears to be appellant's position that since the burden was on the contestants to prove Mr. Posey's incapacity at the precise time the will was executed, and since there was no direct evidence showing his incapacity at that time, and since there was a lack of evidence showing that he was afflicted with habitual, fixed and permanent insanity, it necessarily follows that there was no evidence justifying submission of the case to the jury.
As we see it, this argument is applicable to the question as to where the burden of proof was cast. But we do not have that question before us. There is no assignment of error questioning the propriety of giving or refusing to give any charge on the burden of proof nor questioning the trial court's oral charge in that respect. In fact, the trial court give appellant's requested written charges dealing with the burden of proof. As to whether the contestants met the burden of proof which was cast upon them was essentially the question to be resolved by the jury from the evidence under instructions from the trial court.
Although there was no direct...
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...time when the deed was executed. This question was dealt with and disposed of contrary to appellant's insistence in Foster v. Shepherd, 269 Ala. 94, 96, 110 So.2d 894, 896. What was there said is also appropriate here, 'Although there was no direct evidence offered by the contestants as to ......
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...there was no motion for a new trial, any question concerning the weight of the evidence is not before us for review. Foster v. Shepherd, 269 Ala. 94, 95, 110 So.2d 894; Water Works and Sewer Board of Fairhope v. Brown, 268 Ala. 96, 100, 105 So.2d 71; Aldridge v. Seaborn, 253 Ala. 603, 46 So......
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