Opinion ID: 1798544
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Testimony of Phyllis Krip.

Text: Phyllis Krip, a niece of the claimant, testified that she observed Mrs. Staniszewski re-sign the note by tracing over  her original signature. This occurred in 1957 at Pound, Wisconsin. The trial court made an express conclusion that the witness Phyllis Krip testified falsely as to material facts in issue. The appellant contends that under Estate of Hatten (1940), 233 Wis. 199, 288 N. W. 278, the positive testimony of Phyllis Krip cannot be assailed by the mere theory of an expert witness. The trial court observed the demeanor of Phyllis Krip on the witness stand and was mindful of her relationship to the claimant. Under all the circumstances of this case, we are satisfied that it was within the proper province of the trier of fact to determine the weight to be given to the testimony of Phyllis Krip. Even though her testimony was not impeached in a direct manner, such fact would not require that the trial court accept it. In Lazarus v. American Motors Corp. (1963), 21 Wis. (2d) 76, 84, 123 N. W. (2d) 548, this court said: A court is not obliged to adopt even uncontradicted testimony if such testimony is inherently improbable. Without reference to the doubt cast on the validity of Phyllis Krip's testimony by the handwriting expert, the court was entitled upon this record to disbelieve her testimony. In view of such fact, the court was not foreclosed from giving credence to the opinion advanced by the expert witness.