SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, M ERCI ER and C OOM ER, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

Febr uar y 28, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A0 49 4 . O’ CALLAGHAN v . SAM PLES.

M E R C I E R , J u dg e.

Fo l l owi n g t h e de a th of 67- y e a r

- o ld M ic ha e l S m a llw ood, S usa n A nge l a Sam

p l es

p et i t i o n ed t o p ro b at e h is wi ll i n sole m n f or m

. S m a llw oo d ’ s s i s t er, Kat h y O’ Cal l ag h an

,

fi led an ob

ject i o n to t h e p et i t io n

, as s ert i n g

, am o n g o t her t h i n g s, t hat Sm al l wo o d

l ack ed t es tam en t ary cap aci ty t o e x e c u t e t he wi l l

. Th e p ro b at e co u rt h el d an

ev i d en t i ary h eari ng reg ard i n g t h e i s s u es rai s ed i n t h e o b ject i o n

. Co n cl u d i n g t h at

Sm al l wo o d h ad th e req u is i te t es t am en t ary cap aci t y an d k n o wi n gl y ex ecu t ed t h e wi l l

wi t h o u t an y co erci o n or in t erferen ce b y o t h er p ers o n s

, th e p ro b at e co u rt g ran t ed t h e

p et i t i o n t o p ro b at e t h e wi l l . O’ Cal lag h an ap p eal s, an d we affi rm

. 1

1 O ’ Cal l ag han o ri g i n al l y fi l ed h er n o t i ce o f ap p eal i n t h e Su p eri o r C o u r t o f

Fl o y d Co u n t y

, wh i ch t ran sferred t h e ap p eal t o t h i s Co u rt

. See OCGA § 15 -9 -1 2 0 (2 )

(d efi ni n g “ p ro b at e co u rt ”); OCGA § 1 5 -9 -1 23 (a) (“ Ei t h er p art y to a ci v i l cas e i n t h e1

. O’ Cal l ag h an arg u es t h at t h e p ro b at e co u rt erred i n fi n d i ng t h at Sm al l wo o d

h ad s uffi ci en t t es t am en t ary cap aci t y to m ak e a wi ll

. W e d i s ag ree. W hen a p ro b at e

co u rt ’ s fi n d i n gs i n a n o n -ju ry t ri al are s u p p o rt ed b y an y ev id en ce, t hey m u s t b e

affi rm ed o n ap p eal

. See Amer s on v. Pa h l

, 2 9 2 Ga. 7 9 (1 ) (7 3 4 SE2 d 3 9 9) (2 0 1 2 ). An d

g i v en t h i s h i gh ly d eferen t i al s t an d ard

, “ w e h av e no d i ffi cu l t y i n affi rm i n g t h e p ro b at e

co u rt ’ s fi n d i ng o f t es tam en t ary cap aci t y ” i n t h i s cas e. Id

.

Th e reco rd s h o ws t h at Sm al l wo o d

, a Vi et n am v et eran wh o nev e r m a r r i e d o r

h ad ch i l dren

, h ad th ree s ib l i n g s : t wo s i st ers

, O’ Cal l ag h an an d J an e M cW h o rt er, an d

a b ro t h e r

, W ay n e Sm al lwo o d

. Aft er Sm al l wo o d ret u rn ed fro m Vi et n am

, h e was

d i ag n o s ed wi t h p o s t -t rau m at i c s t res s d is o rd er (“ PTSD”) an d n eed ed ex tra care, wh i ch

M cW h o rt er, h i s el d es t si s t er, pro v i d ed

. Acco rd i ng t o M cW hor te r

, sh e an d Sm al l wo o d

h ad a “ v ery cl o s e” rel at i on s hi p

, an d s h e “ b ecam e a m o t h er fi g ure to h i m ” w hen t h ei r

m o th er d i ed

. N ev ert h el es s

, Sm al l wo o d l i v ed al o n e an d g en eral l y was ab le t o fu n ct i o n

d ay -t o -d ay , d es p i t e s o m e ep i so d es o f p aran o i a an d o t h er h eal t h i s s u es

.

p ro b at e co u r t s h a l l h av e th e ri g h t o f ap peal t o t h e Su p rem e Co u rt o r th e Co u rt o f

Ap p eal s, as p ro v i d ed by Ch ap ter 6 o f Ti tl e 5 .”); Ga. Co n st . o f 1 98 3

, Art

. VI, Sec. I,

Par. VIII (“ An y co u rt s hal l t ran s fer t o t h e ap p ro p ri at e co urt i n t h e s t at e an y ci v i l cas e

i n wh ich i t d et erm i nes t h at ju ri s d i ct io n o r v en u e l ies el s ewh ere.”).

2On M arch 2 7

, 2 0 1 4

, Sm al l wo o d ex ecu t ed a wi l l

, beq u eat h i n g al l o f h i s real an d

p ers o n al p ro p ert y t o M cW h o rt er. He ap p o i n ted Sam p l es

, M cW h o rt er’ s d au g h t er, as

ex ecu t o r o f h i s es t at e. T h e wi l l was p rep ared b y Leo n Sp ro l es

, an at t o rn ey

ex p eri en ced i n es t at e p l an n i n g m at t ers

. As k ed ab o u t h i s s tan d a r d p ro ced u res fo r

d raft in g a wi l l , Sp ro l es t es t i fi ed t h at h e n ot o n l y o b tai n s p ert i n en t i n fo rm at i o n fro m

t h e cl i en t

, b u t al s o as s es se s t h e cl i en t ’ s co m p et en ce t o ex ecu t e t h e wi l l

. Sp ro l es

fo l l o w ed t h es e st an d ard p ro ced u res wh en prep ari n g Sm al l w o o d ’ s wi l l

. He m et wi th

Sm al l wo o d t wi ce, h ad no do u b t ab o ut Sm al l w o o d ’ s co m p et en cy

, an d w o u l d n o t h av e

d raft ed t h e wi l l h ad Sm al l wo o d s eem ed d el u s i o n al o r p s y ch o t ic. Sp ro l es rev i ewed t h e

wi l l wi th Sm al lwo o d an d i nq u i red as t o h i s u n ders t an d in g o f i t

. Acco rd i n g t o Sp ro l es

,

Sm al l wo o d ap p eared t o ex ecu t e t h e wi l l freel y

, vo l u n t ari ly

, an d wi t h k n o wl ed g e o f

h i s act i o ns

. Sp ro l es fu rt h er n ot ed t h at Sm al lwo o d “ w as h ap p y wi th ” t h e wi l l

, wh i ch

rep res en t ed “ ex act l y wh at h e wan ted as far as d i s p o s i t i o n o f h i s es t at e[.] ”

An o th er at t orn ey wh o pract i ced i n t h e s am e b ui l d i n g as Sp ro l es wi t n es s ed t h e

wi l l ’ s ex ecu ti o n

. Th e wi t n es s i n g at t o rn ey t es ti fi e d t h at Sm al l w o o d s eem ed to

u n d ers t an d wh at h e w as d o i n g

, ap p eared to b e o f s o u n d m i n d, an d h ad n o d i ffi cu l t y

t ak i n g p art i n t h e pro ceed i n gs

. As d es cri bed b y t hat at t orn ey

, Sm al lwo o d “ cert ai n l y

3s eem ed ap p ro p ri at e at t h e t im e t o b e ab l e to ex ecu t e th e wi l l an d k n o w

. . . th at t h es e

were h i s wi s h es .”

Sm al l wo od d i ed i n M arch 2 0 1 8 f r o m i n ju ri es su s t ai n ed i n a m ot o r v eh i cl e

co l l i s i o n

. Sev eral m o n t h s l at er, Sam p l es p et i t i o n ed t o p ro b at e h i s wi ll

. O’ Cal l ag h an

o b ject ed t o t h e p et it i o n

, cl ai m i n g t h at Sm al l w o o d l ack ed t es t am en t ary cap aci t y to

ex ecu t e t h e wi l l an d was n ot o f s o u n d m i n d. Th e p ro bat e co u rt reject ed O ’ Cal l ag h an ’ s

o b ject i on an d ad m i t t ed t h e wi l l t o p ro bat e.

“ Tes t am en t ary cap aci t y ex i s t s wh en t h e tes t at or h a s a d eci d ed an d rat i o n al

d es i re as t o t h e d i sp o si t io n o f p ro p ert y .” OCGA § 5 3 -4 -1 1 (a). Ul ti m at el y

, “ [a]

s h o wi n g o f t es t am en t ary cap aci t y req u i res a s h o wi n g t hat t he tes t at o r was s an e o r o f

s o u n d m i n d .” Mea d

o ws v. Bea m

, 3 0 2 G a. 4 9 4, 49 8 (2 ) (8 0 7 SE2 d 3 3 9 ) (2 0 17 ). Su ch

cap a c i t y e x i s t s wh en a t es t at o r u n d ers t an ds t h e p urp o se o f a w i l l, k n o ws wh at

p ro p ert y h e h as

, rem em

b ers th e p ers o n s r e l at ed t o h i m b y b l o o d an d affect i o n

, an d

“ h as s u ffi ci en t i nt el l ect t o en ab l e h i m t o h av e a d eci d ed an d rat io n al d es i re as t o t h e

d i s p o s i t i on o f h is p r o p ert y .” A mer so n

, s u p ra (ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed ).

“ Th i s i s a m o d es t re q u i r e m e nt

, as t es t am en t ary cap aci t y m ay b e p o s s es s ed by

weak -m i n d ed o r feeb l e i n di vi d u al s .” Mea d o ws

, su p ra. (ci tat i o n s an d p u n c t u at i o n

4o m it t ed ). On l y a “ t o t al ab s en ce o f m i n d ” d es t ro y s t es t am en t ary cap aci ty

. Id

. (ci t at i on s

an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

Th e ev i d en ce d o es n o t sh o w a “ t o t al ab s en ce of m in d ” h ere. Bo th at t o rn ey s

wh o t o o k p art i n t h e p rep arat io n an d / o r ex ecu t i o n o f t h e wi l l t es t i fi ed t hat Sm al l wo o d

ap p eared t o u n ders t an d wh at h e was d o in g an d to b e o f s o u n d m i n d wh en h e s i g n ed

t h e d o cu m en t. Sam

pl es al s o p res en t ed t es t i m o ny fro m Sm a l l wo od ’ s n ei g h b o r, wh o

b eg an hel p i n g h i m w it h h o u s eh o l d c h o res i n 2 0 14

. Th e n ei g h b o r as sert ed t h at

al t h o u g h Sm al lwo o d h ad s o m e h eal t h p ro b l em s

, he w a s “ a lw a y s a pe r fect g en t l em an ,”

an d h e k n ew “ ex act l y wh at was g o in g o n [.] ” In ad d i t io n

, a f r i e n d wh o h ad k n o wn

Sm al l wo o d s i n ce 1 9 8 8 t es t i fi ed t h at h e nev er s aw Sm al l wo od act “ o u t o f hi s m i n d [.] ”

An d a h o u s ek eep er wh o cl ean ed S m a llw ood ’ s h o u s e w eek l y fro m 2 0 0 5 u n t i l h i s d eat h

t es t i f i e d t h a t h e k new wh o h i s s i b l i n gs were an d w h at as set s h e h ad

. Fi n al l y

,

Sm al l wo o d ’ s u n d ers tan d i n g o f h i s act i on s i s d em o n st rat ed b y a co n v ers at i o n h e h ad

wi t h S a m p l es i n t h e s p ri ng o f 2 0 1 4

. Sam p l es t es t i fi ed t hat Sm al l wo o d cal l ed h er to

req u es t t h at sh e s erv e as ex ecu t o r o f h i s wi l l

. Du ri n g t h at co n v ers at i o n

, Sm al l wo o d

ex p lai n ed t h at h e was l eav i n g h i s es t at e t o M c Wh ort er an d t h at Sam p l es s ho u l d b e

p rep ared t o d eal wi th o b

ject i on s t o t h e wi l l fro m

O’ Cal l ag h an

.

5On a p p e a l

, O’ Cal l ag han n o t es t hat m ed i cal reco rd s fro m t h e Vet eran s

Ad m i n i s t rat i o n i n di cat ed th at Sm al l wo o d h ad b een d i ag n o s ed wi t h s ev eral m en t al

co n di t i o n s

, i ncl u d in g PTSD, i n 1 9 8 7

. Sm al l wo od ’ s t es t am en t ary cap aci t y

, h o wev er,

m u st b e as s es s ed as of t h e d a t e h e e x ecu t ed h is wi l l

. See A m er s on

, s u pra at 8 0 (1 ).

T h a t h e s u f

fered fro m m en t al i n fi rm i t i es b efo re or aft er h e s i g n ed t h e w i ll m ay b e

rel ev an t to t h e i n qu i ry

, bu t i s n o t d i s p o s it i ve. See Mea d o ws

, su p ra at 4 9 4 ( 1 )

. Th e

co n tro l l in g q ues ti o n i s wh et h er Sm al l wo o d h ad t he t es t am en t ary cap aci t y t o ex ecu t e

t h e wi ll o n M a r ch 2 7

, 2 0 1 4

. See Amer s o n

, s u pra; Tu tt l e v. Rya n

, 2 8 2 Ga. 6 5 2 (6 5 3

SE2 d 5 0 ) (2 0 0 7 ).

Gi v en t h e e v i d en ce p res en t ed

, t h e p ro b at e co u rt was au th o ri zed t o co n cl u d e

t h at Sm al l wo o d u n ders t o o d wh at h e was d o in g wh en h e s ig ned th e wi l l

, k n ew wh at

as s et s h e o wn ed an d wh o t h e p o t en t ial b en e f i c i a r i e s o f h i s es tat e were, an d h ad

s u f f i c i e n t i n t el l ect t o rat io nal l y d eci d e h o w h e wan t ed t o d i s p o s e o f h i s p ro p ert y

.

Acco rd in g ly

, t he pro bat e c o u r t d i d n o t err i n d et erm i n in g t h at he h ad t h e n eces s ary

m en t al cap aci t y t o ex ecu t e hi s wi l l

. See Amer s o n

, su p ra; Tu t t l e

, s u p ra at 6 52 -6 5 3 ; s ee

al s o W o o d s v. St o n eci

p h er

, 3 4 9 Ga. Ap p

. 6 9 8

, 6 9 9 -7 0 0 (1 ) (8 2 4 SE2 d 63 3 ) (2 0 1 9 )

(“ [I] n rev i ewi n g t h i s q u es t i o n o f t h e s u ffi c i e n c y o f t h e ev id en ce in th e co nt ex t o f a

ch al l en g e t o a w i l l, a s t ri n g en t s t an d ard m u s t b e m et i n o rd er t o set as i d e a w i l l

, as t h i s

6d ep ri v es a p ers on o f t he val u ab l e r i g h t t o m ak e a wi l l .”) (ci t at io n an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ).

2

. O’ Cal lag h an cl ai m s t h at t h e p ro b at e co urt erred i n p ro bat i n g t h e wi l l b ecau s e

Sam p l es fai l ed t o t i m el y res p o n d t o h er req u es t s fo r ad m i s s i o n s

. Pu rs u an t t o OCGA

§ 9 -1 1-3 6 (a) (2 ), a req u es t fo r ad m i ss i o n

i s ad m i t t ed u n l es s

, wi t h i n 3 0 d ay s aft er s erv i ce o f t h e req u es t o r wi t h i n

s u ch s h o r t e r o r l o n ger t i m e as th e co u rt m ay al lo w, t h e p art y t o wh om

t h e req u es t i s d i rect ed serv es u p o n t h e p art y req u es ti n g t h e ad m i s s i on a

wri t t en an s w er o r o bject i o n ad d res sed t o t h e m at t er, s i g n ed b y t h e p art y

o r b y h i s at t o rn ey [.]

It ap p ears t h at O’ Cal l ag h an serv e d h er req u es t s fo r ad m i s si on o n J u l y 1 2,

2 0 1 8

. 2 Becau s e th e t h i rt i et h d ay aft er s e r v i c e f e ll o n a Sat u rd ay (Au g u s t 1 1

, 2 0 1 8 ),

Sam p l es was req u i red t o res p on d o n t h e fo l l owi n g M o n d a y, A u g u s t 1 3

, 2 0 1 8

. See

OCGA § 1 -3 -1 (d ) (3 ) (“ [W ] h en a p eri o d o f ti m e m eas u red i n d ay s

. . . i s p res cri b ed

fo r t h e ex erci s e o f an y p ri v il eg e o r t h e d i s ch arg e o f an y d u t y

, . . . i f t h e l as t d ay fal l s

o n Sat u rd ay o r Su n d ay

, t h e p art y h av i n g s u ch p ri v i leg e o r d u t y s h al l h av e t h ro u g h t h e

fo l l o w i n g Mo n d ay t o ex erci s e t h e p r i v i l eg e o r to d i sch arg e t h e d u t y .”). Th e reco rd

2 A l t h o u g h t h e reco rd d o es n o t co n t ai n a cert i fi cat e o f s erv i ce fo r t h es e

d i s co v ery req u es t s

, t h e req u es t s were s i g n ed an d fi led o n Ju l y 1 2

, 2 0 1 8

. O’ Cal l ag h an

al s o as s ert s t h at s he s erv ed h er req u es t s o n t hi s d at e.

7s h o ws t hat Sam p les t i m el y s erv e d h er res p o n s es to t he req ues t s fo r ad m i s s i o n by

p l aci ng t h em i n t h e m ai l o n Au g u s t 1 3

, 20 1 8. See OCGA § 1 -3 -1 (d ) (3 ); O CGA § 9

-

1 1 -5 (b ) (“ Serv i ce b y m ai l i s co m p l et e u p o n m ai l i n g .”); Cr u i cks ha n k v. Fr emo n t In v.

& Lo a n

, 3 0 7 Ga. Ap p

. 4 8 9, 4 9 1 -4 9 2 (7 0 5 SE2 d 29 8 ) (2 0 1 0). W e reco g n i ze t h at

Sam p l es d i d n o t f

i l e h er res p o n s e s a n d / o r h er Cert i fi cat e o f Serv i ce o f Di s co v ery

M at eri al s u nt i l s e v e r a l w eek s l at er. Bu t “ t h e ad m is s i o n fo r fai l u re t o res p o n d

co n tem p l at ed b y O CGA § 9-1 1-3 6 (a) (2 ) i s t ied to wh et h e r r e q u e s t ee ‘ serv es ’ t h e

res p o n s e.” Cr u i cks ha n k

, s u p ra at 4 9 2 (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ). Reg ard l es s o f wh en Sam p l es

fi led h er res p o ns es wi t h t h e p ro b at e co u rt

, t h ey w ere t i m el y serv ed wi t h i n t h e req u i red

3 0 -d ay p eri o d . See i d .; OCGA § 9 -1 1 -3 6 (a) (2 ).

Al t ern at i v el y

, O’ Cal lag h an arg u es t h at Sam pl es fai l ed t o res po n d s u ffi ci en t l y

t o t w o o f t h e req u es t s fo r ad m i ss i o n

, t o wh i ch Sam p l es s t at ed t h at s h e l ack ed

s u ffi ci en t k n o wl ed g e t o ad m i t o r d en y t h e req u es ts

. See OCGA § 9 -1 1-3 6 (a) (2 ) (“ An

an s weri n g part y m ay no t g i ve l ack o f i n fo rm at i o n o r kn o wl ed g e as a reas o n fo r fai l u re

t o ad m it o r d en y un l es s h e s tat es t h a t h e h as m ad e reas o n ab l e in q u i ry an d t h at t h e

i n fo rm at i o n k n o w n o r read i l y o b t ai n ab l e b y h i m i s i n su ffi ci en t t o en ab l e h i m t o ad m i t

o r d en y .”). Th es e t w o req ues t s fo r ad m i s s i o n

, h o wev er, i n v o l ved u n io n b en efi t s an d

8l i fe i n su ran ce p ro ceed s t o b e pai d t o Sm al l wo o d ’ s h ei rs

. 3 O’ Cal l ag h an h as n ot s h o wn

t h at ei t h er req u es t rel at ed t o Sm al l w o o d’ s m en t al cap aci t y t o ex ecu t e a wi l l

. Ev en i f

d e e m ed ad m i t ted

, th erefo re, t h e req u es t s d o n o t u n derm in e t he p ro b at e co urt ’ s

d et erm i n at i o n t h at Sm al lwo o d p o s s es s ed t h e n eces s ary t es t am en tary cap aci t y

.

3

. O’ Cal l ag h an fu rt h er arg u es t h at Sam p l es f a i l ed t o n o t i fy h er b efo re t h e

ev i d en t i ary h eari ng t h at a co u rt rep o rt er wo u ld b e t ran scri b i n g t he pro ceed i n g s

. Bu t

s h e h as p o i n t ed t o n o ev i d en ce t h at s h e o b ject ed t o t h e p res en ce o f t h e co u rt rep o rt er

o r rai s ed t h i s i s s ue bel o w, u n d erm i n in g an y cl ai m o f erro r b as e d o n t h e co u rt

re p o r t e r ’ s pres en ce. See Ch a mp i on W i n d o ws o f Ch a t t a no o ga v. Ed

wa r d s

, 3 2 6 Ga.

Ap p . 2 3 2

, 24 2 (2 ), n .9 (7 5 6 SE2 d 31 4 ) (2 0 1 4) (“ Is s ues an d o b ject i o n s n o t rai s ed i n

t h e t ri al co u rt an d ru led o n b y th e t ri al co u rt are deem ed wai v ed an d can n o t b e rai s ed

fo r th e fi rs t t i m e o n ap p eal .”) (ci t at i o n a n d p u n c t u at i o n o m i t t ed ). An d ev en i f

O’ Cal l ag h an was en t i t l ed t o pre-h eari n g n o ti ce t h at a co u rt rep o rt er wo u l d b e at t h e

h eari n g

, 4 s h e h as n o t s h o wn t h at t h e l ack o f n o t i ce harm ed h er. See Au s t e l l

3 Sam p l es ex p l i ci t ly d en i ed a req u es t fo r ad m i s s i o n t h at as k ed Sam p les t o ad m i t

t h at l i f e i n s u ran ce an d u n i on pay m en t s m ad e t o al l t hree of Sm al l wo o d ’ s s i b l i ng s

“ refl ect [ed ] th e t ru e u n d ers t an d i n g

, d es ire an d wi s h es o f M i ch ael D

. Sm al lwo o d fo r

t h e d i s p o s i t i o n o f al l o f h i s p ro p ert y , b o t h real an d p ers o n al , u po n h i s d eat h [.] ”

4 See Un i fo rm Pro b at e Co u rt Ru l e 1 0 .4 (If a part y des i res t h at a h eari n g o r t ri al

b e rep o rt ed by a co urt rep o rt er, “ [s ] u ch p art y s h al l i m m ed iat el y n ot i fy th e co u rt an d

9Hea lt h Ca r e v. S co t t

, 3 0 8 G a. Ap p

. 3 9 3

, 3 95 (1 ) (7 0 7 SE2 d 59 9 ) (2 0 1 1 ) (“ In o rd er to

co n st i t u t e rev ers i bl e erro r, bo t h erro r an d h arm m u st b e s ho wn .”) ( c i t a t i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m i t ted ). Las t l y, we f i n d n o m eri t i n O’ Cal l ag h an ’ s cl ai m t hat s h e h as

b een “ d i s ad v an t ag e[d ] ” in t hi s ap p eal b ecau s e s h e was u n ab l e t o s ecu re a co p y o f t h e

t ran s cri p t fro m t he co u rt rep o rt er. Th e o ri g in al t ran s cri pt i s co n t ai ned i n t he ap p el l at e

reco rd , wh i ch h as b een av ai l ab l e fo r O’ Cal l ag h an ’ s rev iew.

4

. In h er fi n al en u m erat i o n o f erro r, O’ Cal l ag h an arg u es t h at t h e p ro bat e co u rt

erred i n d e t e rm i n i n g t hat Sam p l es h ad s ub m i t t ed Sm al l wo o d ’ s o ri g i n al wi l l t o t h e

co u rt

. A t t h e co n cl u s i o n o f t h e ev i d en t i ary h eari n g

, t h e p ro bat e co urt s t at ed t h at i t d id

n o t h av e Sm al l wo o d ’ s o ri g i n al wi l l

, no t in g th at wh at ap p eared t o b e a ph o t o co p y h ad

b een fi l ed wi t h Sam

p l es ’ s p et i t i o n

. Th e co urt ex p lai n ed th at i t wo u l d wi t h h o l d i t s

fi nal ru l i n g t o g i v e Sam

p l es an o p p o rt u n it y to s u b m i t t h e o ri g i n al wi l l o r am en d h er

p et i t i o n wi t h t h e av erm en t s n eces s ary t o p ro b at e a p h o t o co p y o f th e w il l. Bo t h p art i es

ag reed to t h e p ro ced u re, an d i n i t s fi n al ru l i ng i s s ued ap p ro x i m at el y t wo m o n t h s l at er,

t h e p ro b at e co u rt fo u nd t h at

al t h o u g h t h e i n i t i al p et i t io n wa s f i l e d wi t h a co p y o f t h e Las t W i l l an d

Tes t am en t o f M i ch a e l D. Sm al l wo o d

, t h e o ri g in al d o cu m en t w as

o p p o s i n g co u n s el i n wri ti ng wh en s u ch arran g em en t s h av e b een m ad e.”).

10t h ereaft er s u b m it t ed

, an d t h at t h ere i s n o q ues t i o n t h at t h e Las t W i l l an d

Tes t am en t

, u n der d at e o f M arch 2 7

, 2 0 1 4

, i s

, i n fact

, an ori g i n al an d n o t

a co p y an d an y o b

ject i o n s o r o t h er m at t ers rel at i ng to th e fact th at a co p y

o f s ai d Las t W i l l an d Tes t am en t was su b m it t ed are n o l on g er rel e v a n t

an d / or m at eri al i n t hi s m at t er.

O’ Cal l ag h an wai v ed an y o b ject i o n t o t h e p ro b at e co u rt ’ s p r o ced u re fo r

o b t ai n i n g t h e o ri g i n al wi l l b y ex p l i c i t l y ag reei n g to t h at p ro ced u re. See La mb v.

Fu l t o n -DeKa l b Ho s

p

. Au t h

. , 29 7 Ga. Ap p. 5 2 9

, 5 3 2 (1 ) (6 77 SE2 d 3 2 8 ) (2 0 0 9 )

(“ Hav i n g acq u i es ced i n t h e t ri al co urt ’ s p ro ced u re, [ap pel l an t ] can n o t n o w co m p l ai n

o f i t .”). An d we can d i s cern n o b as i s fo r reject i n g th e p ro b at e co u rt ’ s fact u al fi n d i n g

t h at t h e o ri g i n al wi l l was s u b m i t t ed aft er t h e h eari n g. See Cu yl er v. Al l s ta t e In s

. Co

. ,

2 8 4 Ga. A p p

. 4 0 9

, 4 11 (2 ) (6 4 3 SE2 d 78 3 ) (2 0 07 ) (“ [I] t i s wel l es t ab l i sh ed t h at t h e

b u rd en i s o n th e p art y al l eg in g erro r t o s ho w i t b y t he reco rd

, an d t her e i s a

p res u m p t i o n i n f a v o r o f t h e reg u l ari t y o f al l p ro ceed i n g s i n a co urt o f co m p et en t

ju ri s d i ct i o n .”) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ). A l t h o u g h O’ Cal l ag h an n o w

co m p l ai n s t h at Sam

p l es fai l ed t o s erv e h er wi t h “ t h e fi l i n g o f an o ri g i n al W i l l ,” s h e

h as n o t d em o n s t rat ed t h at s h e w as h arm ed b y an y l ack o f s erv i ce. Acco rd i n g l y

, t h i s

cl ai m o f erro r p ro v i d es n o b as i s fo r rev ers al . See A u st el l Hea l t hCa r e , s u p ra.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Mi l l er

, P. J., a n d

Co o mer , J., co n cu r

.

11