Opinion ID: 1143903
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: attestation of the will

Text: The statutory provision which applies to the attestation of a will is as follows: All wills to be valid must be in writing, or typewritten, witnessed by two competent witnesses,    Section 2-50, W.S. 1957. Dr. Flett testified that he was asked by Mrs. Carey to sign this instrument, although he did say he was merely asked to verify her signature and identify it, and this was his sole and only purpose. He had been heretofore told that this was Mrs. Carey's will. We have said in referring to an attestation of a will: It was signed by the testator and witnessed by two witnesses at his request. That was sufficient. In re Stringer's Estate, 80 Wyo. 389, 343 P.2d 508, 522, rehearing denied and modified on other grounds 345 P.2d 786. There was no conflict of testimony with reference to this and there could be no conflict of fact which a jury could resolve. To have submitted it to a jury would have been asking them to determine a question of law. The writer is confused by contestant's contention which he apparently bases on the fact Mrs. Carey did not personally tell Flett this was her last will and testament. Under a statute such as ours, which does not require publication in express terms, the great weight of authority is that publication is not necessary and the witnesses need not know that the instrument they are signing and attesting is a will, 2 Page on Wills, § 19.146, p. 274 (3d Ed.); 1 Schouler on Wills, Executors and Administrators, § 504, p. 579 (6th Ed.). The judgment must therefore be affirmed.