Opinion ID: 1824389
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Validity of Maurice's Options

Text: James Maurice personally wrote Lou Carpenter's will pursuant to her instructions. The Densmores assert that it would be contrary to public policy to allow him to benefit from the unanticipated event of the merger since he was the scrivener of the will. The optionees argue that allowing Maurice the right to benefit from the options would not be contrary to public policy because the evidence does not indicate that he in any way wrongly influenced Carpenter, he was her personal friend and advisor, and the language of the will and surrounding circumstances indicate she intended to benefit him for his service to the bank. When a party standing in a fiduciary relation operates as the scrivener of a will and is made a beneficiary under the will, a suspicion, but not a presumption, of undue influence arises. In re Dankbar, 430 N.W.2d 124, 128 (Iowa 1988). Under Iowa law, under such circumstances, a party challenging will provisions on the ground of undue influence carries the burden of proving the improper influence. Id. In such a case, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the contesting party. Id. The Densmores have conceded that no evidence of undue influence exists in the record. They have therefore failed to carry their burden of proving undue influence. Where the record supports no inference of undue influence but rather clearly demonstrates an intent on the part of the testator to benefit the scrivener/beneficiary, it is not against public policy to allow the scrivener/beneficiary to benefit. For the reasons enunciated above, I would affirm the trial court on all of these issues. McGIVERIN, C.J., joins this dissent.