Case Name: In the Matter of the Estate of John M. Balsam, Deceased. Clarice Dixson, Formerly Balsam, Appellant; Dorothea F. Balsam, as Administratrix of the Estate of John M. Balsam, Deceased, et al., Respondents
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1949-02-28
Citations: 275 A.D.2d 687
Docket Number: 
Parties: In the Matter of the Estate of John M. Balsam, Deceased. Clarice Dixson, Formerly Balsam, Appellant; Dorothea F. Balsam, as Administratrix of the Estate of John M. Balsam, Deceased, et al., Respondents.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 275
Pages: 687–687

Head Matter:
In the Matter of the Estate of John M. Balsam, Deceased. Clarice Dixson, Formerly Balsam, Appellant; Dorothea F. Balsam, as Administratrix of the Estate of John M. Balsam, Deceased, et al., Respondents.

Opinion:
When prima facie proof of the validity of the Arkansas decree was produced by the moving party in support of the motion to strike out as sham the allegations respecting the invalidity of such divorce decree, it was the duty of appellant to come forward with proof to show that the allegations sought to be struck out were not, in fact, false. (Levy v. Jones, 269 App. Div. 295; Zwerdling v. Bent, 264 App. Div. 195; People v. McCumber, 18 N. Y. 315, 324-325.) In the absence of such proof, the motion to strike out as sham the allegations respecting the invalidity of the Arkansas divorce decree was properly granted. Nolan, P. J., Johnston, Adel, Sneed and MaeCrate, JJ., concur. [See post, p. 769.]