SLIDE 8 Southern Arizona Estate Planning Council 9/12/2018 8
Sta nda rds fo r Ca pa c ity
e sta me nta ry Ca pa c ity. All a dults a re pre sume d to po sse ss suffic ie nt me nta l c a pa c ity to ma ke a te sta me nta ry dispo sitio n o f the ir a sse ts. S e e , e .g ., I n re Ve rme e rsc h’ s E state , 109 Ariz. 125, 128, 506 P.2d 256, 259 (1973).
- A pa rty c ha lle ng ing the va lidity o f a will o n the g ro unds o f la c k o f c a pa c ity ha s the
b urde n o f pro ving b y a pre po nde ranc e o f the e vide nc e tha t the te sta to r la c ke d a ny
- ne o f the fo llo wing :
- (a) the ability to know the natur
e and e xte nt of the te stator ’s prope r ty,
- (b) the ability to know the natur
al obje c ts of the te stator ’s bounty, or
- (c ) the ability to unde r
stand the natur e of the te stame ntar y ac t.
n re T ho rpe ’ s E state , 152 Ariz. 341, 343, 732 P.2d 571, 573 (App. 1986) (c iting Ve rme e rsc h’ s E state , 109 Ariz. At 128, 506 P.2d a t 259, fo r the b urde n o f pe rsua sio n a nd te st fo r te sta me nta ry c a pa c ity and I n re Walte rs’ E state , 7 Ariz. 122, 125, 267 P.2d 896, 898 (1954), fo r the q ua ntum o f pro o f re q uire d); a c c o rd Ariz. Re v. Sta t. § 14-3407 (“Co nte sta nts o f a will ha ve the b urde n o f e sta b lishing la c k o f te sta me nta ry inte nt o r c a pa c ity . . . .”)).
Sta nda rds fo r Ca pa c ity
e sta me nta ry Ca pa c ity:
n a will c o nte st, the ma te ria l po int o f time fo r purpo se s o f inq uiry into me nta l c a pa c ity is the time o f the will’ s e xe c utio n.” T ho rpe ’ s E state , 152 Ariz. a t 344, 732 P.2d a t 574. T hus, e vide nc e o f the te sta to r’ s me nta l c a pa c ity b e fo re o r a fte r e xe c utio n o f the will in q ue stio n ma y b e c o nside re d o nly to the e xte nt it te nds to sho w the te sta to r’ s sta te o f mind a t the time the will wa s e xe c ute d. I d.
- Be c a use the te sta me nta ry c a pa c ity is b a se d upo n the te sta to r’ s c a pa c ity a t
the time o f the q ue stio ne d will’ s e xe c utio n, the e xiste nc e o f me nta l illne ss o r disa b ility o r insa ne de lusio ns b y itse lf is no t suffic ie nt pro o f o f la c k o f te sta me nta ry c a pa c ity. T ha t is: “[t]e sta me nta ry c a pa c ity c a nno t b e de stro ye d b y sho wing a fe w iso la te d a c ts, fo ible s, idio sync ra sie s, mo ra l o r me nta l irre g ula ritie s o r de pa rture s fro m the no rma l unle ss the y dire c tly b e a r upo n a nd ha ve influe nc e d the te sta me nta ry a c t.” I n re Wrig ht’ s E state , 7 Ca l.2d 348, 60, P.2d 434, 438 (1936) (quo te d in I n re S titt’s E state , 93 Ariz. 302, 306, 380 P.2d a t 601, 603 (1963)).