Opinion ID: 2226520
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Undisputed Background Facts and Proceedings.

Text: On August 26, 1967, Fred A. Beck executed a will, leaving his entire estate to his wife, Mary M. Beck, for her life. Upon her death, the remainder was to be distributed equally to his legal heirs and her legal heirs. On May 24, 1974, Mary executed a will. She provided that her entire estate was to go to Fred at her death. She made no provision under her will in the event Fred did not survive her. No claim has been made by any of the parties that these wills were joint, mutual, or contractual. Fred died on October 18, 1992, and his will was admitted to probate in Wayne County, Iowa. O.K. Engene was appointed as executor and he designated William H. Miles as attorney for the estate. In performance of their duties, they secured names and addresses of known heirs of Fred and Mary. Substantial property was held by Fred and Mary in joint tenancy with right of survivorship. The Becks did not have surviving children or grandchildren, parents, or issue of their parents. By the end of 1992, Mary had developed terminal breast cancer. Early in 1993, one of Mary's neighbors, Marilyn Snider, began taking care of Mary's affairs. Marilyn also happened to be the mother-in-law of Mary's physician, Dr. Joel Wells. In March, Marilyn obtained Mary Beck's power of attorney. On approximately April 16, Mary executed a new will, prepared by Miles, which revoked the one she had executed in 1974. In this new will, Mary left her entire estate to Marilyn Snider, Billie Snider, David Snider, and Ronald Snider. Engene was named as executor. Mary executed a third and final will on April 23, 1993. This will was the same as the second one, except it added a $10,000 bequest to Dr. Wells. On August 6, 1993, Mary Beck died. Her April 23 will was admitted to probate on August 11. Engene was appointed as executor and Miles was designated as attorney for Mary's estate. Pursuant to Iowa Code section 633.304 (1993), notice of probate of Mary's estate was published for two consecutive weeks in the Seymour Herald. The date of the second publication of notice was August 26. On December 14, Miles mailed notice to each devisee under the will admitted to probate, as required by Iowa Code section 633.304. Although the attorney and executor of Mary's estate knew Harry Merritt was an intestate heir of Fred, and Lucia Giacomin was an intestate heir of Mary, mailed notice of the probate of her will was not sent to them because Engene and Miles did not find they met the definition of heirs entitled to notice under section 633.304 (Supp.1993). Fred's estate remained open. Based on the notice provisions of Iowa Code sections 633.304 and 633.309, any action to set aside the probate of Mary's will had to be brought within the later to occur of (1) four months from the date of the second publication of notice, or (2) one month from the date of mailing of the notice to the surviving spouse, heirs of the decedent, and devisees under the will. On October 27, 1994, Merritt and Giacomin filed a petition to set aside the probate of Mary's will. In their petition they alleged that Mary's last will should be set aside because she lacked testamentary capacity and because the will was the result of undue influence. On April 25, 1995, defendants filed a motion for summary judgment, claiming the action to set aside Mary's will was barred by the limitations provisions of Iowa Code sections 633.304 and 633.309. Plaintiffs resisted the motion. The district court granted summary judgment in favor of the defendants. Plaintiffs then filed a supplemental resistance to defendants' motion for summary judgment and a motion to reconsider. Following the district court's denial of the motion to reconsider, the plaintiffs filed timely notice of appeal. On appeal, plaintiffs contend due process requires they be given written notice of the probate of Mary's will because they are known heirs.