Title: In re Estate of Worstell

State: ohio

Issuer: Ohio Supreme Court

Document:

[Cite as In re Estate of Worstell, 100 Ohio St.3d 1258, 2003-Ohio-6387.] 
 
 
IN RE ESTATE OF WORSTELL. 
[Cite as In re Estate of Worstell, 100 Ohio St.3d 1258, 2003-Ohio-6387.] 
Appeal dismissed as improvidently allowed. 
(No. 2002-1981 — Submitted November 4, 2003 — Decided December 17, 
2003.) 
APPEAL from the Court of Appeals for Montgomery County, No. 19133, 2002-
Ohio-5385. 
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{¶1} 
The cause is dismissed, sua sponte, as having been improvidently 
allowed. 
 
MOYER, C.J., LUNDBERG STRATTON, O’CONNOR and O’DONNELL, JJ., 
concur. 
 
RESNICK, F.E. SWEENEY and PFEIFER, JJ., dissent. 
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PFEIFER, J., dissenting. 
{¶2} 
A jury found that Mr. Ralph Worstell did not have testamentary 
capacity to make a will.  The jury based its decision on the testimony of 
Worstell’s nephew, Worstell’s tenant, and most important, on the testimony of Dr. 
Albert Bayer, a medical doctor and board-certified geriatric psychiatrist.  Little 
contrary evidence was presented, primarily that of the attorney who drafted the 
will, who could hardly be expected to testify that he allowed a man lacking 
testamentary capacity to sign a will.  Nevertheless, the court of appeals 
determined that the jury verdict was against the manifest weight of the evidence 
and reversed the judgment. 
{¶3} 
The court of appeals relied on State v. Thompkins (1997), 78 Ohio 
St.3d 380, 678 N.E.2d 541, where this court explained when it is appropriate to 
SUPREME COURT OF OHIO 
2 
overturn a jury verdict to prevent a manifest miscarriage of justice in a criminal 
trial.  This reliance was misplaced because the standard of proof in a criminal trial 
is higher than in a civil trial.  We should render an opinion in this case that 
clarifies the standard.  I dissent and  would reverse the judgment of the court of 
appeals. 
 
RESNICK and F.E. SWEENEY, JJ., concur in the foregoing dissenting 
opinion. 
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Murray, Murphy, Moul & Basil, L.L.P., and Joseph F. Murray; 
Ekonomou, Atkinson & Lambros, L.L.C., Michael G. Lambros, Thomas J. Cullen 
and Paul E. Nystrom III, for appellant Gary M. Worstell. 
 
Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur, L.L.P., Paul G. Hallinan, Armistead W. 
Gilliam Jr., Philip E. Kessler and Robin D. Ryan, for appellee American Cancer 
Society, Western Ohio Division, Inc. 
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