In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d: Ju n e 2 9 , 2 0 1 5

S 1 5 A0 3 3 5 . REEVES e t a l. v . WEBB e t a l. S 15 A 0 3 3 6 . GROENENBOOM v . WEBB e t a l.

HINES , P re sid in g Ju stic e

.

Th is is a will c o n te st in wh ic h th e p ro p ou nd e r an d th e b e n e fi c i a r i e s a re

a p p e a lin g a n o r d e r of th e p ro b a te c o urt d ism issin g th e pe titio n to p ro b a te th e

will in so le mn fo rm a n d a su b se q u e n t o rd e r d e n y in g th e ir m o tio n fo r n e w tria l,

o r in th e a lte rn a tiv e , m o tio n to se t a sid e ju d g m e n t a n d e nte r ju d g m e n t a d m ittin g

th e will to p ro b a te

. F o r th e re a so n s wh ic h fo llo w, we re ve rse a nd re m a n d

.

Jo se p h Th o m a s S c h m id t (“ S c h m id t” ) e x e c u te d th e will a t issu e (“ Will” )

o n Ju ly 2 0

, 2 0 1 0

. S c h m id t wa s a d isa b le d Ma rin e Co rp s v e te ra n wh o su ffe re d

fro m p a ra n o id sc h iz o ph re n ia with d e lu sio n s sin c e th e e a rly 1 9 7 0 ' s; he a lso h a d

v isio n a nd h e a rin g diffic u ltie s

. He wa s tre a te d a s a d isa b le d v e te ra n a n d

re c e iv e d d isa b ility b e n e fits fro m th e Ve te ra n s Ad m in istra tio n (“ VA” ) un til h is

d e a th on Oc to b e r 5

, 2 01 3

. He wa s a p p o in te d a VA g ua rd ia n a n d c o n se rv a to r in

1 9 7 4. Da le L. Gro e n e n b o o m (“ Gro e n e n b o o m ” ) wa s a p p o in te d a s su c c e sso rg u a rd ia n o f S c hm id t’s pe rso n a n d p ro p e rty in 19 76

, a nd se rv e d in su c h c a p a c ity

u n til S c h m id t’s d e a th

. In 1 9 9 7

, S c h m i d t en t e r e d in to th e p e rso n a l c a re h om e

o wn e d a n d o p e ra te d b y Ch a rle s H. Re e ve s. Jr. a n d h is wif e , J e r r y J. Re e ve s

(“ Re e ve se s” ), a n d h e re sid e d th e re th e re m a in d e r of h is life

. Th e Re e ve se s we re

c o m p e nsa t e d m o n th ly fo r th e ir se rv ic e s. Gro e n e n b o o m w a s se le c te d to b e

S c h m id t’s g u a r d ia n b y th e VA, an d c o n tro lle d S c h m id t’s fu nd s, in c lu d in g h is

VA d isa b ility p a y m e n ts a n d h is S o c ia l S e c urity b e n e fits, a n d h e m a d e th e

p a y m e n ts to th e Re e v e se s fo r S c h m id t’s c u sto dia l c a re an d m on th ly sp e n d in g

a llo w a n c e

. Th e Will na m e d Gro e n e n b o o m a s e x e c u to r a nd th e Re e v e se s a n d

Gro e n e n b o o m a s th e b e n e fic ia rie s

. 1 I n th e Will, Ju d ith We b b (“ We b b” ),

S c h m id t’s twin siste r 2 a n d so le n a m e d h e ir a t la w, wa s e xp re ssly e x c lu de d fro m

in h e ritin g fro m

S c h m id t’s e sta te

. 3

On De c e m

b e r 6

, 20 1 3

, Gro e n e n b o om file d th e p e titio n to p ro b a te th e Will

1 Under the W ill, the Reeveses each inherited 40% of the e state, and Groenenboom received the remaining 20% of the estate, which estate was valued in ex cess of $500,000.

2 Schmidt and Webb were placed in a n orphanag e as y oung children and were adopted as a pair in 1947.

3 The W ill stated:

I have intentionally and with full knowledg e omitted to provide for a ny a nd all of my heirs, including but not limited to m y s i s t e r , J udi W e bb, who are not specifically mentioned in the terms of this my L a st will and Testament.

2in so le m

n fo rm (“ P e titio n” ) a n d a “ Pe titio n o f Co n se rv a to r fo r F in a l S e ttle m e n t

o f A c c o u n ts a

n d Disc h a rg e fr o m O ffic e a n d L ia b ility ” (“ S e ttle m e n t” ). On

Ma rc h 18

, 2 0 1 4

, We bb file d a m o tio n to d e n y th e P e t i t io n a n d th e

a c c o m p a n y in g S e ttle m e n t, a s we ll a s an o bje c tio n a n d c a v e a t to th e m ,

c o n te n d in g th a t Gro e n e n b o o m , a s g u a rd ia n a n d c o nse rv a to r, a n d th e Re e v e se s

a s c u sto dia n s, b re a c h e d th e ir fid u c ia ry d u tie s owe d to th e ir w a rd

, S c h m id t; th a t

th e y c o m m itte d fra u d a g a in st S c hm id t a n d th e p ro b a te c o u rt; th a t S c h m id t wa s

u n d uly in flu e n c e d b y th e m with in th e m e a n in g of OCGA § 5 3 -4 -1 2 4 ; a n d th a t

S c h m id t la c k e d te sta m e n ta ry c a p a c ity a t th e tim e th e Will wa s e x e c ute d

.

On Ju n e 9

, 2 0 1 4

, th e p ro b a te c o u rt e n te re d a fin a l o rd e r d i sm issin g th e

P e titio n

. It d id so a fte r fin d in g th a t p ro p o u n d e r Gro e n e n b o om d id no t “ m a k e o u t

a p rim a fa c ie c a se ” to a d m it th e Will to p ro ba te in th a t Gro e ne n b o o m “ fa ile d to

p ro d u c e th e su b sc rib in g w itn e ss [to th e Will] fo r e x a m in a t i o n a t th e h e a rin g

d e sp ite th e fa c t th a t th e y we re n e ith e r sh o wn to be d e c e a se d or in a c c e s s ib le .”

Th e p ro b a te c o u rt fu rth e r ju stifie d its d ism issa l o n th e b a sis,

4 OCGA § 53-4-12 provides:

A will must be freely and voluntarily ex ecuted. A will is not valid if any thing destroy s the

t e s t a t o r ' s freedom of volition, such as fraudulent practices upon the testator' s fears, a f f e c t i o n s , or sy mpathies; misrepresentation; duress; or undue influence whereby the will of another is substituted for the wishes of the testator.

3th a t p ro p o u n d e r ha s fa ile d in its b u rd e n to m a k e a p rim a fa c ie c a se

sh o win g th a t th e will wa s p r o p e r ly e x e c u te d

, m a d e fre e ly a n d

v o lu n ta r i l y , a n d th a t th e te sta to r h a d su ffic ie n t m e n ta l c a p a c ity to

m a k e it a t th e tim e th e will wa s e x e c u te d

.

It a lso sta te d

,

Th e c o u rt re c o g n iz e s th a t th e p ro p o u n d e r in c e rta in in sta n c e s m a y

m a k e th e p ro o f in itia lly re q u ire d to e sta b lish a p rim a fa c ie c a se b y

o th e r witn e sse s wh o c a n te s tify

, a nd u p o n su ffic ie n t p ro o f th e b u rd e n th e n fa lls o n th e c a v e a to r to re b u t th e te sta to r’s te sta m e nta ry

c a p a c ity

. Ho we v e r, th e p ro p o u n d e r c a n n o t g e t to th a t po in t with o u t first in tro d u c in g a t th e h e a rin g a ll th e liv in g an d a c c e ssib le

su b sc rib in g w itn e sse s wh o w e re p h y sic a lly p re se n t d u rin g th e

e x e c u tio n [o f] th e will.

On Ju n e 2 0

, 2 01 4

, Gro e n e n b o o m file d a m o tio n fo r re c o n sid e ra tio n , a n d

th is m o tio n wa s d e n ie d o n Ju n e 2 4

, 2 0 1 4

. On Ju ly 8

, 2 0 1 4

, Gro e n e n bo o m a n d

th e Re e ve se s file d th e ir m o tio n fo r n e w tria l, o r in th e a lte rn a tiv e , m o tio n to se t

a sid e ju d g m e n t a

n d e n te r ju d g m e n t a d m ittin g th e W ill to p ro b a te
, a n d th is

m o tio n wa s d e nie d o n Ju ly 1 1

, 2 0 1 4

. Th e Re e v e se s (No

. S 1 5 A0 3 3 5 ) a n d

Gro e n e n b o o m (No

. S 1 5 A0 3 3 6 ) p u rsu e th e p re se n t a p p e a ls, wh ic h h a v e b e e n

c o n so lid a te d fo r c o n sid e ra tio n

.

In d ism issin g th e P e titio n , th e p ro b a te c o u rt re lie d h e a v ily u p o n S p iv e y v

.

S p iv e y , 2 0 2 G a

. 6 4 4 (4 4 S E2 d 2 2 4 ) (1 94 7), q u o tin g fro m it th a t in o rd e r,

4[t] o m a k e o u t a p rim a fa c ie c a se , a n d to b e e n title d to a ju d g m e n t o f

p ro b a te in so le mn fo rm , t h e p ro p o u n d e r m u st in tro d u c e a t th e h e a rin g a ll th e su b sc rib in g witn e sse s, if liv in g a n d a c c e ssib le

, o r p ro o f o f th e ir sig n a tu re s, if d e a d o r in a c c e ssib le

.

Id

. a t 6 4 9 (1 ). T h is sta t eme n t fro m S piv e y wa s b a se d u p o n fo rm e r Co d e An n

.
§ 1 1 3

– 6 0 2

, wh ic h e a rly c a se la w in te rp re te d a s re q u irin g th a t su b sc rib in g

witn e sse s b e p re se n t in th e c o u rt in o rd e r to p ro ve th e will fo r its a dm issio n in to

p ro b a te in so le m

n fo rm ; h o we v e r, fo llo win g T a y lo r v

. Do n a ld

so n , 2 2 7 Ga

. 4 9 6

(1 8 1 S E2 d 3 4 0 ) (1 9 7 1 ), th e p ro p o u n d e r of a will wa s “ re q u ire d o n ly to p ro v e th e

will in a c c o rd a n c e w ith th e Ge o rg ia Civ il P ra c tic e Ac t, wh ic h d oe s n o t o f

n e c e ssity re q u ire p e rso n a l a p pe a ra n c e .” No rto n v

. Ge org ia R

. R. Ba n k & T ru st

Co

. , 2 4 8 Ga

. 8 4 7

, 8 4 8 (1 ) (2 8 5 S E 2 d 9 10 ) (1 9 8 2 ). F u rth e rm o re , OCGA § 5 3 -4

-

2 4 p ro v id e s fo r se lf-p ro v e d wills a n d c o d ic ils, sta tin g in su b se c tio n (a ),

At th e tim e o f its e x e c u tio n o r a t a n y s u b s e q u e n t d a te du rin g th e life tim e o f th e te sta to r a n d th e w itn e sse s, a will or c o d i c i l m a y b e

m a d e se lf-p ro v e d a n d th e te stim o n y o f th e witn e sse s in th e p ro b a te

re g a rd in g su c h will ma y b e m a d e u n ne c e ssa ry b y th e a ffid a v its o f th e te sta to r a n d th e a tte stin g witn e sse s m a d e be fo re a n o ta ry pu blic

. Th e a ffid a v it a n d c e rtific a te p ro v id e d in su bse c tio n (b ) o f th is Co d e

se c tio n sh a l l b e th e o n ly p re re qu isite s o f a se lf-p ro v e d will o r

c o d ic il. 5

5 OCGA § 53-4-24 (b) provides:

5The a ffidavit shall be evidenced by a certificate, a ffix ed with the official seal of the notary

public, that is attached o r annex ed to the will o r codicil, in form and content substantially as follows:

STATE OF GEORGI A

COUNTY of _______________

B e fore me, the undersig ned authority

, on this day personally appeared
_____, _____, and
_____, known to me to be the testator and the witnesses, respectively

, whose names are subscribed to the

annex ed or foreg oing instrument in their respective capacities, a nd all of said individuals being by

me duly sworn, _____, testator, declared to me and to the w i t n es ses in my presence that said instrument is the last w ill and testament or a codicil to the last will and testament of the testator and that the testator had willing ly made and ex ecuted it as a f ree act and deed f

o r the purposes ex pressed therein. The witnesses, each on oath, stated to me in the presence and hearing of the testator that the

testator had d eclared to them that the instrument is the testator' s last will and testament o r a codicil

to the testator' s last will and testament a n d t h a t the testator e x ecuted the instrument a s such and wished each of them to sig n it as a witness; and under oath each witnes s stated further that the witness had sig ned the same as witness in the presence of the testator and at the testator' s request; that the testator was 14 y ears of ag e or over and of sound mind; and that e ach of the witnesses was then at least 14 y ears of ag e.

_________________________________________

Testator

_________________________________________

W itness

_________________________________

W itness

Sworn to and subscribed before me by _____, testator, and sworn to and subscribed before me by _____ and _____, witnesses, this _____ day of _____, _____.

(SEAL )

(Sig ned)

_______________________________
(Official Capacity

of Officer)

6I n t h e p re se n t c a se , th e W ill h a d a n a tta c h e d e x e c u te d se lf-p ro v in g a ffid a v it. 6

S o , th e Will c o u l d b e a d m itte d to pro b a te a n d in to e v id e n c e w ith o u t th e

te stim o n y o f th e su b sc rib in g w itn e sse s o r oth e r p ro o f fo r th e p u rp o se o f sh o win g

th a t th e fo rm a litie s o f e x e c u tio n we re m e t. Du n c an v

. Mo o re , 2 75 Ga

. 65 6

, 6 5 7

(1 ) (5 7 1 S E2 d 7 7 1 ) (2 0 0 2 ).

Ce rta in ly

, it is th e b u rd e n o f th e p ro p o un de r o f a will to e sta blish a p rim a

fa c i e c a s e , w h ic h in c lu d e s sh o win g th e fa c t o f th e will, th e te sta to r’s a p p a re n t

su ffic ie n t m e n ta l c a

p a c ity to m a k e it a t th e tim e of its e x e c u tio n , an d th a t th e

te sta to r a c te d fre e ly a n d vo lu n ta rily in d o in g so ; a fte r th is h a s b e e n

a c c o m p lish e d

, th e b u r d e n o f p ro o f sh ifts to th e c a v e a to r. S in ge lma n v

.

S in g e lma n n , 2 7 3 G a

. 8 9 4

, 8 9 5 (1 ) (5 4 8 S E2 d 34 3) (2 0 0 1 ). Ag a in

, th e Will is

se lf-p ro v e d; th e re fo re ,

c o m p lia n c e with th e re q u ire m e nts o f e x e c u tio n a re p r e s u m e d with o u t th e liv e te stim o n y o r a f f i d a v its o f witn e sse s; th a t is, th e

a ffid a v it c re a te s a p re su m p tio n re g ard in g th e p r i m a fa c ie c a se , su b je c t to re b u tta l. OCGA § 5 3 -5 -2 1 (a ). 7

6 The affidavit contained the sig natures of the testator Schmidt, and the two witnesses to the
W ill as w ell as the sig ned attestation by a notary public, and was substantially similar in form to the

ex a mple set forth in OCGA § 53-4-24 (b).

7 Present OCGA § 53-5-21 (a), effective J anuary 1, 2015, provides:

A w ill may be proved in solemn form after d ue notic e , upon the testimony of all the

7S in g e lma n v . S in g e lma n n , a t 8 9 6 (1 ). In d e e d

,

[e ] v e n in th e c a se o f a

will th a t is n o t se lf-p ro v e d

, witn e sse s to th e will m a y b e e x a m in e d in p e rso n , b y writt e n in te rro g a to rie s, o r b y

o th e r d isc o v e ry p ro c e d u re s, a s in o th e r c iv i l c a se s. OCGA § 5 3 -5 -2 3 (a ). T h e ta k in g o f t e stim o n y in th e m a n n e r p re sc rib e d b y sta tu te is su ffic ie n t fo r a l l p u rp o se s in th e p ro b a te p ro c e e d in g

. OCGA § 5 3 -5 -2 3(c ). 8

witnesses in life and within the jurisdiction of the c ourt, or b y proof of their sig natures and that of the testator as provided in Code Section 5 3-5-23. The testimony of only one witness shall be required to p rove the will in solemn f orm if no caveat is filed. I f a will is self-proved, compliance with sig nature req u i re m e n t s and other requirements of e x ecution is presumed subject to rebuttal w ithout the necessity of the testimony of a ny w itness upon filing the will and affidavit annex ed or attached thereto.

8 OCGA § 53-5-23 states:

(a) I n all proceeding s for the probate of a w ill in c ommon form or solemn form, witnesses

to the will may be ex amined in person or by written interrog atories which shall be answered in writing and under o ath b efore a notary public o r by depositi o n s o r other discovery procedures under the same circumstances as other civil cases. The probate court shall have the power to compel the attendance of witnesses in the same manner as the superior court.

(b) W here wi tnesses are to be ex amined as authoriz e d by this Code section, a photocopy of the will may be ex hibited to the witnesses in lieu of the orig inal will. The testimony of a witness to whom a photocopy of a will h as been ex hibited shall be g iven the same weig ht as thoug h the orig inal will had been ex h ibited to the witness.

(c) The provisions of this Code section shall not be construed as repealing any other statutory provision prescribing a method or procedure for the taking of testimony by interrog atories

or depositions, but as supplementary of such other provisions and cumulative to such other

p r o v i s i o n s and as providing additional means or methods of taking the testimony of subscribing witnesses to a will in proceeding s f or the probate of the will. The taking or procuring of testimony in the manner prescribed by this Code section shall be sufficient f or all purposes of the probate proceeding s, notwithstanding any other statute.

8Id

.

Ac c o rd in g ly

, th e ju d g m e n ts o f th e p ro b a te c o u rt a re re v e rse d an d th e c a se

is re m a n d e d to th a t c o u rt fo r p ro c e e d in g s c o n siste n t with th is o p in io n

.

Ju d g m e n ts re ve rse d a n d c a se re m a nd e d . All th e Ju stic e s c o nc u r.

9