Opinion ID: 1926862
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Re: The antenuptial or prenuptial agreement

Text: The trial court found that an antenuptial agreement was made between the elder MacKenzie and his then intended wife, Grace Hessel. As already mentioned, the trial court rested its finding mainly upon the transactions between the parties within the month prior to the marriage. Plaintiff claims that these transactions evidence a modification of what he calls the family trust agreement. We have already found that there was no such agreement. It is not crucial to this decision, however, to determine whether or not an antenuptial agreement was in fact made. The results are the same, because whatever may have been the understanding between the parties it was grossly modified during their marriage. What is more, there is no claim of failure by Grace Fritzinger to carry out her end of the agreement, if any. What were her obligations under the so-called pre-nuptial agreement are not clear. There is no claim that she was to forfeit dower rights nor any other interest in the MacKenzie properties. The individual transactions constituting the alleged antenuptial agreement, that is to say, the transfer of the home and lots, the making of a new will, and the promise and subsequent transfer of 400 shares of Phelps Dodge stock are not attacked here. We find no reason to question the power of the elder MacKenzie so to dispose of his property. Further, we agree with the trial court that there is no proof that the elder MacKenzie was not competent to execute the numerous documents resettling the bulk of his estate upon Grace MacKenzie, now Fritzinger. Also, we concur in the trial court's finding that there is no proof of fraud, insofar as it pertains to the transfer of the bulk of the estate over the 11 years of married life from sole to joint ownership. The transfers appear to have been made voluntarily, devoid of either fraud, coercion, or undue influence.