Opinion ID: 1692203
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Unwitnessed Codicil

Text: The Contestants argue that the circuit court correctly held that the subsequently added and unwitnessed EXCEPTIONS clause is a nullity. We agree. The formalities of execution and witnessing are essential to the validity of a codicil. Calhoun v. Thomas, 274 Ala. 111, 114, 145 So.2d 789, 792 (1962). See Barnewall v. Murrell, 108 Ala. 366, 389, 18 So. 831, 841 (1895) (stating that attempted changes and alterations to a will made after its execution cannot affect the validity of the will); 2 William J. Bowe & Douglas H. Parker, Page on Wills § 22.2 (1960) (stating that changes added after the original execution constitute no part of the will). [2]