Court Opinion

ID: 9678663
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 06:27:33.228308+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:06.844462
License: Public Domain

Dissenting Opinion by
Justice CARTER.
I do not believe that the evidence establishes that the will in question is a contractual will.
The majority states that a contractual will exists when the court finds the existence of a comprehensive plan of disposition that (1) treats the property of both testators as one estate; and (2) provides for a disposition of the estate property both at the time of the first testator’s death and a disposition of the remainder of the estate on the death of the survivor. I do not believe that this will meets the second prong of the test by evidencing a disposition of the property on the death of the survivor.
One who relies on a will as a contract has the burden of proving that the will is contractual and that it came about as a result of a mutual agreement by both parties. Nye v. Bradford, 144 Tex. 618, 193 S.W.2d 165, 167 (1946). However, wills which purport to be contractual “are reviewed by the courts with caution; they can be established only by full and satisfactory proof; and no presumptions or inferences -will be indulged in favor of them.” Magids v. Am. Title Ins. Co., 473 S.W.2d 460, 464 (Tex.1971); Bishop v. Scoggins, 589 S.W.2d 151, 154 (Tex.Civ.App.-Tyler 1979, writ ref d n.r.e.). The use of words such as “we,” “us,” and “ours” alone does not establish the contract to make a will, nor does execution of the will simultaneously before the same witnesses establish such a contract. Morris v. Tex. Elks Crippled Children’s Hosp., Inc., 525 S.W.2d 874, 876 (Tex.Civ.App.-El Paso 1975, writ ref d n.r.e.).
The language of this will clearly devises to the survivor a life estate of all real property owned by the parties. However, the common thread that is present in the cases that are found to be contractual is not present in this case. Specifically, there is no provision in this will providing disposition of property “upon the death of the survivor” or words to that effect. Each of the cases cited by the majority in its opinion have such language. See Novak v. Stevens, 596 S.W.2d 848, 851 (Tex.1980) (“upon the death of such survivor”); Murphy v. Slaton, 154 Tex. 35, 273 S.W.2d 588, 590 (1954) (“upon the death of such survivor”); Harrell v. Hickman, 147 Tex. 396, 215 S.W.2d 876, 877 (1948) (“[a]fter the death of both of us”); Nye v. Bradford, 144 Tex. 618, 193 S.W.2d 165, 166 (1946) (“upon the termination of the life estate of *224the survivor of us”); In re Estate of Johnson, 781 S.W.2d 890, 391 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1989, writ denied) (“upon the surviving testator’s death”); Trlica v. Bunch, 642 S.W.2d 540, 542 (Tex.App.-DaJIas 1982, no writ) (“or after the death of both of us”); Fisher v. Capp, 597 S.W.2d 393, 395 (Tex.Civ.App.-Amarillo 1980, writ ref d n.r.e.) (“when the last survivor of this union shall have been claimed by death”); Knolle v. Hunt, 551 S.W.2d 755, 758 (Tex.Civ.App.-Tyler 1977, writ refd n.r.e.) (“at the death of the survivor of us”).
A similar clause is not present in this will. The residuary clause does not contain a further disposition of property at the death of the survivor. This Joint Will expresses that the remainder of “our property” is devised in equal shares to our children “at the time of our death.”
That clause expresses the intention of each party to make such a disposition of the residue of his or her property, but it does not bind the parties contractually. A secondary disposition after the death of the last survivor is simply not present. The first testator to die has not exercised control over his or her property and “the property ... of the survivor.” Fisher, 597 S.W.2d at 399 (emphasis added).
Without the disposition after the death of the survivor or any extrinsic evidence, I believe that the evidence does not establish a contractual will, and I therefore respectfully dissent.