Court Opinion

ID: 9653511
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 17:48:06.051109+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:12:59.758530
License: Public Domain

■ On Motion for Rehearing
CRAMER, Justice.
The record in this case shows that only one witness testified as to the handwriting ■on the lost holographic will in question, to wit, one Leonard Hatter. Article 3344, V.A.C.S., applicable here, provides:
“A written will produced in court may be proved: * * * 4. If the will was wholly written by the testator, by two witnesses to his handwriting, which may be made by affidavit taken in open court and subscribed to by the witnesses, or by deposition. Acts 1876, p. 94; G.L. vol. 8, p. 930; Acts 1945, 49th Leg., p. 468, ch. 296, § 1.”
Article 3345, V.A.C.S., provides:
“A written will which' cannot be produced in court, may be proved in the same manner as provided in the preceding article, and the same amount and character of testimony shall be required to prove such will as is required to prove a written will producéd in court.”
The record also shows that Leonard Hatter was the only person other than the testator who saw the will, read the will, or heard the will read.
Under such record we were in error in our original opinion in holding that the will was properly proven.
To require the proof necessary to probate a holographic will, would, and does in fact, make it impossible to prove the will under consideration. However, the wisdom of the rule is. not for this Court. The Legislature •having spoken as to the requirements, such requirements are necessary and the rule is binding on this Court and all other Courts before a will can be probated. The learned trial judge so held, and entered judgment denying probate of that will. In doing so, he followed the mandate of the law. His judgment probating the first will which was properly proven, and denying probate of the holographic will, was proper.
Our former opinion reversing and remanding the- trial court’s judgment was erroneous. We therefore grant the motion for rehearing, set aside our former order, and here now affirm the judgment of the trial court.
Motion for rehearing granted, and judgment of trial court is affirmed.