Court Opinion

ID: 9767985
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 05:37:44.119826+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:35.368837
License: Public Domain

OPINION ON MOTION FOR REHEARING
Plaintiffs/appellees, who had their judgment reversed, with the cause remanded pursuant to our original opinion in the case, complain because we failed to rule on their cross-point complaining of error by the trial court in the admission of evidence.
Though the evidence had no bearing upon the trial court’s action in rendering judgment for them on the former hearing they fear that reoccurrence might result to their prejudice.
In connection with the evidence admitted we believe it wise to take notice that it was not evidence which had been taken by the Probate Court at time of the hearing of the initial application to probate a will; where it should have been committed to writing, subscribed and sworn to in open court and filed by the clerk, except by agreed or compelled order. See Probate Code, Sec. 87, “Testimony to Be Committed to Writing”. See also Sec. 89, “Action of Court on Probated Will” where it is provided that where there is compliance with Section 87 the record of such evidence may be introduced upon the trial of the same matter in any other court.
Here the evidence admitted was the testimony of a party to the suit who had been a witness on the will contest case filed in the county court long after the will and codicil had been admitted to probate. The admissibility of such testimony would be by general rules uncomplicated by those referred to in the above paragraph. Here the admitted testimony was of a witness who had voluntarily submitted herself to the jurisdiction of the court when she made herself a party; she was not dead; and her failure to appear was not shown to have been the result of any action by a party adverse to her. Furthermore the Statement of Facts from which her testimony was read was never authenticated and constituted hearsay. There was no proper predicate laid for admissibility of any missing witness’ prior testimony and, the testimony itself amounting to mere hearsay, there was error in admitting it in any event.
However, plaintiffs are not benefitted in any way on present appeal by our holding on their cross-point.
The motion for rehearing is overruled.