Opinion ID: 2119172
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: disposition to exert influence

Text: Contestants did not establish that proponents were of a disposition to exert undue influence for an improper purpose. In their briefs and in argument before this court the contestants repeatedly emphasized the transfers of money and property made by decedent to the proponents and members of their family. Nearly all of these transactions occurred subsequent to execution of the will and would indicate a concerted purpose to carry out the intent of that will inter vivos. The trial court found that decedent intended by these independent acts to grant the bounty he intended to bestow upon his death to the proponents while he was living. As stated earlier, we are to take the inferences in a manner that tends to support the determination made by the trial court. While the contracts for deed executed by decedent and the sons of the proponents were made prior to the execution of the will, the price recited in these contracts was virtually the same price decedent had paid for the land less than one year prior to execution of the contract when he took the property as his share of his sister Alma's estate. That valuation had been placed on the land by disinterested appraisers appointed by the executor of Alma's estate. There is no evidence of any cold and calculating plot on the part of the proponents to cajole, coerce, or subtly acquire decedent's estate. Indeed, Phyllis Jacobson testified that Mary Tesch had tears in her eyes when she showed Mrs. Jacobson the savings certificate that decedent had signed over to her. Accordingly, we hold that the contestants failed to establish the element of disposition on the part of the proponents to unduly influence decedent for an improper purpose.