Court Opinion

ID: 9709662
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 03:52:49.04459+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:50.721951
License: Public Domain

HARTEN, Judge,
concurring specially.
I agree with the court that an evidentiary hearing is necessary to reveal and establish facts supporting the parties’ competing claims. I write separately, however, to highlight my view of the status of the Fifth Street property, which even now is clear.
Decedent and his son purchased the Fifth Street property in joint tenancy from, a third party in 1986. Until decedent’s death in January 1995, that property at all times remained a non-probate, joint tenancy asset. In my opinion, decedent’s will cannot reach the Fifth Street property. Paragraph 6.3 of decedent’s will purports to control final disposition of certain property:
Certain of my property has been transferred outside the scope of this will and it is understood and agreed that Thomas Vit-torio [decedent’s son] shall distribute such property as I instructed him.
Decedent did not transfer the Fifth Street parcel into joint tenancy with his son shortly before his death as he did his other parcels. Decedent and his son had jointly owned the Fifth Street parcel for nine years before decedent’s death. Upon decedent’s death, the parcel went over to decedent’s son by operation of law regardless of any postmortem discussions decedent’s son had with his sisters. The fate of the Fifth Street parcel does not hinge upon the evidentiary hearing because, by its own terms, decedent’s will reaches only his properties that he transferred outside the will.
In focusing on the Fifth Street parcel, I do not mean to suggest that the other three parcels that decedent transferred into joint tenancy with his son on the same day he signed his will cannot be found to be similarly situated in law. I assume that the district court will establish, among other things, the chronological sequence of decedent’s signing of the deeds and his signing of his will. The inference in the will is that the deeds had been signed before the will was signed. Whatever the circumstances underlying the execution of the will and deeds, and the postmortem comments of decedent’s son, the classical differences between probate and' *758non-probate property distribution must be at least recognized in the district court, whether or not controlling, and regardless of “customary5’ estate planning practices in the community.