Opinion ID: 2632331
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Disinterested Witness

Text: Opponents contend the trial court erred in finding Harriet Kretzschmar was a disinterested witness. The trial judge found the will was witnessed by two disinterested witnesses. Opponents claim Harriet was not disinterested because: (1) Harriet drove back and forth to work with Lottie Farr, Marvin's wife; (2) Harriet moved into Farr's home in early 1997, making the rent checks payable to Farr and delivering those checks to Lottie or leaving them for Marvin to pick up; (3) Harriet brought Marvin an unsigned copy of Farr's 1997 will the day it was executed; (4) Harriet sometimes joked she was Marvin's sister; and (5) Harriet sat in the front row with the family at Farr's funeral and was ahead of the opponents in the funeral procession. Witnesses to a will are only required to be competent under K.S.A. 2001 Supp. 59-606 and are not required to be disinterested. Compare K.S.A. 59-608 (an oral will made in the testator's last sickness is valid with respect to personal property if it is reduced to writing and subscribed by two competent and disinterested witnesses within 30 days). Opponents make no allegation that either witness to Farr's will was incompetent, nor do the facts support such a finding. A witness who is also a beneficiary may lose all or a portion of the devise or bequest to him or her unless there are at least two other subscribing witnesses who are not beneficiaries, pursuant to K.S.A. 59-604; however, even in such a case, the will still complies with testamentary formalities. The trial court in finding that both Harriet and Christine were disinterested witnesses interpreted that to mean that they were individuals who did not take from the Will. Neither Harriet or Christine were named as beneficiaries under Farr's will; thus, the trial court's finding of fact was not erroneous. Even if it were, however, the trial court's finding that the witnesses were disinterested is not required to support its decision to admit the will to probate and would be harmless error. See K.S.A. 60-2105.