Opinion ID: 2363170
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: joint tenancy

Text: In addition to agreeing to the foregoing provisions of safe deposit box lease which are hereby made a part of this paragraph, the undersigned agree that each, or either of them is joint owner of the present and future contents of said box and said Bank is hereby authorized to permit access to said box by either of the undersigned and that in the event of the death of either of the undersigned the survivor shall have the right to withdraw said contents and upon said withdrawal said Bank shall be automatically relieved of any further obligation or responsibility to the heirs, legatees, devisees or legal representatives of the deceased. Receipt is hereby acknowledged of 2 keys to said box. Accepted: THE BANK OF RECTOR, RECTOR, ARK. By s/Sherry Dills 4/1/87 s/Ivan C. Wright s/Pearl Purdom The joint tenancy provision is separated from the body of the safe deposit box lease by demarcation lines and highlighted in bold, capitalized print. The clause clearly and unequivocally denotes a joint tenancy agreement with right of survivorship between the lessees as it contains specific references to the joint ownership of the contents of the box and the right of withdrawal of the contents after the death of either party. Accordingly, Mr. Wright's written intent to give the contents of the safe deposit box to Ms. Purdom complies with the standard required in Newton County v. Davison, supra , of an affirmative showing as to the disposition of the contents of the safe deposit box, and the inventoried money from Mr. Wright's and Ms. Purdom's safe deposit box is, therefore, not an asset of Mr. Wright's estate. Consequently, we need not discuss Mr. Kulbeth's remaining point of error that the trial court erred in allowing oral testimony to interpret Mr. Wright's intent on the basis that it was inadmissible hearsay, or Ms. Purdom's conditional cross-appeal against the appellee, Bank of Rector. Affirmed.