You are here: / / Undue Influence Criteria Explained

Undue Influence Criteria Explained

The Fourth Department affirmed Surrogate’s Court’s determination that the decedent was not subjected to undue influence in making a will.  The Court explained the legal principles at work as follows:

It is well settled that a will contestant seeking to prove undue influence must show the “exercise [of] a moral coercion, which restrained independent action and destroyed free agency, or which, by importunity [that] could not be resisted, constrained the testator to do that which was against [his or] h[er] free will” …. “Undue influence must be proved by evidence of a substantial nature . . . , e.g., by evidence identifying the motive, opportunity and acts allegedly constituting the influence, as well as when and where such acts occurred” …. “Mere speculation and conclusory allegations, without specificity as to precisely where and when the influence was actually exerted, are insufficient to raise an issue of fact” … .  Matter of Lee, 235, 4th Dept, 6-7-13

 

You might also like
PLAINTIFF WAS DIRECTED TO LIFT A HEAVY BOX MANUALLY; THE FACT THAT A FORKLIFT WAS AVAILABLE WAS NOT DETERMINATIVE; A WORKER IS EXPECTED TO FOLLOW ORDERS; PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION TO SET ASIDE THE DEFENSE VERDICT IN THIS LABOR LAW 240(1) ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FOURTH DEPT).
THE POND INTO WHICH THE 96-YEAR-OLD PLAINTIFF’S DECEDENT APPARENTLY SLID WAS OPEN AND OBVIOUS AND THE FACT THAT THE BANK OF THE POND IS SLIPPERY IS INCIDENTAL TO ITS NATURE AND LOCATION, PLAINTIFF’S EXPERT DID NOT SUPPORT THE ASSERTION THAT THE POND WAS DEFECTIVE AND UNSAFE, DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT PROPERLY GRANTED (FOURTH DEPT).
Court Could Not Require Parolee to Submit Psychological and Medical Proof In Support of Name-Change Petition
MOTIONS FOR LEAVE TO FILE LATE NOTICES OF CLAIM IN THIS “POLLUTION ESCAPING FROM A LANDFILL” CASE SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED; THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS HAD BEEN TOLLED BY THE FILING OF A FEDERAL CLASS ACTION SUIT; ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO ADEQUATE EXCUSE, THE RESPONDENT WAS AWARE OF THE CLAIMS AND COULD NOT DEMONSTRATE PREJUDICE FROM THE DELAY (FOURTH DEPT).
FORCING DEFENDANT MOTHER TO GO TO TRIAL IN A CUSTODY SUIT WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY, AFTER HER ATTORNEY WITHDREW FOR NONPAYMENT ON THE MORNING OF THE TRIAL, REQUIRED REVERSAL.
Plaintiff Entitled to Summary Judgment Where Defendant Crossed Into Her Lane Attempting to Make a Left Turn
MOTHER’S REQUEST FOR AN ADJOURNMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED; FAMILY COURT REVERSED (FOURTH DEPT).
THE PATTERN JURY INSTRUCTIONS FOR TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH PROSPECTIVE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE ARE WRONG, THE INDEPENDENT CRIME OR TORT ELEMENT IS A FACTUAL QUESTION FOR THE JURY AND SHOULD NOT BE DECIDED AS A MATTER OF LAW BY THE COURT, MOTION TO SET ASIDE THE $5 MILLION VERDICT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FOURTH DEPT).

Categories

Sign Up for the Mailing List to Be Notified When the Site Is Updated.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Copyright © 2025 New York Appellate Digest, Inc.
Site by CurlyHost | Privacy Policy

Attempt to Deny Visitation to Incarcerated Mother Denied Failure to Prove Defendant Did Not Have a Good Faith Belief He Had a Claim of...