Estate of Barnes CA4/2
In 2009, Richard Barnes (decedent Richard) executed a will (2009 will), leaving property to his wife, objector and appellant Celestine Barnes (objector Celestine), and to his daughter from a previous marriage, petitioner and respondent Joann Barnes Williams (petitioner Joann). In 2011, decedent Richard and objector Celestine created a pour-over will and revocable living trust (collectively, 2011 trust), which had the effect of disinheriting petitioner Joann. They restated the trust in 2014 (2014 Trust), without any significant changes to petitioner Joann or objector Celestine’s interests. Following decedent Richard’s death in 2016, petitioner Joann filed a petition pursuant to Probate Code section 17200 et seq., seeking to determine the validity of the trusts and alleging that decedent Richard suffered from progressive mental decline as the result of dementia and either lacked capacity to execute the trusts or did so as the result of undue influence.
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