Opinion ID: 1379070
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: History of Antilapse Statutes

Text: Where an intended devisee predeceases the testator of a will, the devise is considered lapsed, based upon the implied assumption that an intended beneficiary must survive the testator. At common law, such lapsed devise was either treated as intestate property or was distributed among the residuary legatees. Simpson v. Piscano, 288 Md. 560, 419 A.2d 1059 (1980) (citing 1 Jarmin on Wills 438 (8th ed. London 1951) (1st ed. London 1841-2-3)); Billingsley v. Tongue, 9 Md. 575 (1856); 6 J. Bowe and Douglas H. Parker, Page on Wills s 50.10 (Rev. ed.1962). To present such a harsh and presumably unintended result, legislatures of the United States and Great Britain [4] in the nineteenth century crafted statutes designed to prevent such devises from lapsing. These antilapse statutes generally provided that the property devised would descend to the issue of the predeceased devisee unless a contrary interest was expressed. Hemsley v. McKim, 119 Md. 431, 87 A. 506 (1913). Such legislative construction achieved transfer of the legacy to the legatee's heirs rather than the testator's heirs and prevented intestacy or escheat to the state. Mayor & City Council v. White, 189 Md. 571, 56 A.2d 824, 826 (1948). Through such means, the statutes effected `the probable intention of the average testator,' In re Estate of Christian, 65 Haw. 394, 652 P.2d 1137 (1982) (citing T. Atkinson, Law of Wills § 140, at 779 (2d ed.1953)). While all states, except Louisiana, have some version of an antilapse statute, the precise language and effect of the statutes vary greatly from state to state. A frequently litigated issue in the antilapse context focuses upon the manner in which a testator who desires to avoid application of the statute must express such intent. In order to prevent application of the statute, courts have uniformly held that a testator must clearly and unequivocally indicate his intent that the statute not apply. In re Estate of McCarthy, 256 Iowa 66, 126 N.W.2d 357, 361 (Iowa 1964). To defeat the operation of the antilapse statute, the will must contain plain and clear language indicating that the testator intended a different disposition of his or her property should a named beneficiary die first. Jacobsen v. Flathe, 1997 WL 576339, at  (Tenn.Ct.App.1997); see In re Estate of Renner, 895 S.W.2d 180, 182 (Mo.Ct.App. 1995); Royston v. Watts, 842 S.W.2d 876, 879 (Mo.Ct.App.1992). Where a will does not clearly indicate that the person who made it intended to disinherit a predeceased legatee in favor of a surviving legatee, the antilapse statute works to save the deceased legatee's gift for his or her heirs. Jacobsen, 1997 WL 576339, at . In Early v. Bowen, 116 N.C.App. 206, 447 S.E.2d 167 (1994) review denied, 339 N.C. 611, 454 S.E.2d 249 (1995), the North Carolina court succinctly stated: A testator who desires to prevent lapse must express such intent or provide for substitution of another devisee in language sufficiently clear to indicate what person or persons testator intended to substitute for the legatee dying in his lifetime; otherwise the anti-lapse statute applies. Id. at 170. Courts have disagreed, however, regarding precisely what language is sufficient to convey such contrary intent. If, for example, a testator directly references the antilapse statute and expressly states that the statute is not to be applied to the devises in his will, such expression of contrary intent is obviously sufficient to avoid operation of the statute. Other expressions of contrary intent, however, are presented with less clarity, and litigation is required to determine whether the specific language suffices to prevent operation of the statute. An express requirement of survivorship of the devisee or a designation of an alternative disposition if any devisee predeceases the testator have been deemed sufficient to defeat application of the statute. See e.g. In re Estate of Burruss, 152 Mich.App. 660, 394 N.W.2d 466, 468 (1986) (bequesting estate to daughters `or to the survivor or survivors of them'); In re Robinson's Will, 37 Misc.2d 546, 236 N.Y.S.2d 293, 295 (N.Y.Sur.Ct.1963) (bequesting estate to brothers and sisters `or to the survivor or survivors of them'); In re Estate of Farris, 865 P.2d 1275, 1278 (Okl.Ct. App.1993) (bequesting estate to brothers and sisters `or to survivor[s] of them'). Throughout the development of standards surrounding the application of antilapse statutes, several consistent principles have emerged. Primary among these is the presumption of testator knowledge regarding the existence and operation of the antilapse statute. In analyzing the particular language utilized by the testator, courts have generally applied a presumption that the testator was aware of the existence and operation of the antilapse statute and that he drafted the will in accordance with such understanding. Martin v. Summers, 101 Ohio App.3d 269, 655 N.E.2d 424 (1995). In In re Estate of Ricklefs, 211 Kan. 713, 508 P.2d 866 (1973), the Kansas court reasoned: Lawyers and testators of the state should be able to rely with confidence upon rules of property in preparing and executing wills, and be assured the intent of the testator as expressed therein will be carried out, instead of a will being made the instrument of introducing a vague discretionary law formed upon the occasion from the circumstances, to which no precedent can be applied, and from which no rule can be deduced. Id. at 873. Courts have also uniformly recognized the necessity of broad and liberal construction of the antilapse statutes. In In re Estate of Brawn, 256 Iowa 55, 126 N.W.2d 318 (1964), for instance, the Iowa court reasoned that the antilapse statute was enacted to preserve the devise for those who would presumably have enjoyed its benefits had the deceased devisee survived the testator and died immediately thereafter. Id. at 320. To achieve that purpose, the Iowa court provided the statute a broad and liberal construction. Id. See also Brundige v. Alexander, 547 S.W.2d 232, 234 (Tenn.1976). The compulsion toward broad and liberal construction was summarized as follows in In re Estate of Kerr, 433 F.2d 479 (D.C.Cir.1970): As an expedient to mitigate the rigors of common law doctrine, the antilapse statute is to be interpreted liberally with a view to attainment of its beneficent objective. To render the statute inoperative, a purpose inconsistent with that objective must fairly appear, and from the terms of the will itself. Id. at 483 (footnotes omitted).