—In a proceeding to probate an instrument as the last will of John B. Heyward, deceased, contestant appeals from a decree of the Surrogate’s Court, Westchester County, made March 14, 1960, admitting the instrument to probate, after a jury trial on framed issues as to: (1) whether decedent had testamentary capacity; (2) whether he was free from restraint; and (3) whether the execution of the instrument was procured by fraud or undue influence. Decree affirmed, with costs to the proponent payable out of the estate. Section 147 of the Surrogate’s Court Act provides that objections to probate must be filed at or before the close of the testimony taken before the Surrogate on behalf of the proponent, or at such subsequent time as the Surrogate directs, and that if a jury trial is desired it shall be demanded in the objections. In our opinion this section did not require the Surrogate to grant the contestant’s motion to amend her objections and the framed issues, made at the close of the proponent’s case; and there was no abuse of discretion in the Surrogate’s refusal to grant the contestant’s similar motion made at the close of the entire case. It may be that contestant could have waited until the close of the examination of the proponent’s witnesses, as provided in section 147 of the Surrogate’s Court Act, and then filed objections and demanded a jury trial, despite the contrary provisions of rule 10 of the Rules of the Westchester County Surrogate’s Court. That question is not presented, however, and need not be decided in this appeal. Having elected to file objections prior to that time, and having demanded a jury trial only with respect to certain designated issues, contestant, as a matter of right could not, after the conclusion of the proponent’s case, amend the objections filed and the issues as framed so as to present for the jury’s determination a new issue as to which the proponent had been given no notice before trial. In any event, the issue presented was decided by the Surrogate, and his determination is adequately supported by the record. Nolan, P. J., Ughetta, Christ and Pette, JJ., concur; Kleinfeld, J., dissents and votes to reverse the decree and to grant a new trial solely as to the issues whether duplicate wills had been executed and whether the propounded instrument was decedent’s last will, with the following memorandum: Contestant filed objections alleging lack of testamentary capacity, fraud and undue influence; and a jury trial of those framed issues was directed. At the trial, during contestant’s case and after the close of proponent’s ease, testimony was adduced from proponent to the effect that a duplicate original of the propounded instrument had been executed and delivered to the decedent. This duplicate original was not produced by proponent, and no explanation was offered for its nonproduction. At the close of proponent’s ease and again at the close of the whole ease contestant moved to amend her objections and the order framing issues so as to include therein all issues on which proponent had the burden of proof. The learned Surrogate denied these motions, directed a verdict in favor of proponent on the framed issues, and admitted. the propounded instrument to probate. In my opinion, the Surrogate’s rulings were erroneous. Section 147 of the Surrogate’s Court Act gives a contestant the right to file objections at or before the close of the proponent’s case. Necessarily encompassed within that right is the right to amend objections previously filed.
