In an appeal of a will contest alleging forgery, the appellant waived objections to the propriety of the Orphans’ Court relying on samples of the decedent’s signature that were not formally moved into or admitted into evidence because the court … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Forgery
The Orphans’ Court found that the witnesses who testified to the decedent’s signature on the disputed will were credible, and that factual finding was binding on the appellate court. The finding by the Orphans’ Court that the appellant had knowingly … Continue reading
A photocopy of an alleged contract between a husband and wife not to change their wills was properly ruled to be inadmissable as evidence under the “best evidence rule” of Pa.R.E. 1002 because there was a “genuine issue” as to … Continue reading
The decedent’s granddaughter, who was not a beneficiary under the contested will and was not an intestate heir because her mother (the decedent’s daughter) was still living, had standing to challenge the will offered for probate by her mother because … Continue reading
The lack of any testimony from a handwriting expert, together with the “imprecise” testimony of children who were disinherited, did not amount to clear and convincing evidence of forgery, and was credibly refuted by the scrivener who testified to the … Continue reading
On an appeal from probate, petitioner failed to answer discovery requests and was sanctioned by being barred from introducing evidence of undue influence or lack of capacity. For the remaining allegations of fraud and forgery, the petitioner did not present … Continue reading
Testimony of bank employee that the signature of the witness to the will was her own, and that she would not have signed as witness if she had not seen the testator sign the will and had identified the testator, … Continue reading
Forgery is not proved by the testimony of the decedent’s children that the signature on the will does not look like the decedent’s when the decedent’s lawyer and the subscribing witnesses to the will all testify that they saw the … Continue reading
Decedent with multiple residences was found to be domiciled in Pennsylvania, as all of his mail came to his Philadelphia residence and he wished to return there; undue influence was not proved by either direct or indirect evidence, as the … Continue reading
Disinherited children and grandchildren alleged fraud, undue influence, lack of testamentary capacity, and forgery of probated will, of which a good friend of the decedent was the sole beneficiary. After considerable discovery, sole beneficiary moved for summary judgment, and the … Continue reading