Opinion ID: 2297488
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: admissibility of will

Text: The only available subscribing witness testified that she was a witness to the will, that she recognized the signature of the other attesting witness and that both were present when the testatrix affixed her signature to the will. The signature of the absent subscribing witness, who was ill, was also identified by her employer. On direct examination the available witness was not asked whether she had formed an opinion as to the testamentary capacity of the testatrix at the time she executed the will. The caveator claims she was not allowed to cross-examine the witness to ascertain whether she had formed an opinion as to the testamentary capacity of the testatrix before she witnessed the will. But the record does not bear her out. In the preliminary colloquy at the Bench between counsel and trial judge it is apparent that the question was left open as to when, if at all, the caveator could cross-examine the witness. The caveator made no attempt to examine on the point when she took the witness on cross-examination. Instead, she reserved the question and the witness was excused, subject to recall, but was never recalled. When the caveatee had concluded his proof of the execution of the will, the court, over the objection of the caveator, admitted the will in evidence. The caveator insisted below and contends here that there was no proof that the will was witnessed by two or more credible witnesses. There does not seem to be any doubt that an attesting witness should inform himself as to the capacity of a testator to make a will before he undertakes to witness it. This is the reason why a subscribing witness may express an opinion as to testamentary capacity without first demonstrating he is qualified to testify. Townshend v. Townshend, 7 Gill 10, 27 (1848). However, a subscribing witness need not be asked whether at the time the will was executed he investigated the mental capacity of the testator. That he did will be presumed until the contrary appears. Jones v. Collins, 94 Md. 403, 412, 51 A. 398 (1902.) See also 1 Page Wills, § 351 (Life ed., 1941), where it is said that a subscribing witness may assume the sanity of a testator if [he] knew no facts which would tend to show that [the testator] was insane. And, although it was within the power of the caveator to ascertain how far the subscribing witness had satisfied herself of the competency of the testatrix [ Jones v. Collins, supra ], the caveator neglected to do so. It has been held that a witness, who has not been asked on direct examination nor had given his opinion of the mental capacity of the testatrix, but testified merely to the factum of the will, could not be cross-examined as to mental capacity at that time. Daugherty v. Robinson, 143 Md. 259, 265, 122 A. 124 (1923). But, there was no reason why the caveator should not have examined the subscribing witness at a later stage of the proceedings had she desired. Waters v. Waters, 35 Md. 531 (1872). The onus probandi was on the caveator to show the witness was not credible and she failed to do so. Since there was no testimony to the contrary, the subscribing witnesses were presumed to be credible. See Jones v. Collins, supra . Moreover, the prima facie effect of the attestation clause, plus the testimony of one of the subscribing witnesses to the effect that the will was regularly executed, were sufficient, on the trial of the issues in this case, to establish proper execution of the will, in the absence of evidence to the contrary. See West v. Fidelity-Baltimore Natl. Bank, 219 Md. 258, 147 A.2d 859 (1959), and the cases therein cited.