PATRICIA PORTER KRYDER v. GEORGE MONROE KRYDER, III, et al.
C.A. No. 25665
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS NINTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
Dated: May 23, 2012
[Cite as Kryder v. Kryder, 2012-Ohio-2280.]
APPEAL FROM JUDGMENT ENTERED IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS COUNTY OF SUMMIT, OHIO CASE No. 2008-CV-92
BELFANCE, Presiding Judge.
{1} Appellant, Patricia Porter Kryder, appeals from a judgment of the Summit County Court of Common Pleas, Probate Division, that granted summary judgment to her brothers, George Monroe Kryder, III and Robert Stanley Kryder, on Patricia‘s claims against them to invalidate their late mother‘s will and trust and to reform or modify the terms of each of their late parent‘s trusts. For the reasons that follow, this Court affirms.
I.
{2} Although the parties dispute many facts pertaining to the nature of their personal and financial relationships with their parents, their grandmother, and each other during the final decades of their parents’ and grandmother‘s lives, those factual disputes are not relevant to the disposition of this appeal. The following facts are not disputed. Appellant, Patricia Porter Kryder, and Appellees, George Monroe Kryder, III and Robert Stanley Kryder (known as “Stanley“), are the children of Patricia P. Kryder (known as “Tish“) and George M. Kryder, Jr,
{3} During the 1980s and 1990s, Patricia maintained a close relationship with their grandmother, Alice.1 In 1985, Alice executed a new will that modified the distribution of her assets and named Patricia as the sole fiduciary of her estate. In 1987, Alice executed a codicil to her will. In 1990, Alice moved from Florida to a nursing home near Patricia‘s home in Tennessee. After Alice died in April 1995, Patricia, George III, and Stanley all came to Akron for a family memorial service. Before Patricia left Akron, she gave a copy of Alice‘s will to her brothers, who later reviewed the will with their parents, George, Jr. and Tish.
{4} Four days after the memorial service, on May 3, 1995, George Jr. and Tish met with their attorney and long-time friend, Oscar Hunsicker, Jr., to discuss updating their existing wills and trusts. At that time, George, Jr. and Tish had an estate plan that included most of their assets being held in revocable trusts that became irrevocable upon each of their deaths and which designated all three of their children as beneficiaries. During their meeting with Mr. Hunsicker, Mr. Hunsicker reviewed and explained the provisions of Alice‘s will to them. The Kryders discussed several changes that they desired to make to their wills and trusts, which included excluding Patricia and her children as beneficiaries. Consequently, Mr. Hunsicker‘s firm drafted new wills and trusts for George, Jr. and Tish, which expressly stated their intention to remove Patricia and her children as beneficiaries. Mr. Hunsicker delivered the new wills and trusts to George and Tish five days prior to their execution. On May 15, 1995, Mr. Hunsicker met with George Jr. and Tish at his office and reviewed the new documents with his clients and ascertained that they understood and agreed to all of the terms. Mr. Hunsicker also asked both
{5} George, Jr. died on December 8, 2004. On March 25, 2005, Tish executed a codicil to her 1995 will that modified only the “fiduciary” provision to remove George, Jr. as the executor of the will and replace him with George III and Stanley and to change one of the local attorneys who was named to serve as local co-executor.
{6} Tish died on October 3, 2007. On April 15, 2008, Stanley, as an executor of his mother‘s estate, admitted her 1995 will and 2005 codicil to probate. On July 23, 2008, Patricia filed a complaint against her brothers to contest the validity of Tish‘s will and trust, claiming that she was removed as a beneficiary due to undue influence by her brothers. Patricia also sought to reform or modify each of her parent‘s trusts, claiming that they had been executed based on a mistake of fact and/or unanticipated consequences. She further stated claims for intentional interference with her expectancy of an inheritance, which she later voluntarily dismissed without prejudice.
{7} Patricia‘s remaining claims against her brothers were all based on allegations that George III and Stanley misrepresented the terms of their grandmother Alice‘s will when they reviewed it with Tish and George, Jr. in 1995. Specifically, she alleged that George III and Stanley falsely told their parents that Alice‘s will had left a disproportionate share of her estate to Patricia and her daughters, at the expense of George Jr., Tish, and the rest of the family, and that they disinherited her solely for that reason.
{8} Through three separate motions, George III and Stanley moved for summary judgment on the remaining four claims, asserting that Patricia‘s claim for modification or reformation of her father‘s trust was barred by the statute of limitations, that she lacked standing to assert her claims for reformation of either trust, and that she could not demonstrate a triable issue of fact on her claims of undue influence. The trial court ultimately found that Patricia lacked standing to assert her claims for modification or reformation of her parents’ trusts and that she had failed to demonstrate a genuine issue of material fact on her claims of undue influence. Consequently, it granted summary judgment to George III and Stanley on Patricia‘s remaining claims. Patricia appeals and raises two assignments of error.
II.
ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR I
THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN GRANTING SUMMARY JUDGMENT TO DEFENDANTS-APPELLEES ON COUNTS V AND VI OF PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT‘S COMPLAINT ON GROUNDS THAT PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT LACKS STANDING.
{9} Patricia‘s first assignment of error is that the trial court erred in granting summary judgment to her brothers on Counts V and VI of her complaint. In these counts of her complaint, Patricia sought to modify or reform her parents’ trusts due to mistake of fact and/or unanticipated circumstances pursuant to
(A) The court may modify the administrative or dispositive terms of a trust or terminate the trust if because of circumstances not anticipated by the settlor modification or termination will further the purposes of the trust. To the extent practicable, the court shall make the modification in accordance with the settlor‘s probable intention.
(B) The court may modify the administrative terms of a trust if continuation of the trust on its existing terms would be impracticable or impair the trust‘s administration.
The court may reform the terms of a trust, even if they are unambiguous, to conform the terms to the settlor‘s intention if it is proved by clear and convincing evidence that both the settlor‘s intent and the terms of the trust were affected by a mistake of fact or law, whether in expression or inducement.
{11}
A trustee or beneficiary may commence a proceeding to approve or disapprove a proposed modification or termination under sections 5804.11 to 5804.16 of the Revised Code[.]
{12} The trial court, relying upon
Procedural argument
{13} Relying on
{14} The concept of standing has multiple connotations depending upon the context in which it is raised. See, e.g., Fed. Home Loan Mtge. Corp v. Schwartzwald, 194 Ohio App.3d 644, 2011-Ohio-2681, ¶ 57 (2nd Dist.).
In pleading to a preceding pleading, a party shall set forth affirmatively accord and satisfaction, arbitration and award, assumption of risk, contributory negligence, discharge in bankruptcy, duress, estoppel, failure of consideration, want of consideration for a negotiable instrument, fraud, illegality, injury by fellow servant, laches, license, payment, release, res judicata, statute of frauds, statute of limitations, waiver, and any other matter constituting an avoidance or affirmative defense. When a party has mistakenly designated a defense as a counterclaim or a counterclaim as a defense, the court, if justice so requires, shall treat the pleading as if there had been a proper designation.
{16} The purpose of the pleading rules is to provide opposing parties with notice of the claims and defenses against them so they have a fair opportunity to respond. Pursuant to
{17} It is apparent from the arguments raised by George III and Stanley in their initial summary judgment motion that they assumed that Patricia was seeking to invalidate or reform the trusts under
{18} Because George III and Stanley had no prior notice of a need to respond to claims under
Substantive Argument
{19} Patricia argues that the trial court‘s decision was substantively incorrect because it misconstrued the language of
{20} Patricia challenges the trial court‘s statutory interpretation, asserting that, because
{21} As the trial court reasoned in its decision, these provisions of the Ohio Revised Code were modeled after the Uniform Trust Code, which includes similar language to provide that proceedings to modify or terminate trusts “may be commenced” by a trustee or beneficiary. Section 410, Uniform Trust Code. The Comments following Section 410 of the Uniform Trust Code explain that this language “specifies the persons who have standing to seek court approval or disapproval of proposed trust modifications, terminations, combinations, or divisions.”
{22} Moreover, this language must be construed according to the rules of grammar and common usage.
{23} Ohio courts have commonly interpreted similar statutory language about who “may” file a statutory proceeding as a limitation on who has authority or standing to commence those proceedings. E.g., See, e.g., In re Estate of Sacco, 7th Dist. No. 03 CO 39, 2004-Ohio-3196, ¶ 4-6 (construing
{24} The facts are undisputed in this case that Patricia is not a trustee or beneficiary of either of her parent‘s trusts. Consequently, based on the plain language of
{25} Because the trial court correctly determined that Patricia lacked standing to pursue the claims she stated in Counts V and VI of her complaint, it did not err in granting summary judgment to George III and Stanley on those claims. Patricia‘s first assignment of error is overruled.
ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR II
THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN GRANTING SUMMARY JUDGMENT TO DEFENDANTS-APPELLEES ON PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT‘S UNDUE INFLUENCE CLAIMS (COUNTS I AND II) ON GROUNDS THAT NO GENUINE ISSUES OF MATERIAL FACT EXIST FOR TRIAL.
{26} Patricia‘s second assignment of error is that the trial court erred in granting summary judgment to George III and Stanley on Counts I and II of her complaint, which sought to invalidate her mother‘s will and trust, which explicitly excluded her and her daughters as beneficiaries. Specifically, the trial court found that Patricia had failed to raise a genuine issue of material fact that Tish‘s decision to exclude Patricia and her daughters as beneficiaries had been the result of undue influence by her brothers, George III and Stanley.
{27} “This Court reviews an award of summary judgment de novo.” Grafton v. Ohio Edison Co., 77 Ohio St.3d 102, 105 (1996). Pursuant to
No genuine issue as to any material fact remains to be litigated; (2) the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law; and (3) it appears from the evidence that reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion, and viewing such evidence most strongly in favor of the party against whom the motion for summary judgment is made, that conclusion is adverse to that party.
Temple v. Wean United, Inc., 50 Ohio St.2d 317, 327 (1977).
{28} The party moving for summary judgment bears the initial burden of informing the trial court of the basis for the motion and pointing to parts of the record that show the absence of a genuine issue of material fact. Dresher v. Burt, 75 Ohio St.3d 280, 292–293 (1996). The moving party must support the motion by pointing to some evidence in the record of the type listed in
{29} As Tish‘s will and trust had been admitted to probate, they were presumed to be valid. “A presumption arises from the order of admission of the will to probate that the testator was free from restraint. The burden of proving undue influence is upon the contestants * * * ” Krischbaum v. Dillon, 58 Ohio St.3d 58, 64 (1991), quoting West v. Henry, 173 Ohio St. 498, 502 (1962) (construing former
{30} The Ohio Supreme Court has stated that “undue influence to avoid a will, must so overpower and subjugate the mind of the testator as to destroy his free agency and make him express the will of another rather than his own, and the mere presence of influence is not sufficient. Undue influence must be present or operative at the time of the execution of the will resulting in dispositions which the testator would not otherwise have made.” West at 501. The essential elements of undue influence are: (1) a susceptible testator, (2) another‘s opportunity to exert influence on the testator, (3) the fact of improper influence exerted or attempted, and (4) a result showing the effect of such influence. West at 510-511. See also
{31} Beginning with the first element, a susceptible testator, the trial court determined that there was no evidence that Tish was susceptible to undue influence at the time she executed her will and trust. Although Patricia correctly argues that her claims of undue influence did not require her to prove that her mother lacked testamentary capacity, she was required to demonstrate the existence of a material dispute of fact that there was a limitation on her mother‘s ability to exercise her own wishes regarding the disposition of her property. In other words, the fact that Tish disposed of her property in an unequal or unfair manner, even if she did so under the express influence of George III and Stanley, could not establish the claims of undue influence unless Patricia first established that, at the time she executed the will and trust documents, there
{32} To support their argument that they were entitled to summary judgment as to the susceptibility element, George III and Stanley pointed to the 2008 deposition testimony of Mr. Hunsicker, who had reviewed the terms of the 1995 will and trust with Tish and testified that he had ascertained that she had testamentary capacity and that she had responded affirmatively when he asked her whether she was exercising her own free will at the time she executed each document that removed Patricia and her daughters as beneficiaries. Because Mr. Hunsicker was a long-time friend of the Kryders, he had continual interaction with Tish for the remainder of her life. After 2001, Tish lived in the same apartment building as Mr. Hunsicker, where he saw her periodically up until shortly before her death. According to his observations, Tish remained active and would exercise by walking and climbing the stairs between floors in the building. He further observed that Tish was involved in and aware of her day-to-day affairs, had “her wits about her[,]” and remained lucid up until the last time he saw her, which was approximately one month before her death.
{33} George III and Stanley also pointed to Patricia‘s own deposition testimony that described her mother as a “strong, independent person” and explained that “she ran the show” in their family throughout her lifetime. Patricia further explained that family members, including her brothers, “did not disagree with her, because whatever her position was, was her position. * * * [T]here would be no way to discuss a different point of view. With politics, she had her view and that was her view.” Patricia also testified that Tish was the one who always controlled her
{34} The evidence presented by George III and Stanley satisfied their initial burden on summary judgment to point to evidence that Patricia lacked evidence that their mother was a susceptible testator. Hamilton v. Hector, 117 Ohio App.3d 816, (3rd Dist.1997) (summary judgment appropriate where evidence was not disputed that, although physically infirm, testator was an alert, feisty, older woman with a mind and will of her own). Accord Dalton v. Abbott, 10th Dist. No. 89AP-1310, 1990 WL 29239 (Mar. 20, 1990) *2 (holding that even though testator was in failing health with mental and emotional problems, evidence that she was an intelligent and strong-willed person who managed her own affairs supported a directed verdict for the defendants).
{35} After George III and Stanley satisfied their initial burden on summary judgment, the burden shifted to Patricia to point to specific facts to show a genuine issue for trial. Dresher, 75 Ohio St.3d at 293. In response to her brothers’ argument on this element of her undue influence claims, however, Patricia failed to point to any evidence that their mother was susceptible to undue influence. She did not dispute any of the evidence presented by her brothers that their mother was strong-willed, mentally and physically stable, and in control of her own affairs at the time she executed her will and trust in 1995 and up until her death in 2007.
{36} Patricia‘s only opposition to her brothers’ argument on the susceptibility element was an isolated statement of law that susceptibility “must be examined in light of the type of influence employed.” Redman v. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 6th Dist. No. 91WD071, 1992 WL 193533, *2 (Aug. 14, 1992). Although Redman included such a legal statement, it proceeded to examine evidence of the testator‘s susceptibility, emphasizing
{37} Viewing the evidence in a light most favorable to Patricia, the record demonstrates that Patricia failed to meet her burden on summary judgment because she failed to point to any evidence to contradict the evidence presented by her brothers or to even suggest that their mother was susceptible to undue influence by her brothers in 1995 or was otherwise unable to exercise her own free judgment about how to dispose of her property when she executed her will and trust. Because Patricia failed to demonstrate a triable issue on the first of four elements of undue influence, the trial court did not err in granting summary judgment to George III and Stanley on those claims. Patricia‘s second assignment of error is overruled.
III.
{38} Patricia‘s assignments of error are overruled. The judgment of the Summit County Court of Common Pleas, Probate Division, is affirmed.
Judgment affirmed.
There were reasonable grounds for this appeal.
We order that a special mandate issue out of this Court, directing the Court of Common Pleas, County of Summit, State of Ohio, to carry this judgment into execution. A certified copy of this journal entry shall constitute the mandate, pursuant to App.R. 27.
Immediately upon the filing hereof, this document shall constitute the journal entry of judgment, and it shall be file stamped by the Clerk of the Court of Appeals at which time the period for review shall begin to run. App.R. 22(C). The Clerk of the Court of Appeals is instructed to mail a notice of entry of this judgment to the parties and to make a notation of the mailing in the docket, pursuant to App.R. 30.
Costs taxed to Appellant.
EVE V. BELFANCE
FOR THE COURT
WHITMORE, J.
MOORE, J.
CONCUR.
APPEARANCES:
DAVID L. DRECHSLER and MICHAEL J. MATASICH, Attorneys at Law, for Appellant.
SALLIE C. LUX and NICHOLAS P. CAPOTOSTO, Attorneys at Law, for Appellees.