Court Opinion

ID: 9642860
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 18:11:07.526549+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:10:53.686015
License: Public Domain

Robert J. Gladwin, Judge, dissenting. In reversing the udge, completely ignored the basic rules of English and has determined that the word “monetary” has no meaning in this holographic will. It has also ignored our standard of review for probate cases. For these reasons, I dissent. At issue in this case is the' devise that provides, “All the remaining monetary assets go to my brother John to do with as he sees fit.” The trial court found this final devise to be ambiguous and allowed evidence of the decedent’s intent to determine whether the devise was specific or residuary. The trial court made the following findings of fact: 1) that the funds in question were inherited funds; 2) that the decedent protected those funds, neither permitting invasion, sale, distribution nor transfer during his lifetime; 3) that decedent did not comingle the funds with those of the distributee, Susan Lynn Cleaves; 4) that distributee Susan Lynn Cleaves and decedent shared household expenses; 5) that it was not unreasonable to assume decedent would intend to have those funds remain in the family; 6) that the term “monetary” was meant to cover the decedent’s liquid funds as described in the February 26, 2004 order. The court therefore found the clause in question to be a specific devise. Probate cases are reviewed de novo on the record. Balletti v. Muldoon, 67 Ark. App. 25, 991 S.W.2d 633 (1999). However, an order of the probate court will not be reversed unless it is clearly erroneous. Id. We defer to the superior position of the chancellor to judge the credibility of the witnesses. Noland v. Noland, 330 Ark. 660, 956 S.W.2d 173 (1997). The function of the court in dealing with a will is purely judicial; and its only power in the premises is to construe and enforce the will, not to make for the testator another will which might appear to the court more equitable or more in accordance with what the court might believe to have been the testator’s unexpressed intentions. Jackson v. Robinson, 195 Ark. 431, 112 S.W.2d 417 (1938). The majority holds that the devise in question is not ambiguous and is residuary in nature. The majority goes on to state that the clause in question “remaining monetary assets” does not contain the “necessary language of specificity” for it to be a specific devise. However, it does not explain what “necessary language of specificity” would be sufficient. The majority totally fails to explain how the trial court’s ruling is clearly erroneous after giving deference to the trial court’s superior position to make findings of fact. A rudimentary review of elementary English will show that the majority has determined that the word “monetary” has no meaning in this will. “All the remaining monetary assets” is a subject phrase with assets being the subject. The assets are modified by the words “all the remaining” that describe which assets go to the brother, John. If this were the entire phrase, then it would be residuary, and the majority’s analysis would be correct. However, the decedent did not give John all the remaining assets. The decedent gave all the remaining monetary assets. “Monetary” is a word of limitation describing which remaining assets go to John. Webster’s 3rd International Dictionary defines “monetary” as “of or relating to money or to the instrumentalities and organization by which money is supplied to the economy.” Webster’s II New College Dictionary defines “monetary” as “of or relating to money or its means of circulation.” Given these definitions, I fail to see how the trial court was clearly erroneous in finding that the term “monetary” was meant to cover the decedent’s liquid funds. The majority seems to actually bolster this argument by stating that the devise immediately preceding the devise in question “tends to explain Mr. Parker’s use of the word ‘monetary’.” In that devise, the decedent stated “my life insurance policy ($500) redeme (sic) value - and - 20K death payment ? goes to Susan Cleaves.” If the majority is insinuating that a life insurance policy is a monetary asset, then monetary assets would surely include those assets that the trial court found to be liquid funds, and not the entire remaining estate. The majority further states that the clause is residuary because it is at the end of the will, yet it cites no law to support the proposition that the final devise must be residuary. While I agree that many residuary clauses tend to appear at the end of wills, it is by no means presumed that a final devise of a will must be residuary. Further, I fail to see the importance of the decedent’s use of the word “my” in the other devises. “My” is simply a possessive pronoun, and there is no question that all the remaining monetary assets belonged to the decedent also. Therefore, the use of the word “my” is of no legal import at all. Given that I believe “all the remaining monetary assets” means something less than all remaining assets, I would hold that the devise of the decedent’s will is a specific devise. Therefore, I would further hold that the trial court was not clearly erroneous and would affirm. Pittman, C.J., and Crabtree, J., join.