Opinion ID: 1162080
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Unnatural and unjust gift.

Text: As stated in Reddaway (at 424-25, 329 P.2d at 892) in listing this as a factor of importance: A person may make a legally effective disposition of his estate which reasonable men would regard as unfair. He may favor his mistress over his wife, or he may disinherit a deserving son, and the law will not concern itself with his moral duty. In re Estate of Riggs, 120 Or. 38, 241 P. 70, 250 P. 753 (1926). But if he does make an unfair or unnatural disposition it is a circumstance to be weighed in determining whether improper influence had been used.    In determining the weight to be given this circumstance in this case, including the question of the fairness of these gifts, we must consider the undisputed testimony of independent witnesses to the effect that defendant had been good to the decedent during the months of her terminal illness; that she was in love with him and happy while living with him; that she told close friends that her daughter was married and her son was able to take care of himself, and that because defendant had been good to her during her illness and because she had been happy with him she wanted him to have everything. Under this testimony, although we recognize the circumstances as factors to be considered, we cannot say that these gifts were unnatural, unjust or unfair. [3]