THI RD DI VI SI ON

M C FA DDEN, C. J.

, D OYLE, P. J.

, and HODGES, J.

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.

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. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

D E A D LIN E S A R E N O LO N G E R TO LLE D IN T

H I S

C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN

TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

O U R C O U R T R U LE S

.

June 29, 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 02 2 . LUKE et

al . v . LUKE et

al

.

M C F A D D E N , Ch i ef J u d g e.

Th i s ap p eal ch al len g es a t ri al co urt ’ s fi n d in g t h at a pro v i s i o n of a wi l l i s

u n am b i g u o u s an d s h o w s t h e t es t at o r’ s cl ear i n t en t t o d ev i s e a o n e-fo urt h i n t eres t i n

cert ai n real p ro p ert y to h er s o n. W h i l e ev i d en ce o f t h e t es t at o r’ s i n ten t m ay au t h o ri ze

t h at fi n d i ng , i n o rd er t o fi n d an d g i v e effect to t h at i nt en t

, t h e tri al co u rt m u s t co n s i d er

p aro l ev id en ce an d us e t h at ev i d en ce t o res ol v e a l at en t am bi g u i t y

. So w e v acat e t h e

t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er an d rem an d fo r co n s i d erat i o n o f t h at p aro l ev i d en ce.

1

. Fa ct s a n d p r o ced

ur a l p o s t u r e.

Th e wi l l at i s su e i s Ed it h Lu k e’ s

. Sh e an d An d rew Lu ke were m arri ed an d h ad

fi ve ch i l d ren

. Du ri n g th e m arri ag e, An drew L u k e co n v ey ed a jo i n t o n e-h al f i n t eres ti n cert ai n far m p r o p e r t y to Ed i t h Lu k e an d t hei r so n , A n d y Lu k e. An d rew Lu k e

ret ai n ed o wn ers h i p o f t h e o t h er o n e-h al f i nt eres t i n t h e farm p ro p ert y

.

An d rew Lu k e an d Ed i t h Lu k e s u b s eq u en t ly d i v o rced

. A ft er t he d i v o rce,

An d rew Lu k e co n v ey ed h i s o n e-h al f i n t eres t in t h e farm p ro p ert y t o t h e An d rew W

.

Lu k e Rev o cab l e Li v i n g Tru s t

. Hi s ch i l d ren are b en efi ci ari es o f t hat t ru s t

. Ed i t h Lu k e

was n ot . An d rew Lu k e d i ed i n 2 0 0 1

.

Al t h ou g h s h e i s n o t a b en efi c i a r y o f A n d rew Lu k e’ s tru s t

, Ed i t h Lu k e’ s las t

wi l l an d t es t am en t, ex ecu t ed i n 2 0 0 9

, p u rp o rt s t o b eq u eat h a l ife es t at e i n a o n e-fo u rt h

i n t eres t i n t h at t ru s t . It p ro v i d es at It em Fo u r,

I wi l l

, g iv e, gran t

, b eq u eat h an d dev i s e a l i fe es tat e o f m y o n e-fo urt h ( 1 / 4 )

s h are o f t h e ANDREW LUKE IRREVOCABLE TRUST t o ANDY L UKE, fo r h i s l i fet i m e, h o wev er, s u b ject t o h i s p ay i n g o n e-h al f (1⁄2 ) o f ren t s an d o n e-h al f (1⁄2 ) of t im

b er s al es t o TOM M IE CLARK each y ear. Up on ANDY LUKE’ s d em i s e th i s o n e-fo u rt h (1 / 4 t h ) s h al l co n ti n u e to b e p ai d t o T O M M IE CLARK

fo r h er l ifet im e, an d u p o n TOM M IE CLARK’ S d em i s e t h i s o ne-fo u rt h (1 / 4 t h )

i n t eres t s h al l rem ai n an d b e a p art o f th e ANDREW W

. LUKE

IRREVOCABLE TRUST an d s u b ject t o t h e p ro vi s i o n s t h ereo f.

Ed i t h Lu k e d i ed i n 2 0 1 2

. Li t i g at i o n en s u ed

. An dy Lu k e , h i s s i s t er To m m i e

Cl ark

, an d o t h ers fi l e d a p e t i t io n ag ai n s t t h ei r s i b l i n g s an d o t h ers s eek i n g , am o n g

o t h er t h i n g s , co n st ru ct i o n o f Ed i t h Lu k e’ s wi l l

. To m m ie Cl ark l at er wi t h d rew fro m

t h e cas e. An d y

Lu k e fi l ed a m o t i o n fo r p art ial s u m m ary ju d g m en t.

2An d y Lu k e co n t en d s t h at It em Fo u r of Ed i t h Lu k e’ s wi l l s h ou l d b e co n s t ru ed

t o leav e h i m a l i fe es t at e i n h i s m o t h er’ s i nt eres t i n t h e farm p ro pert y (s u bject t o t h e

p ro v is i o n s i n fav o r o f h is s is t er To m m ie Cl ark ). T h e tri al co u rt g ran t ed t h e m o t i o n,

fi nd i ng t h at It em Fo u r o f t he wi l l “ i s u n am b i g u o us , an d t h at t h e t es t at o r’ s cl ear i n t en t

was t o l eav e h er s h are o f t h e farm p ro p ert y t o her s o n , A n d y Lu ke fo r h i s l ife, s u b ject

t o t h e p ro v i s io n s reg ard i ng th e care o f T o m m ie [Cl ark ] .” At an ot h er po i n t in i t s o rd er,

t h e t ri al co u rt fo un d t h at “ i t was t h e cl ear i n t en t o f Ed it h Lu k e t o d ev i s e h er i n t eres t

i n t h e An d rew W

. Lu k e Rev o cab l e Tru s t to h er s on , An d y , fo r hi s li fe, s u b ject t o t h e

p ro v is i o n s reg ard in g t he care o f To m m i e Cl ark .” Th e d efen d an t s ap peal

.

2

. Co n s tr u i n g t h e wi l l

.

“ T h e c o n s t ru ct i o n o f a wi l l i s a q u es t i o n o f l aw, wh i ch we rev i ew d e n o v o .”

DeMo tt v. DeMo t t , 3 5 3 G a. Ap p . 1 9 0 (8 36 SE2 d 6 1 2 ) (2 0 1 9 ).

Th e card i nal ru l e in co n s t ru i n g t he p ro v i s io n s o f a wi l l i s t o d et erm in e

t h e i n t en t of t h e t es t at o r. It i s wel l s et tl ed

, h owev er, t h at t h ere i s n o ro om fo r co n st ru ct i o n wh en t h e m ean i n g o f t h e wo rd s u s ed i n t h e wi l l i s s o

p l a i n an d o b vi o u s t hat i t can n o t b e m i s u n d ers t o o d

. Th i s i s t ru e ev en i f

t h e wo r d s u s ed in t h e wi l l ex pres s a m ean i n g en t i rel y at v ari an ce w i t h

t h e real i n t en ti o n o f t h e t es tat o r. Th e p l ai n an d un am bi g u o u s t erm s o f a wi l l m u s t co n t ro l an d p aro l ev i den ce can n o t b e u s ed t o co nt rad i ct o r g iv e

n ew m ean in g t o th at w h i ch i s ex p res s ed cl earl y i n t h e wi l l

. Eq u al l y i m p o rt an t

, t h e e n t i re d o cu m en t i s t o b e tak en t o g et h er, an d op erat i o n

s h o u l d b e g i v e n t o e v e r y p art o f i t

. W h ere t h e w i l l i s am b i g u ou s , th e

co u rt sh o u ld ap p l y t he ru l es o f co n s t ru ct i o n an d m ay co n s i der p aro l

3ev i d en ce o f ci rcu m s t an ces s u rro u n di n g t h e t es t at o r at t h e t i m e o f

ex ecu t i on o f t h e wi l l i n o rd er t o as cert ai n t h e t es t at o r’ s i nt en t

.

Id . at 1 9 1 (ci t at i on s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ).

In res o l v i n g am

bi g u i t i e s , “ t h e co u rt m ay h ear p aro l ev id en ce o f t h e

c i r c u m s t an ces s u rro u n d i ng th e t es t at o r at t h e t i m e o f ex ecu t i o n t o ex p l ai n a l l

am bi g ui t i es , wh et her l at en t o r pat en t .” OCGA § 5 3 -4 -5 6

. “ A p at en t am b i g u i t y i s o n e

t h at ap p ears on t h e face o f t h e wi l l

, wh ereas a l at en t am b i g u i t y i s n o t ap p aren t o n t h e

face o f th e wi l l

, bu t o n l y ap p ears wh en th e wo rd s o f t h e wi l l are p u t i n t o o p erat i o n.”

R e d f e a r n W i l l s a nd Ad mi n is t r a t i o n i n Geo r

g i a , § 7 : 1 0 (2 0 1 9 -2 0 20 Ed

. ). See al s o

Bo a rd o f Reg en t s v. Ba tes

, 2 6 2 Ga. 3 0 7 (1 9 9 2 ); Ci t i z en s & S o u t h er n N

a t

. Ba n k v.

Cl a rk

, 17 2 Ga. 6 2 5, 6 3 0 (1 5 8 SE 2 9 7 ) (1 9 3 1 ); S ch er i d an v. S ch er i d a n , 1 3 2 Ga. Ap p.

2 1 0 (2 0 7 SE2 d 6 9 1 ) (1 9 7 4 ). So co u rt s hav e “ co n s i d ered p aro l ev i d en ce t o co rrect

[l at en t am b i g u i t i es of] m i s n am ed o r m i s i d en ti fi ed p ro p ert y an d / o r b en efi ci ari es i n a

wi l l [.] ” S mi t h v. A s h

fo r d

, 2 9 8 Ga. 3 9 0

, 3 9 3 (2 ) (7 8 2 SE2 d 2 5 1 ) (2 0 1 6 ) (ci t at i on s

o m it t ed ). See Red

f ea r n W il l s a n d Ad mi n i s t r a t i o n i n Geo r

g i a , § 7 : 1 0 (2 01 9 -2 0 2 0 Ed .)

(“ Paro l ev i d en ce is ad m i s s i b l e to as s i s t in det erm in i ng t h e i n t en t i o n o f t h e tes t at o r i f

t h e p ro p ert y

h as b een i n co rrect l y

d es cri b ed i n t h e wi l l .”).

4In t h i s cas e, t h e t r i a l c o u rt erred i n fi n di ng t h at It em Fo u r o f t h e wi l l i s

u n am b i g u o u s

. W h i le It em Fo u r is n o t pat en t l y am b i gu o u s o n i t s face, i t co n t ai n s

l at en t am b i g u i t i es co ncern i n g t h e p ro p ert y d ev i sed t h at ap p ear o n l y wh en i t s wo rd s

are p ut i n to o p erat i o n

. As an i n i t i a l m a t t e r , t h e p art ies ag ree t h at t here i s n o

i n s t ru m en t k n o wn as t h e “ An d rew W

. Lu k e Irrev o cab l e Tru s t ” as referen ced i n It em

Fo u r. Nev ert h el es s , we ag ree wi t h t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g t h at t h i s was m erel y a

s cri ven er’ s erro r in r e f

e r e nc i n g th e “ An d rew W

. Lu k e Rev o cab le Tru s t .” See B en ed i ct

v. S nea d

, 2 7 1 Ga. 5 8 5, 5 8 6 (5 1 9 SE2 d 9 0 5 ) (1 9 9 9 ) (s cri v en er’ s erro r n ot p erm i t t ed

t o d efeat cl ear i nt en t ).

A m o re s eri ou s l at en t am

bi g u i t y ari s es fro m t h e fact t h at Ed it h Lu k e u n d ert o o k

t o b eq u eat h an i n t eres t i n th e t ru s t ev en t h o u g h s h e h ad n o s u ch i nt eres t

. Th e b eq u es t

can n ot b e p u t i n t o op erat i o n wi t h o u t res o lv in g t h at am b ig u i t y . Paro l ev i d en ce m u s t

b e co n s id ered to d et erm i n e t h e t es t at o r’ s i n t en t i n d ev i s in g a l i fe es tat e of a o n e-fo u rt h

s h are o f t h e t ru s t

. “ In t h i s s i t u at i o n , paro l ev i den ce of al l o f t h e fact s an d

ci rcu m s t an ces res p ect i n g per sons a nd pr ope r ty to w hi ch t h e wi l l rel at es are ad m i s s i b l e

as l eg i t i m at e ev id en ce t o s ho w t h e i nt en t i o n a n d a p p l icat io n of t h e wo rd s u s ed .”

Leg ar e v. Leg a re , 2 6 8 Ga. 4 7 4

, 47 6 (4 9 0 SE2 d 36 9 ) (1 9 9 7). “ Acco rd i ng l y , we [v acat e

t h e t ri al co urt ’ s o rd er] an d rem an d th i s cas e fo r fu rt h er p ro ceed in g s co n s i s t en t wi th

5t h i s o p i n io n .” DeMo tt

, s u p ra at 1 9 3 (rem an di n g cas e fo r tri al co u rt t o co n s i d er p aro l

e v i d e n ce t o res o l v e am

b i g u i t y i n w i l l an d det erm i n e t es t at o r’ s i n t en t i n co n v ey i n g

cert ai n p ro p ert y ri g ht s ). See al s o Ovr evi k v. O ver vi k

, 2 4 2 Ga. A pp

. 9 5

, 1 0 0 (4 ) (5 2 7

SE 2 d 58 6 ) (2 00 0) (rem an d i n g cas e t o tri al co u rt t o h ear p aro l ev i d en ce t o ex p l ai n

am bi g ui t y an d d et erm i n e i n t en t o f t ru s t l an g u ag e d i s t ri b u ti n g p ro p ert y ).

Ju d g men t va ca t ed and c ase r ema n d ed wi th d i rect i o n

. Do

yl e, P. J., a nd Ho d

g es

,

J., co n cu r

.

6