# FILED October 2, 1996 Cecil Crowson, Jr. App ellate C ou rt Clerk I N TH E C O U R T O FA PPEA LSO FTEN N ESSEE EA STER N SEC TI O N

ADA BELLBR

OW N a n dBEVER

LY ) C

/ A N O . 03A 01- 9605- 00174 J . EV ER ETT, M A R I O N EV ER ETT ) BAR TON, a n dGER

ALD J OSEPH ) BLED S O E LA W EV ER ETT, ) ) HON. BUDDY L. PER R Y, Pl a i ntif f s - A

pp e lle e s , ) J UDGE

) v. ) ) R A LPH EV ER ETT ( i n di v i du a l l y ) a nd a s Exe c ut or of t he Es t a t e ) of J os e ph R

obe r t Eve r e t t ) , ) H ER BER T D . EV ER ETT, J A

M ESR. ) EVER ETT, DOR

I SD. HI GGI NS , ) KATI ET. TOM

LI NS ON a n dLAUR

A ) SHAW , ) A FFI R M ED ) AND D e f e nda nt s - A

ppe l l a nt s . ) R

EM ANDED

DAVI D R. SW

AFFOR D, SW AFFOR D & SW AFFOR D, Pi ke v i l l e , f or Pl a i ntif f s - A

pp e lle e s . EDW I N Z. KELLY, J R. , KELLY, KELLY & GOUGER

, P. C. , J a s p e r , f or D e f e n d a nt s - A

pp e lla nt s , Ra l phEv e r e tt, J a m e s R. Ev e r e tt, D

or i s D . H i ggi ns , K

a t i e G . Tom l i ns on, a nd La ur a Sha w .

O PI N I O N

Fr a nks . J .

I n t hi s c ont e s t of t he w i l l of t he de c e a s e d, J os e ph Ev e r e t t , a j ur yr e t ur n e ds p eci a l v e r di c t s t h a t t he deceased di d not ha ve s uf f i c i e nt m e nt a l c a pa c i t y t o m a ke a va l i d w

i l l ,1 W a l t e r Ev e r e t t di e d i n 1993; hi s chi l d r e n M a r i on Ev e r e t t Ba r t on and G e r a l d Joseph Ev e r e t t w e r e sub s t i t u t e d as pl a i n t i f f s i n p l ace o f t h e i r f a t h e r . 2 a nd J os e ph R

obe r t Eve r e t t , D

e c e a s e d, w

a s undul y i nf l ue nc e d by R a l ph Eve r e t t on M a r c h 11 t o t he e xt e nt t ha t s uc h i nf l ue nc e a m ount e d t o c oe r c i on, de s t r oyi ng t he f r e e w i l l of t he de c e a s e d a nd s ubs t i t ut i ng hi s w i l l f or t he de c e a s e d a nd c om pe l l i ng t he de c e a s e d t o m

a ke a di s pos i t i on he ot he r w i s e w oul d not ha ve m a de . The de f e nd a nt s h a v e app eal e dandr a i s e s e v e r a l i ssue s . The de c e a s e d ha d e i ght c hi l dr e n. The ol de s t c hi l dr e nw

e r e app e l l ees A

d a Be l l Br o w

nandW

a l t e r Ev e r e t t 1

. The y f i l e d s ui t c ha l l e ngi ng de c e de nt ’ s M a r c h 1991 w

i l l , w hi c h l e f t t he m

t e n dol l a r s e a c h a nd di vi de d t he r e m a i nde r of hi s e s t a t e e qua l l y a m ong hi s s i x younge r c hi l dr e n. The y a l l e ge d t ha t de c e de nt w

a s of uns ound m

i nd, i nc om

pe t e nt t o m

a ke a w

i l l , a nd undul y i nf l ue nc e d by de f e nda nt R a l ph Eve r e t t . A

f t e r t he j ur y ve r di c t t he pr oba t e of t he w i l l w a s a nnul l e d a nd va c a t e d. W i t hi n one m

ont h of t he e xe c ut i on of t he w i l l , t he C ha nc e r y C

our t of Bl e ds oe C ount y, Te nne s s e e ha d f ound de c e de nt t o be c om

pe t e nt a nd di s m

i s s e d a c ons e r va t or s hi p pr oc e e di ng. A ppe l l a nt s a r gue t ha t t he Tr i a l C our t s houl d ha ve gr a nt e d t he i r Pr e - Tr i a l M ot i on i n Li m

i ne t ha t w

oul d ha ve pr e c l ude d t he pl a i nt i f f s f r om

a ny pr oof r e l a t i ve t o t he c om pe t e nc y of de c e de nt pr i or t o t hi s he a r i ng. The y i ns i s t t ha t s uc h e vi de nc e c ons t i t ut e d a r e l i t i ga t i on of de c e de nt ’ s m e nt a l c a pa c i t y i n 1991 a nd i s ba r r e d by c ol l a t e r a l e s t oppe l .

C o l l a t e r a l es t opp e l op e r a t e s t ob a r a s econ ds ui t3

b e t w eent he s a m

e p a r t i e s andt he i r pr i v i e s o na di f f e r e nt cau s e o f act i o no nl yas t oi s s u e s w hi c hw e r e act u a l l y l i t i g a t e da n dde t e r m i ne dinthe f or m

e r s ui t . G

o eke v. W

o o ds , 777 S . W

. 2d 347 ( Te nn. 1989) . The pa r t i e s t o t he 1991 t r i a l w e r e R a l ph Eve r e t t a s Pe t i t i one r , de c e de nt J os e ph Eve r e t t a s r e s ponde nt , pl a i nt i f f W a l t e r Eve r e t t a s r e s ponde nt ’ s a t t or ne y i n f a c t , a nd t he Fi r s t N a t i ona l Ba nk. The j udge di s m i s s e d t he pe t i t i on s e e ki ng t he a ppoi nt m

e nt of a c ons e r va t or a nd r e t ur ne d a l l a s s e t s he l d by W a l t e r Ev e r e t t t odecede nt .

The p a r t i e s andi s s u e s w e r e n o t i de nt i cal . H o w e v e r , bot h he a r i ngs de a l t w i t h t he i s s ue of de c e de nt ’ s c om pe t e nc y a nd i t c oul d be a r gue d t ha t A da Be l l ’ s i nt e r e s t s w e r e r e pr e s e nt e d by he r br ot he r . H ow e ve r , e ve n i f t he r e a r gua bl y w a s a ny c ol l a t e r a l e s t oppe l f r om t hi s he a r i ng, t he Te nne s s e e Supr e m e C our t ha s he l d t ha t : The e s t oppe l of a j udgm e nt e xt e nds onl y t o t he f a c t s i n i s s ue a s t he y e xi s t e d a t t he t i m e t he j udgm

e nt w a s r e nde r e d, a nd doe s not pr e ve nt a r e - e xa m i na t i on o f t he s a m

e qu e s t i o nb e t w

eent he s a m

e p a r t i e s w

he r e i nt he i nt e r v a l t he f act s h a v e ch a n g e dor n e w f act s ha ve oc c ur r e d w

hi c h m a y a l t e r t he l e ga l r i ght s or r e l a tio n s o f the litig a nt s . W h ite v . W

h ite , 876 S . W

. 2d 837 ( Te nn. 1994) . H e r e , t he decede nt ’ s deat hf r o m A l z he i m e r ’ s w a r r a nt s a r e - e v a l u a t i o no f w he nt he di s eas e m a yh a v e b e gunaf f ect i n g hi s j udgm

e nt . The Tr i a l C our t di d not e r r i n a l l ow i ng t e s t i m ony a nd pr oof a s t o hi s c om pe t e nc y a t t he t i m e he e x e c ut e dhi s w

ill. A s e c ond c ons e r va t or s hi p pr oc e e di ng w a s he l d m

or e t h a na y e a r a f t e r the e x e c utio no f the w ill. A

t th a t tim

e , decede nt w

a s decl a r e dun a b l e t oh a ndl e hi s af f a i r s , and2 RULE4 0 1 . DEF I NI TI O N O F ? RE LEV AN T EV I DE NC E. ? ? Re l e v a n t ev i d e n c e ? m e a n s e v i d e n ce h a v i n g an y t e n d e n c y t o m a k e t h e ex i s t e n ce o f an y f act t h a t i s o f co n sequ e n ce t o t h e d e t e r m i n a t i o n o f t h e act i o n m o r e p r o b a b l e o r l ess p r o b a b l e t h a n i t w o u l d b e w

i t h o u t t h e ev i d e n ce. 4 de f e nda nt R

a l ph Eve r e t t w

a s a ppoi nt e d a s c ons e r va t or . D e f e nda nt s a r gue t ha t t he s e c ond c ons e r va t or s hi p pr oc e e di ng i s t oo r e m

ot e a nd not r e l e va nt t o t he de c e de nt ’ s s t a t e of m i nd w he n t he w

i l l w a s dr a w

n. The com

p e t e nc yt om

a ke a w

i l l i s m

eas ur e dat t he t i m e t he pe r s on e xe c ut e s t he w i l l a nd not by t he i r m e nt a l c ondi t i on a n unr e a s ona bl e num be r of ye a r s be f or e or a f t e r . I n r e E s t a t e o

f M ayes , 843 S . W

. 2d 418, 427 ( Te nn. A pp. 1992) . Evi de nc e of t he t e s t a t or ’ s m e nt a l c ondi t i on a f t e r m a ki ng t he w ill is a dm

i s s i b l e , w

ithi n ? r e a s o n a b l e lim

its ? , I d. , quot i ng Pr i t c ha r d on W

i l l s a nd A

dm i ni s t r a t i on of Es t a t e s , §98 a t 141. H e r e , i t w

a s r eas o n a b l e t oal l o w evi de nce o f t he c ons e r va t or s hi p he a r i ng he l d w i t hi n 14 m

ont hs . M

ayes . Thi s i s s ue i s r e l e va nt i n de t e r m i ni ng t he pr ogr e s s w i t h w hi c h A l z he i m e r ’ s di s eas e m

a yh a v e b ecom

e m or e de b i l i t a t i n g . Te nne s s e e R

ul e s of Evi de nc e , 401 2

. N e xt, d e f e n d a nt s in s i s t th a t the Tr i a l C o ur t e r r e d i n a l l ow

i ng t he t e s t i m

ony of D

r . St ua r t Ba c on a nd J oa n D e Bor d. D r . Ba c on f i r s t s a w de c e de nt i n M

a r c h of 1992, j us t ove r a y e a r a f t e r the e x e c utio no f the w ill. H

e te s tif i e dth a t , b a s e do na r eas o n a b l e de gr ee o f m e di cal cer t a i nt y , decede nt di e do f A

l z he i m e r ’ s di s eas e . H

e t e s t i f i e dt h a t decede nt h a d be e n s uf f e r i ng f r om A l z he i m e r ’ s f or a m

i ni m um of t w o ye a r s be f or e hi s O

c t obe r , 1992 de a t h. D e f e nda nt s a r gue t ha t t hi s e vi de nc e s houl d ha ve be e n pr e c l ude d on t he gr ound t ha t i t ha d no r e l e va nc e t o t he3 Ru l e 8 0 3 ( 6 ) RECORDSO FREGULARLY CO

NDUCTED ACTI VI TY. A m e m o r a ndum

, r e por t , r e c o r d , or dat a com p i l a t i on i n any f o r m of a c t s , eve n t s , condi t i ons , opi n i ons , or di a gnos e s m a d e at or nea r t h e t i m e by or f r o m

i n f o r m

a t i on t r a n s m

i t t e d by a pe r s on w i t h know

l e dge and a b u s i n ess d u t y t o r eco r d o r t r a n s m i t i f k e p t i n t h e co u r se of a r e g u l a r l y c o n d u c t e d b u s i n ess act i v i t y an d i f i t was t h e r e g u l a r p r act i ce o f t h a t b u s i n ess act i v i t y t o m a k e t h e m

e m o r a n d u m

, r e p o r t , r eco r d , o r d a t a c o m p i l a t i o n , al l as s h o w n b y t h e t est i m o n y o f t h e cu s t o d i a n o r o t h e r qua l i f i e d w

i t n e s s , unl e s s t h e s our c e of i n f o r m a t i on of t h e m

e t hod or c i r c u m

s t a n ces of p r e p a r a t i o n i n d i cat e l ack o f t r u s t wo r t h i n ess . Th e t e r m ? b u s i n ess ?

as used i n t h i s par a g r a p h i n c l u d es ever y k i n d o f b u s i n ess , i n s t i t u t i o n , ass o c i a t i o n , p r o f ess i o n , o ccu p a t i o n , an d cal l i n g , w h e t h e r o r not conduc t e d f o r pr o f i t . 5 c om pe t e nc y of de c e de nt i n M a r c h of 1991. The y a l s o obj e c t e d t o t he e vi de nc e on t he ba s i s t ha t D r . Ba c on’ s t e s t i m ony s t a t i ng t ha t de c e de nt w oul d ha ve be e n e a s i l y i nf l ue nc e d w hi l e s uf f e r i ng f r om

A l z he i m e r ’ s w a s s pe c ul a t i on a nd c onj e c t ur e . The evi de nce w

a s r e l e v a nt andadm i s s i b l e . Te nn e s s e e R ul e s of Evi de nc e , R ul e 401. J oa n D e Bor d i s a hom

e he a l t h c a r e nur s e w ho be ga n vi s i t i ng de c e de nt m or e t ha n one m

ont h a f t e r t he e xe c ut i on of hi s w ill. She ke p t r e c or d s o f th o s e v i s its a n dte s tif i e df r o m he r n o t e s . The s e n o t e s s h o w t h a t t he deceased w a s de pr e s s e d a nd l one l y a nd c onc e r ne d ove r hi s c hi l dr e n t r yi ng t o pl a c e hi m i n a nur s i ng hom

e a nd ha ve hi m

de c l a r e d i nc om

pe t e nt . The Tr i a l C

our t r ul e d t ha t s he c oul d t e s t i f y f r om he r r e c or ds unde r t he bus i ne s s r e c or ds e xc e pt i on t o t he hear s a yr u l e . 3M s . D e Bor d ’ s te s tim

o nym e t the e s s e ntia l e l e m e nt s o f t hi s hear s a yex cept i o n . M e di car e gui de l i n e s r e qui r e d t ha t s he ke e p r e c or ds of he r vi s i t s a nd s he pr e pa r e d t he w r i t t e nr e p or t s s h or t l ya f t e r he r v i s i t s . C ohe n, Sheppe ar d, Pai ne , Te nne s s e e La w of Evi de nc e , §803( 6) ( 1995) . The Tr i a l C

our t di d not e r r i n a l l ow i ng t hi s e vi de nc e . The Tr i a l C

our t de ni e d de f e nda nt s ’ r e que s t t ha t t he6

j ur y be i ns t r uc t e d not t o c ons i de r a ny de c l a r a t i ons m a de by t he de c e a s e d s ubs e que nt t o t he e xe c ut i on of t he w i l l . Thi s i s s ue a ga i n de a l t w i t h t he t e s t i m

ony of J oa n D

e Bor d. The Tr i a l J udge di d not e r r i n a l l ow i ng t he j ur y t o c ons i de r t hi s e vi de nce, b ecau s e i t w a s adm i s s i b l e as anex cept i o nt ot he he a r s a y r ul e a l l ow i ng i n r e c or ds of r e gul a r l y c onduc t e d a c t i vi t y. Te nne s s e e R ul e s of Evi de nc e , 803( 6) . N e xt , de f e nda nt s a r gue t ha t t he Tr i a l C our t e r r e d i n c ha r gi ng t he Te nne s s e e Pa t t e r n J ur y I ns t r uc t i on r e l a t i ve t o m e nt a l c om

pe t e nc y- m

e nt a l de l us i ons . A j ur y c ha r ge w

i l l not be i nva l i da t e d a s l ong a s i t f a i r l y de f i ne s t he l e ga l i s s ue s i nvol ve d i n t he c a s e a nd doe s not m i s l e a d t he j ur y. O t i s v . C

am br i dge M

ut ual Fi r e I ns ur anc e Co . , 850 S . W

. 2d 439 ( Te nn. 1992) . D e f e nda nt s a r gue t ha t pl a i nt i f f s ’ c om pl a i nt di d not a l l e g e t h a t t he deceased w a s act i n gun de r a de l u s i o nat t he t i m e of t he e xe c ut i on of hi s w i l l . D

e f e nda nt s a l s o a r gue t ha t t he r e w

a s no pr oof t ha t de c e a s e d w a s unde r a de l us i on. The r e f or e , th e yin s i s t th a t the Tr i a l C o ur t e r r e dinutiliz i n g t he j ur y i ns t r uc t i ons r e l a t i ng t o m e nt a l c om

pe t e nc y- m

e nt a l de l us i ons . Thi s a r gum e nt i s w

i t hout m

e r i t . To t he c ont r a r y, de c e de nt ’ s i l l he a l t h, c onf us i on, a nd hi s c a pa c i t y t o dr a w up a w ill w e r e di r e c tlya t is s u e , a s the r e is n oa lle g a tio n t he r e w

a s a m i s s t a t e m

e nt o f l a w

i nt he j ur ych a r g e . The j ur y i ns t r uc t i ons r e ga r di ng undue i nf l ue nc e i nf or m e d t he j ur y t ha t undue i nf l ue nc e c ons i s t e d of ? act s or c onduc t w

hi c h i n t he m

i nd of t he t e s t a t or i s ove r c om e by t he w i l l of a not he r pe r s on . . . de s t r oyi ng t he f r e e e xe r c i s e of7

t he t e s t a t or , s ubs t i t ut i ng f or hi s ow n w i l l a not he r pe r s on’ s w ill. ? A

ga i n, de f e nda nt s t a ke i s s ue w i t h w he t he r t he c ha r ge w a s s uppor t e d by e vi de nc e , not w i t h a ny a l l e ga t i ons t ha t t he l a w w a s m i s s t a t e d. The j ur y c ha r ge e c hoe s t hos e a ppr ove d i n M itc h e l v . Sm

ith , 779 S . W

. 2d 384 ( Te nn. A

pp. 1989) , a nd t hi s i s s u e is the r e f or e w i t h o ut m

e r i t . The r e m

a i ni ng i s s ue s w

e f i nd t o be w

i t hout m

e r i t a s t he r e i s s ubs t a nt i a l m a t e r i a l e vi de nc e t o s uppor t t he j ur y’ s s pe c i a l ve r di c t s . A c c or di ngl y, w

e a f f i r m

t he j udgm

e nt of t he Tr i a l C

our t a nd r e m

a nd a t a ppe l l a nt s ’ c os t .

________________________ H e r s c he l P. Fr a nk s , J . CONC UR:

___________________________ H ous t on M

. G odda r d, P. J .

___________________________ C h a r l e s D

. Su s a n o , J r ., J .