Opinion

In re Will of Stallcup

  • 202 N.C. 6
Court
Supreme Court of North Carolina
Filed
Dec 23, 1931
Status
Published
Author
Stacy
On the bench
Stacy
Cited by
0 cases
Authority
More cited than 14.5%

The opinion

Stacy, 0. J.

There is error in tbe instruction, duly excepted to, which places tbe burden of proof simultaneously on propounder and caveators. Boone v. Collins, post 12. Tbe burden of proving tbe affirmative of a single issue cannot rest on both parties at tbe same time. Speas v. Bank, 188 N. C., 524 , 125 S. E., 398 .

Nor can tbe instruction be upheld under what was said in In re Rawlings’ Will, 170 N. C., 58 , 86 S. E., 794 , for there, tbe execution of tbe will, tbe burden of which was on tbe propounder, and tbe alleged mental incapacity of tbe testator, tbe burden of which was on tbe caveators, were submitted under separate issues. The wisdom of dividing the issues when alleged undue influence and mental incapacity are set up as grounds for the caveat, rather than try tbe whole matter on tbe one issue of devisavit vel non, was pointed out in that case, and is illustrated by this one. See, also, In re Will of Brown, 200 N. C., 440 .

New trial.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

A word about cookies

We need a few to keep you signed in and the library working. The rest help us see which pages people use and where they get stuck. They stay off unless you say yes.