J-A05016-22

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37

IN RE: ESTATE OF WENDELL L. 

LEHMAN

APPEAL OF: NICHOLAS L. BOYER, 

DEANNA M. BOYER, ANNETTE M. 

BOYER, QUINN T. STARNER, AND 

ROSS E. STARNER

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 IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF

 PENNSYLVANIA

 No. 601 MDA 2021

Appeal from the Order Entered April 16, 2021,

in the Court of Common Pleas of Adams County,

Orphans’ Court at No(s): OC-73-2017.

BEFORE: OLSON, J., KUNSELMAN, J., and STEVENS, P.J.E.*

MEMORANDUM BY KUNSELMAN, J. FILED APRIL 01, 2022

Some of the Descendants of the late Wendell L. Lehman, (namely, 

decedent’s daughter, Annette M. Boyer, and her children and grandchildren) 

objected to the administration of Wendell’s Estate in the Orphans’ Court of 

Adams County. Following a non-jury trial, Descendants appeal from an order

ruling that (1) Annette’s brother, Sheldon Lehman, did not unduly influence 

Wendell regarding Wendell’s designation of beneficiaries on four transfer-ondeath accounts and that (2) Sheldon did not violate a fiduciary duty to

Wendell.

1

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* Former Justice specially assigned to the Superior Court.

1 The orphans’ court also held that Wendy S. Starner and Christopher L. Boyer 

lack standing. Descendants do not appeal that determination. That decision

is now final; thus, we have removed Wendy and Christopher’s names from the 

caption.
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Descendants only challenge the third ruling. They allege Sheldon was 

acting under a power of attorney when Wendell signed the beneficiarydesignation forms, and, therefore, Sheldon owed Wendell a fiduciary duty. 

Because Wendell signed the beneficiary-designation forms on his own volition,

we affirm.

Wendell was originally married to Jeanne, and they had four children –

Annette, Wanda, Lindy, and Sheldon. Wendell was a successful businessman 

and savvy investor. He kept a close eye on his investments and thoroughly

questioned those who managed his finances. Wendell was never easily bullied 

or manipulated. He possessed a strong will and adhered to traditional gender 

roles. Also, he often threatened his children with disinheritance to manipulate 

them into doing what he desired.

This strained Annette’s relationship with her father, because she would 

often challenge his conduct and familial control. After a 1988 dispute, Annette 

ceased all communication with her parents, three siblings, and daughter for 

eight years. This and other disagreements between Wendell and Annette 

caused Wendell to remove her from and return her to his will on several 

occasions.

Around 2003 or 2004 Wendell opened a Genworth Annuity account as

an irrevocable retirement account (“IRA”), and he named all four children as 

his beneficiaries. He later changed the beneficiary of this transfer-on-death 

account to his Estate.
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Then, on September 17, 2009, Wendell’s first wife died, and he married 

Beatrice in December of 2010. The next winter, Wendell appointed Sheldon 

as his power of attorney. A month later, he opened a second transfer-ondeath account with Wanda, Lindy, and Sheldon designated as beneficiaries.

Approximately two years passed, and, on November 10, 2014, Wendell 

met with Harry “Bud” Rubin, Esq. to modify his will. Attorney Rubin’s partner, 

Alex Snyder, Esq.; Wanda’s husband; Lindy’s husband; and Sheldon were also 

at that meeting. The orphans’ court found that:

[Wendell] was very clear during the November 10, 2014 

meeting about what he wanted to do . . . [He] and Attorney 

Rubin did the majority of the talking . . .

It was not Attorney Snyder’s impression that the . . . 

meeting was being steered by anyone other than [Wendell]. 

Attorney Snyder [was] always concerned about the

testamentary capacity of his elderly clients when he [was] 

involved in creating testamentary documents[; hence,] it 

[was] his standard practice to assess testamentary capacity 

and whether the testator is being influenced by others. [He]

had no concerns about Wendell’s testamentary capacity 

during the November 10, 2014 meeting.

[The orphans’ court deemed that] the testimony of 

Attorney Snyder [was] credible. Every single person who 

testified at trial, that was present during the November 10, 

2014 meeting . . . testified that it was [Wendell] who 

instructed Attorney Rubin as to how to draft his will. 

Attorney Rubin drafted the 2014 will and emailed it to 

Sheldon on November 14, 2014, copied Attorney Snyder,

and stated, “Sheldon, I think this does what Wendell wants 

it to do in the easiest and simplest way.” N.T., 9/10/20, at

405. The 2014 will was signed by [Wendell] on December 

4, 2014.

When [Wendell] discovered that the 2014 will could 

have potentially resulted in [him] bequeathing more than 
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$200,000 to Beatrice, he made another appointment with 

[Attorney] Rubin to change the will. The provisions 

excluding Annette and including Annette’s Grandchildren in

the 2015 will were the same as in the 2014 will. 

Orphans’ Court Opinion, 4/16/21, at 20-22.

Eight days later, on November 18, 2014, Wendell opened his third and 

fourth transfer-on-death accounts. For both, he named Wanda, Lindy, and 

Sheldon as beneficiaries. On that same day, he changed the beneficiaries on 

his Genworth Annuity IRA from his Estate to Wanda, Lindy, and Sheldon. 

Wendell “signed the beneficiary-designation forms and made the 

beneficiaries of these . . . accounts Wanda, Lindy and Sheldon . . . .” Id. at 

23-24. Indeed, “[t]here was no evidence or testimony presented that any of 

[Wendell’s] signatures or initials on the beneficiary-designation forms were 

forged or executed without [his] knowledge or authorization.” Id. at 24. In 

other words, Wendell knowingly and voluntarily executed the beneficiarydesignation forms for the transfer-on-death accounts. Hence, as a factual 

matter, “Sheldon was not acting as the agent for [Wendell] when Sheldon

prepared the beneficiary-designation forms and [Wendell] signed” them. Id.

Wendell died on August 2, 2016. A year later, Descendants “filed a

Petition for Citation to Show Cause Why an Inventory and Accounting Should 

Not be Filed by [Sheldon] While Acting as an Agent for [Wendell], While Acting 

as Executor of the Estate of Wendell L. Lehman and Why [Sheldon] Should 

Not be Removed as Executor.” Id. at 26. Descendants alleged that Sheldon, 

as Wendell’s power of attorney, unilaterally changed beneficiary designations
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on Wendell’s four transfer-on-death accounts to benefit himself and others 

and to exclude Annette and her heirs. 

On November 21, 2017, the orphans’ court directed Sheldon to file an 

Inventory and Accounting for the period that he acted as Wendell’s agent and 

an Inventory and Accounting of his activities as Executor of the Estate. 

Sheldon filed a First and Final Accounting as Wendell’s agent pursuant to the 

POA (the “POA Accounting”) and filed a First and Partial Accounting for the 

Estate.

Descendants filed Objections to the POA Accounting and Objections to 

the First and Partial Accounting for the Estate. The parties agreed to bifurcate 

the issues concerning the transfer-on-death accounts. The orphans’ court 

held a non-jury trial regarding those accounts in September of 2020, and the 

court issued its decision on April 16, 2021. This timely appeal followed.

2

Descendants raise seven claims of error. They are as follows:

1. Whether the [orphans’ court] erred and abused its 

discretion in finding that [Sheldon] did not violate his 

fiduciary duty of loyalty and good faith to [Wendell] 

by failing to exercise reasonable caution or prudence 

in the exercise of his duties.

2. Whether the [orphans’ court] erred and abused its 

discretion in failing to find that once [Sheldon] was 

named as agent for [Wendell], pursuant to a certain 

power of attorney dated December 30, 2010, the duty 

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2 Although the April 16th Order is not a final order disposing of all claims and 

all parties, our appellate jurisdiction is vested. Under Pennsylvania Rule of 

Appellate Procedure 432(a), we have jurisdiction over the order, because it 

determines that Descendants have no interest in personal property – i.e., the 

four transfer-on-death accounts.
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of good faith and honesty in fact applies to all actions 

by [Sheldon] (including material omissions) during 

the period while the power of attorney is in effect. 

3. Whether the [orphans’ court] erred and abused its 

discretion in finding that [Sheldon] was not acting as 

an agent for [Wendell] when [Sheldon] appeared with 

[Wendell] at the November 10, 2014 meeting at 

Barley Snyder nor was [Sheldon] acting as agent for

[Wendell] when [Sheldon] prepared the beneficiarydesignation forms signed on January 26, 2012 and 

November 18, 2014. 

4. Whether the [orphans’ court] erred and abused its 

discretion in failing to apply 20 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 5601 —

5613 (the POA Statute), and [in failing to] find that all 

actions by [Sheldon were] subject to the language of 

“good faith” defined as “honesty in fact,” including

those where he completed the beneficiary-designation 

forms signed on January 26, 2012 and November 18, 

2014, where [Sheldon] was both the agent, a 

beneficiary of a retirement plan, and the financial

advisor of [Wendell].

5. Whether the [orphans’ court] erred and abused its 

discretion when it disregarded the testimony of 

Christopher M. Harvey, Esquire, an expert in the field 

of trusts and estates, who testified once an agent 

under a power of attorney puts on the hat as an agent 

that fiduciary obligation to act in good faith continues.

6. Whether the [orphans’ court] erred and abused its 

discretion in precluding [Descendants] from admitting 

or using any evidence of [Sheldon’s] history of loans 

between himself and Virginia McCleaf, with whom he 

was in a fiduciary relationship with, under a power of 

attorney dated March 13, 2014, and for which he was 

found to have “engaged in dishonest or unethical 

practices in the securities business,” for which the

Department of Banking and Securities fined him 

[$100,000].

7. Whether the [orphans’ court] erred and abused its 

discretion in precluding [Descendants] from admitting 
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or using any evidence of [Sheldon’s] history of loans 

between himself and [Wendell].

Descendants’ Brief at 3-5 (excess capitalization omitted). Descendants 

combine their first through fifth issues and their sixth and seventh issues in 

the argument portion of their brief. Thus, we dispose of the issues in the 

same manner below.

1. Issues One through Five.

For their first five issues, Descendants contend that the orphans’ court 

misapplied the law regarding powers of attorney and the fiduciary duties that 

a power of attorney must fulfill. While this section of their argument is long 

and drawn out,3it rests upon Descendants’ belief that Sheldon owed Wendell 

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3 We note that Descendants’ brief violates the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate 

Procedure. Those Rules provide, “The argument shall be divided into as 

many parts as there are questions to be argued; and shall have at the 

head of each part—in distinctive type or in type distinctively displayed—the 

particular point treated therein, followed by such discussion and citation of 

authorities as are deemed pertinent.” Pa.R.A.P. 2119(a) (emphasis added). 

This is not a picayune matter of style. Rule 2119(a) guides writers to craft 

concise, cogent arguments for each issue raised. This aids appellate review

by compartmentalizing the claims of error and the legal theories supporting

them. This, in turn, heightens our comprehension of the arguments and 

increases a brief’s persuasive power.

Disregarding that Rule, Descendants jumbled their first five issues into 

a 72-page stream of ideas. See Descendant Brief at 20-92. They then 

crammed their final two claims of error in the last page-and-a-half of their 

brief. See id. at 93-94. Moreover, none of their nine sub-headings for the

first section directly matches the five issues that Descendants raised. This

throw-everything-at-the-wall approach to appellate advocacy, at best, lessens 

the odds of convincing the court that reversible error occurred. At worst, it 

may lead to the quashing of the appeal. “Although it is within this Court’s 

power to quash an appeal for clear violations of the Rules of Appellate 

(Footnote Continued Next Page)
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a fiduciary duty when Wendell decided and designated his beneficiaries for the 

four transfer-on-death accounts. 

The orphans’ court disagreed. It found as a matter of fact that Sheldon 

did not sign the beneficiary-designation forms. Thus, that court concluded 

that Sheldon was not acting under his power of attorney. It opined as follows:

The evidence and testimony at trial clearly establishes 

that Sheldon was not acting as the agent for [Wendell] when 

Sheldon appeared with [Wendell] at the November 10, 2014 

meeting, nor was Sheldon acting as agent for [Wendell]

when Sheldon prepared the beneficiary-designation forms 

at the direction of [Wendell,] which [Wendell] signed on 

January 26, 2012 and November 18, 2014. See In Re: 

Estate of Anna S. Wierzbicki, 174 A.3d 1061 (Pa. Super. 

2017) wherein Superior Court ruled:

[F]irst, it is undisputed that the decedent herself 

executed the document. The [appellants] do not 

dispute that the signature on page 3 of the document 

is that of the decedent. The fact that the executrix 

assisted the decedent by handwriting the names and 

other information of the decedent’s chosen

beneficiaries is of no moment.

Id. at 1065. Furthermore, [Wendell] had testamentary 

capacity on November 10, 2014 and was not suffering from 

weakened intellect during this time period.

The best evidence concerning [Wendell’s] “known 

intent” on November 18, 2014 is [Wendell’s] actions on 

January 26, 2012 when [Wendell] opened TCA Account 328

and named Wanda, Lindy and Sheldon as the beneficiaries, 

____________________________________________

Procedure, because appellants’ brief is not so defective as to preclude effective 

appellate review, we will not quash their appeal.” Universal Underwriters 

Ins. Co. v. A. Richard Kacin, Inc., 916 A.2d 686, 689 n.6 (Pa. Super. 2007)

(citation omitted).
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and specifically excluded Annette and her bloodline 

concerning this [transfer-on-death] Account.

Orphans’ Court Opinion, 4/16/2021, at 41-43.

The factual findings that Wendell signed the beneficiary-designation 

forms and that Sheldon only assisted Wendell at Wendell’s direction finds 

support in the record, because Sheldon testified to those facts. We afford the 

orphans’ court’s factual findings “the same weight as we would a jury verdict.” 

In re Estate of Piet, 949 A.2d 886, 890 (2008), vacated on other grounds, 

997 A.2d 338 (Pa. 2010). 

As the “finder of fact, the judge is free to believe all, part, or none of 

the evidence, and this Court will not disturb his credibility determinations.” 

In re Rosenbloom, 621 WDA 2019, 2020 WL 753332, at *2 (Pa. Super. 

2020) (unpublished decision) (quoting Williams v. Taylor, 188 A.3d 447, 

450 (Pa. Super. 2018) (some punctuation omitted). “A judge of 

the orphans’ court, who heard and saw the witnesses testify and who had the 

sole power to determine their credibility, is in a far better position than 

this Court to decide the truth.” Id. Here, the orphans’ court heard and saw 

Sheldon testify as to his interactions with Wendell during the execution of the 

beneficiary-designation forms, and that court found Sheldon’s version of the 

events to be credible. That credibility finding binds this Court.

Thus, we agree with the orphans’ court. Sheldon was not acting under 

his power of attorney when Wendell signed the forms, because Sheldon did 

not sign the forms. See Wierzbicki, supra. 
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Descendants first five issues are meritless.

2. Issues Six and Seven.

Next, Descendants claim the orphans’ court committed two evidentiary 

errors. See Descendants’ Brief at 92-94. They cite no Rule of Evidence or 

any case law to support either assertion of error. This is a clear violation of 

Pa.R.A.P. 2119(a), and it “waives the issue[s] for purposes of review.” In re 

Estate of Whitley, 50 A.3d 203, 210 (Pa. Super. 2012).

We dismiss Descendants’ evidentiary claims as waived.

Order affirmed.

Judgment Entered.

Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.

Prothonotary

Date: 04/01/2022