Opinion ID: 1579481
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: A person is susceptible to undue influence. As to this factor the court found:

Text: The evidence establishes by clear, convincing, and satisfactory evidence that Gladys was susceptible to undue influence by Marilyn. Gladys, born July 24, 1906, was 91 years of age at the time of the gift of Hardsocg stock on June 25, 1998. Gladys had been diagnosed with primary degenerative dementia, senile onset, by psychiatrist Ronald R. Berges, D.O., on October 8, 1996. A diagnosis of dementia with delirium, primary and degenerative, was made by Dr. Macalalad, M.D. in October of 1996. Although Gladys was a strong-willed and opinionated woman, she was clearly susceptible to undue influence by Marilyn. Several witnesses, including her attending physician Dr. Ellison, testified that Gladys was a strong-willed and opinionated person. These same witnesses testified that Gladys was mentally competent. From their testimony, it appears that Gladys was a very nice and decent person who had opinions about what she wanted to do. She was also described as high average in intelligence. She received her teaching certificate from Drake University. Notwithstanding this evidence, the medical records we have mentioned and the medical opinions the district court referred to leave no doubt in our minds that Gladys's mental and physical condition was weakened during the critical period of time leading up to the transfer of the stock to Marilyn. By the time of Ed, Sr.'s death, all three children questioned Gladys's ability to serve as executor of her husband's estate. The children even discussed the idea of a guardianship for Gladys because of her health problems. Because of her weakened condition, Gladys was readily subject to influence. Such a condition has a direct bearing on the issue of undue influence. Herm, 284 N.W.2d at 200; see also Monahan v. Roderick, 183 Iowa 1, 6, 166 N.W. 725, 727 (1918) (Conduct which might be insufficient to unduly influence a person of mental strength might be sufficient to so operate upon a failing mind.). Moreover, Dr. Ellison did not adequately question Gladys to determine her testamentary capacity to make the transfer and whether she was making the transfer because of Marilyn's undue influence over her. Additionally, the testamentary standard that Ball instructed the doctor to use was inadequate for purposes of the transfer. A higher degree of mental competency is required for transactions of ordinary business than is necessary for testamentary disposition of property. Costello v. Costello, 186 N.W.2d 651, 654-55 (Iowa 1971).