Wills - Sheet1 (1) Flashcards
wills
Capacity
-At the time of execution
(1) 18 years old
(2) knowledge of property
(3) knowledge of natural objects of her bounty
(4) nature of her act
-Lowest level of capacity known to the law
wills
Consequences of Lack of Capacity
(1) ENTIRE will is invalid
(2) Intestate succession or prior will
wills
Insane Delusion
-At the time of execution
(1) T had false belief
(2) That was a product of a sick mind
(3) No evidence to support belief
(4) Delusion affected T’s will
wills
Consequences of Insane Delusion
(1) ONLY the PART of the will that was affected is invalid
(2) Residue or, if delusion affected residue, intestate succession
wills
4 Concepts of Intent
(1) Capacity
(2) Insane Delusion
(3) Fraud
(4) Undue Influence
wills
Fraud: Elements
(1) Representation
(2) Material fact
(3) Known to be false
(4) Intent to induce
(5) Actual inducement
wills
Fraud: Types
(1) Inducement
(2) Execution
(3) Preventing Revocation
wills
Consequences of Fraud in Execution
ENTIRE will is invalid
- T was defrauded into signing/creating the will
- T had NO intent to create a will
wills
Consequences of Fraud in Inducement
ONLY the PART of the will affected by the fraud is invalid
- Fraud affected the content of T’s will
- T did not intent those terms/individuals to be in his will
wills
Remedy for Fraud in the Inducement
(1) Residuary
(2) Intestate Succession
(3) Constructive Trust
-Court’s election; Furtherance of justice
wills
Consequences of Fraud in Inducement
Court will NOT probate the will
Remedy: Constructive Trust for intended beneficiary
wills
Undue Influence: Types
(1) Prima Facie Case
(2) Presumption
(3) Statutory
wills
Elements of Undue Influence: Prima Facie Case
(1) Susceptibility of T
(2) Opportunity/Access of B
(3) Active Participation by B
(4) Unnatural Distribution of T’s Will
wills
Elements of Undue Influence: Presumption
(1) Confidential Relationship (any)
(2) Active Participation by B
(3) Unnatural Distribution of T’s Will
wills
Statutory Undue Influence
CA invalidates donative transfers to:
(1) Drafter of will
(2) Relative or spouse of the Drafter
(3) Fiduciary who can Transcribe the will (or cause it to be transcribed)
(4) ‘Care Custodian’ of a ‘Dependent Adult’
- 18 and mentally handicapped OR
- 65+
NOTE: Exceptions
wills
Statutory Undue Influence: Exceptions
(1) B is Related to or Spouse of T
(2) Independent Attorney Reviews
(3) Court determines no wrongdoing
- Clear and convincing evidence
- NOT an exception if Drafter is B
wills
Consequences of Undue Influence: ALL
ONLY the PART that was affected is invalid
wills
Remedy for Undue Influence: ALL
Prima Facie Case OR Presumption
(1) Residue
(2) Intestate Succession
(3) Constructive Trust
Statutory
(1) Gift shall not exceed transferee’s intestate share
(2) Remainder goes to Residue OR Intestate Succession
*Court’s Election; Interest of Justice
wills
6 Concepts of Mistake
(1) Mistake in content
(2) Mistake in execution
(3) Mistake in inducement
(4) Mistake in description (ambiguity)
(5) Mistake in the validity (DRR)
(6) Mistake involving living children
wills
Mistake in Content: Remedy
-Wrong Beneficiary or Gift
(1) Omission
- Court will not change the will
- Exception: DRR and Omitted Children
(2) Addition
- Court may strike out addition
wills
Mistake in Execution: Remedy
(1) Signs Wrong Document (e.g., power of attorney)
- No will exists, no intent
(2) Signs Spouse’s Will (Reciprocal Will)
- Reformation, swap H for W (visa versa)
wills
Mistake in Inducement: Remedy
-Erroneous Belief (not rising to the level of insane delusion)
- No Relief
- UNLESS: Will explicitly states how distribution would have been different but for the mistake
wills
Mistake in Description: Remedy
(1) Latent
- Allow extrinsic evidence to determine
- CL did no allow extrinsic
(2) Patent
- Allow extrinsic evidence to determine
wills
DRR
(1) T revokes his will or a portion
(2) in the mistaken belief that
(3) a SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR will or codicil is valid
(4) Revocation of 1st is deemed dependent on #2 being valid
(5) If #2 is invalid, #1 is still in effect
wills
How to probate a lost or destroyed will?
-DRR
ANY witness to the will can testify to its contents
-Need not be the attesting witness
wills
Pretermitted (Omitted) Child: Remedy
(1) Child born AFTER execution of ALL testamentary instruments
- Child deemed ‘Pretermitted’ and takes intestate share
(2) Child born BEFORE execution of testamentary instrument
- Child deemed disinherited and takes nothing
- UNLESS: T did not know of the child’s existence. Then give child intestate share.
wills
5 Concepts of Will Components
(1) Integration
(2) Incorporation by Reference
(3) Facts of Independent Significance
(4) Written disposition of limited tangible personal property
(5) Pour-over wills
wills
Integration: Elements
(1) Intent
- T must have intended to integrate the documents
(2) Presence
- document to be integrated must have been physically present at time T executed his will
NOTE:
Stapled together or sentences that continue that continue from page to page help to establish what is to be integrated
wills
Incorporation by Reference: Elements
(1) Document or Writing
- Need not be valid in its own capacity (e.g., valid K)
(2) Existence
- In existence at time of execution
(3) Clearly Identified in the Will
- Will references the document
(4) Intent to incorporate
NOTE:
Establishing elements 1-3 will infer 4
wills
Facts of Independent Significance
Reference in a will to something that would have existed without the existence of the will is independently significant.
Evidence of that fact will be admitted as parol evidence to clarify the will.
wills
§ 6132: Written Disposition of Limited Tangible Personal Property: Elements
(1) Death after 1/1/07
(2) Writing must be:
- Referenced in the will;
- Dated; AND
- Either signed or handwritten by T
(3) Writing must describe items and beneficiaries w/ reasonable certainty
(4) Tangible personal property (not $) ≥$25,000 total and ≥$5,000 per item
NOTE: The writing may be executed before or after the will
wills
§ 6132: Miscellaneous
- If one of the items to be disposed of exceeds $5,000, ONLY that is excluded from § 6132 and its value is NOT included in the $25,000 total
- If a beneficiary to a § 6132 document predeceases T, the gift LAPSES (not subject to ant-lapse?) unless the writing describes otherwise
wills
Pour-Over Wills
Defined:
Will that devises assets to an inter vivos trustee to be held in trust
Issues:
Who is the beneficiary
Who is the trustee
What are the terms of the trust
wills
How to effectuate a Pour-Over Will
(1) Incorporation by Reference
- go though elements
(2) Acts of Independent Significance
- go though elements
(3) Uniform Testamentary Additions to Trusts Act (UTATA)
- Valid Trust + in Existence at time will is executed = Valid Will
NOTE: Highly unlikely that you will use §6132 (don’t discuss)
wills
3 Concepts of Attested Will
(1) Elements for an attested will
(2) Interested witness problems
(3) Conditional wills
wills
Attested Will: Elements
(1) Written
(2) Signed
- Nickname allowed
- 3rd parson in T’s presence at his direction if T’s is incapacitated
- Conservator pursuant to court
(3) Witness of T’s signature by 2 disinterested witnesses
- Acknowledge signature in presence of witnesses
- Present at the same time
(4) Witnesses sign during T’s life
(5) Witnesses understand what they are signing
wills
’Clear and Convincing’ Exception
To elements 3, 4, and 5 of an attested will
IF:
(1) Death on or after 1/1/09
(2) Clear and Convincing Evidence that
(3) T intended the will to constitution his will
Than:
(1) Witnesses NOT required
However:
(1) Will must be written
(2) T must sign it
wills
Do the witnesses to an attested will have to sign in the presence of anyone?
NO, not the other witness, not T.
It is T who must sign in the presence of BOTH the witness, at the same time.
wills
Failure to Comply w/ Attested Will Formalities:
(1) Death BEFORE 1/1/09
(2) Death AFTER 1/1/09
(1) BEFORE 1/1/09
- Absent Fraud or Mistake
- Argue ‘Substantial Compliance’
(2) AFTER 1/1/09
- Argue above AND
- Clear and Convincing Test
wills
Conscious Presence Test
T signs or acknowledge within the witnesses hearing and the witnesses know what is being done.
-’Within earshot’
wills
What happens if there is an interested witness?
NOTHING IF there are 2 other disinterested witnesses
IF NOT:
(1) There is a presumption of wrongdoing
(2) If not rebutted
(3) Interested witness takes ONLY up to the amount of intestate share
(4) If no intestate share, then nothing
wills
3 Concepts of Holographic Wills
(1) Elements for a valid holographic will
(2) Testamentary intent
(3) Dates
wills
Holographic Will: Elements
(1) Signed by T
(2) Material Provisions in T’s handwriting
- gifts made
- beneficiaries
wills
Holographic Will: Intent
Extrinsic evidence may be admitted to establish the intent of T
- Watch for T simply naming B and gifts
- Watch for a series of documents
wills
Holographic Will: Dates
Dates are NOT required for holographic wills
- Watch for inconsistent wills
- Watch for capacity issues
wills
3 Concepts of Codicils
(1) Definition
(2) Republication
(3) Revocation