Opinion ID: 1906454
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: [1, 2] In this case the findings of the trial court are based upon conflicting evidence. When such a situation is presented, the test on appeal is whether a judicial mind could, on due consideration of the evidence as a whole, reasonably have reached the same conclusions, In re Estate of Evans, 83 Wis.2d 259, 271, 265 N.W.2d 529 (1978). Such findings will not be upset on appeal unless they are against the great weight and clear preponderance of the evidence. In re Estate of Taylor, 81 Wis.2d 687, 696, 697, 260 N.W.2d 803 (1978). [3-5] On appeal this court will examine the record, not for evidence to support the findings the trial court did not make, but for facts to support the findings the trial court did make. In Matter of Estate of Becker, 76 Wis.2d 336, 347, 251 N.W.2d 431 (1977). The evidence which supports a finding need not meet the great weight and clear preponderance test and the fact that evidence exists which would support a contrary finding will not justify  reversal. Reversal is required only if the evidence in support of the contrary finding constitutes the great weight and clear preponderance. In re Estate of Jones, 74 Wis.2d 607, 610, 611, 247 N.W.2d 168 (1976). [6, 7] The credibility of the witnesses and the weight to be given their testimony is a matter for the trial court. Jones, supra, at 612. Where conflicting inferences can be drawn from the testimony, the trial court must be assumed to have drawn the inference that supports the findings. Gehr v. Sheboygan, 81 Wis.2d 117, 122, 260 N.W.2d 30 (1977). [8] It is well established that undue influence can be proven in two ways. First, the objector may prove the existence of the following four elements by clear, satisfactory and convincing evidence: (a) An opportunity to influence; (b) coveted result; (c) susceptibility to undue influence; and (d) a disposition to influence. Where clear, satisfactory and convincing evidence proves the existence of any three of these elements only slight evidence is necessary to prove the fourth. Evans, supra, at 281. [9] The second method requires the objector to prove the existence of a confidential relationship between the testator and the favored beneficiary and suspicious circumstances surrounding the making of the will. In deciding whether a confidential relationship existed between the testator and the beneficiary the court will look at: `. . . the ease in which a confidant can dictate the contents and control or influence the drafting of such a  will either as the draftsman or in procuring the drafting . . . If one is not the actual draftsman or the procurer of the drafting, the relationship must be such that the testator depends upon the advice of the confidant in relation to the subject matter of the will. . .' In re Estate of kamesar, 81 Wis.2d 151, 164, 259 N.W.2d 733 (1977). In Kamesar this court defined `procure' to mean `to instigate,' `to initiate' or `to cause a thing to be done.' Id. at 165. The court also said that the role of financial advisor can serve as the basis for a confidential relationship. Id. The existence of a power of attorney and management of the testator's affairs are also important. In re Estate of Malnar, 73 Wis.2d 192, 203, 243 N.W.2d 435 (1976). The trial court found that no confidential relationship existed between Mrs. Glass and respondent. The court first concluded that the respondent had not procured the will. The court explained that although the respondent made the initial contact with the lawyer, he was not present at the conference the lawyer had with Mrs. Glass regarding the will. The court also concluded that Mrs. Glass had not relied on the respondent's advice regarding the will. The court referred to the testimony which indicated that Mrs. Glass was independent, had refused to give respondent a power of attorney and had signed the check to Konnor herself nine days before her death. The court also observed that the testator had told a friend early in 1975 that the respondent would get her money. The appellant argues that a confidential relationship existed because the respondent selected the lawyer and told him what the will was to provide, was present at the signing, visited Mrs. Glass daily, took over her financial affairs and agreed with her physician regarding sedation. The evidence to support these assertions is not undisputed. There is conflicting evidence as to who selected and contacted Konnor. At various points in his testimony  Konnor said that both Mrs. Glass and the respondent had called him first. Konnor did testify that respondent had told him what the will was to contain. But Konnor did confer alone with Mrs. Glass regarding the will. The testimony is conflicting as to whether respondent was present when the will was executed. Konnor said no. The other witness to the will said yes. Respondent said he didn't remember whether he arrived during or after, and his wife stated that they arrived during the signing and were there when Mrs. Glass tore up her former will. The respondent had not personally met Konnor prior to the day the will was executed. The respondent did select the doctor, conferred with him during the hospitalization and agreed to a course of sedation. He was closing down Mrs. Glass' apartment during her hospitalization. The respondent was the one who contacted the other relatives six days after Mrs. Glass entered the hospital. The previous will was in the respondent's possession. Konnor's bill was sent to the respondent, although Mrs. Glass paid it by check. At trial, respondent testified that he never discussed a power of attorney with Mrs. Glass but at his deposition he stated that she had thought it was a good idea. [10] The respondent did not draft the will, nor was he the lawyer's only source of information regarding its contents. The day before the will was executed, Mrs. Glass conferred with the lawyer alone regarding its contents. There was certainly no fiduciary relationship between Mrs. Glass and the respondent. No power of attorney was given and respondent's financial role was limited to receiving the lawyer's bill. Respondent clearly was serving as next of kin during the hospitalization, but this role was also limited and was natural considering that he was Mrs. Glass' only blood relative in the Milwaukee area. Although the relationship was close and Mrs. Glass was  somewhat dependent on the respondent for some business and personal dealings during her hospitalization, it can not be said that it was of the type of relationship generally considered confidential. There is no evidence that Mrs. Glass was looking to respondent for advice or entrusting him with important personal business. The trial court's conclusion is not against the great weight and clear preponderance of the evidence. Since we are satisfied no confidential relationship existed between the testatrix and the respondent, it is unnecessary to consider the element of suspicious circumstances. The trial court found that at the time of the making of the will: (1) That Odegard had the opportunity to unduly influence Mrs. Glass; (2) that he was not disposed to unduly influence her; (3) that Hazel O. Glass was not susceptible to being unduly influenced by respondent; and (4) the fact that she left her estate to him was not the result of coveted conduct on his part. The finding that the respondent had the opportunity to influence Mrs. Glass is not disputed. [11] A beneficiary has effected a coveted result when the bequest is unnatural or unexpected. Kamesar, supra, at 162. However, even a bequest which evidences a drastic change in attitude can be sustained if logical reasons are shown for that change. Evans, supra, at 284. This issue concerns not only the naturalness of the bequest to the respondent, but also the naturalness of the exclusion of the other relatives. The naturalness of a bequest must be determined from an examination of the surrounding circumstances. In re Estate of Christen, 72 Wis.2d 8, 18, 239 N.W.2d 528 (1976). No other will was admitted into evidence. However, the record contains testimony from which it might be inferred  there were possibly two prior testamentary documents. Konnor testified that the respondent's wife brought him a will which his testimony indicates left the estate to the respondent and the appellant. This will was destroyed by the testatrix in her hospital room after she had executed the November 4, 1975, will. Respondent told Celeste Halvorsen, the deceased's sister, that she, her brother and the appellant were mentioned in Mrs. Glass' will. The trial court found this to be an inference that the respondent did not know the contents of the November 4, 1975, will. Evidence was offered to explain the exclusion of appellant. Konnor testified that Mrs. Glass told him she was changing her will because she hadn't seen appellant in many years. No explanation was given for the exclusion of her sister and brother in either this or the prior will. [12] Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the trial court's finding there is evidence to support the conclusion that the prior will named only the appellant and respondent. There is evidence to explain the appellant's exclusion. There is also evidence that early in 1975, Mrs. Glass said she would have to change her will. There is evidence to show that the relationship between Mrs. Glass and respondent was not unfriendly. The respondent was a blood relative who did assist Mrs. Glass during her illness. Thus, where the record shows that a testator was alienated from natural objects of his affection or felt that they had abandoned him in his hour of need, a will may be natural even though it makes no provision for them. . . . Evans, supra, at 284. The trial court's finding that the will was not the result of coveted conduct (that the will does not achieve a coveted result) is not against the great weight and clear preponderance of the evidence.  The element of susceptibility to undue influence is not to be confused with the question of competency to make a will. [13, 14] The issue is not whether Mrs. Glass was capable of making a will, but rather whether she would be susceptible to undue influence by a particular person. The distinction was pointed out by Dr. Greist in his testimony. He stated: . . . the two are, in essence, an apple and an orange. We do not have to have someone be disoriented, psychotic, mentally disturbed to be more susceptible to influence of others. We all know individuals whom we would not consider mentally ill whom we feel are, in a word, pushovers. Susceptibility is defined as lack of ability to resist some extraneous agent, capable of submitting to an action, process, or operation, open, subject or unresistant to some stimulus, influence or agency. Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary. This court described it as receptiveness to other's suggestions in Estate of McGonigal, 46 Wis.2d 205, 213, 174 N.W.2d 256 (1970). The court should consider the testator's age, personality, physical and mental health and ability to handle business affairs. Estate of Hamm, 67 Wis.2d 279, 288, 289, 227 N.W.2d 34 (1975). Although these same factors are considered in determining competency, the object of the consideration is different. The question is not whether the testator is aware of her property and natural heirs but whether her natural defenses are lowered leaving her unable to resist the suggestions of a stronger, more determined individual. The trial court here found that evidence showed that Mrs. Glass was a strong willed lady of independent mind. The court referred to her doctor's testimony that she was alert, well-oriented and capable of managing  her affairs. The court did consider the testimony of the appellant's medical expert and agreed that sick people are more susceptible than well people. However, the court then stated that sick people are capable of making wills even while under disability. This statement combined with the court's discussion of Will of Truehl, 220 Wis. 134, 264 N.W. 254 (1936), a mental capacity case, renders the trial court's finding somewhat suspect. [15] Susceptibility must be found to exist at the time the influence was being exercisedthe time the will was executed. The trial court found that the will was signed on November 4th. Evidence was introduced which would support this conclusion, therefore only evidence regarding Mrs. Glass' condition up to that date is relevant to susceptibility. The evidence disclosed that Mrs. Glass was seventy-one at the time of her death, she had been a widow since the mid-1960's and lived alone. She handled her own financial affairs. She broke her leg in July, 1975, and was hospitalized for a month. She then spent two weeks in a nursing home. After returning home she continued to suffer the effects of that injury and was unable to care for herself. She was not eating properly and had lost a great deal of weight. Because of this she was admitted to the hospital in November. Her doctor described her as dreadfully ill at the time of her admission, suffering from severe arthritis and vascular disease as well as cancer. Celeste Halvorsen testified that the last time her sister called her shortly before entering the hospital she complained of being weak and said she would never make it. There is no dispute that Mrs. Glass was alert, oriented and of sound mind the first few days of her hospitalization. The lawyer, doctor and nurses' aide each testified to it. The respondent and his wife testified that she was independent,  as did her friend, Theresa Bubemko. Marie Bolich agreed, when asked, that Mrs. Glass was an independent person who could take care of herself. However, when asked to describe Mrs. Glass she said she was a sweet person who didn't like to complain, who found it hard to say no, and who avoided personality conflicts. Mrs. Bolich also said that although Mrs. Glass was alert and able to carry on a conversation her first week in the hospital, she was frightened and complained of being very weak and unable to help herself. [16] It was the duty of the trial judge to weigh the evidence and assess the credibility of the witnesses. Based upon the evidence presented, he could reasonably have found that Hazel O. Glass was not susceptible to undue influence. It appears, however, that the trial court combined the evidence of independence with the evidence of mental alertness and found her competent to make a will instead. Despite this aberrant finding it cannot be said that a finding that Mrs. Glass was not susceptible to undue influence would be against the great weight and clear preponderance of the evidence. The element of disposition has been defined to mean a willingness to do something wrong or unfair with grasping or overreaching characteristics. Evans, supra, at 282. [17] The trial court concluded that the fact that respondent borrowed money from Mrs. Glass and requested a power of attorney did not show a disposition to influence. The trial court then states that Mrs. Glass' refusal to grant a power of attorney indicated she was the one in control and that the respondent was unable to exercise any disposition to take unfair advantage even if he were so disposed. This statement puts the emphasis in reverse. It is not a question of whether a beneficiary was unable  to exercise disposition. The appellant directs our attention to testimony which would support a finding that the respondent was disposed to influence the testatrix. We have reviewed and considered this testimony. We conclude it is difficult to sustain the finding of the trial court on the element of disposition. [18] The trial court's findings on confidential relationship, coveted result and susceptibility are sustained. The conclusion that the will was not procured through undue influence is not contrary to the great weight and clear preponderance of the evidence.