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Sherman v. ShermanSherman v. Sherman

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Jan 1, 1907
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Rugg
Rugg, J.

The only point raised by these exceptions is whether the question to the witness ‍​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‍Sherman was competent. This inquiry called for information, which would directly aid the jury in finding the truth as to the issue submitted to them. It had no tendency ‍​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‍to elicit an answer, which would invade the province or usurp the functions of the jury. It required a statement of fact and not a conclusion as to the ‍​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‍matters in dispute. The jury were required to determine whether the execution of the will was “ procured by the undue influence ” of the witness. These words ‍​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‍in their ordinary significance import the doing of acts with a definite intent. It is familiar law that a witness may testify, whenever it is relevant, as to what ‍​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‍his intent was. The question propounded by the court was in every respect unexceptionable.

Exceptions overruled.

Case Details

Case Name: Sherman v. Sherman
Court Name: Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Date Published: Jan 1, 1907
Citations: 79 N.E. 774; 193 Mass. 400; 1907 Mass. LEXIS 1188
Court Abbreviation: Mass.
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