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LeDoux v. LeDoux

Opinion Date 1998-08-27
  • Court Line: Beaumont
  • Citation: Not Reported in S.W.2d
  • Subcategory: Capacity
  • Ruling: Affirm
  • Appellate Standard: Sufficiency of the evidence
  • Jury: Jury
  • Probate Court: No
  • Death Date: 1991-09-07
  • Death Date from Ancestry.com or Outside Source: :Yes
  • Testator Age at Will Signing: 85
  • Will Age by Days: 1135
Details
Contestant(s):
Son
Proponent(s):
Son
  • Caregiver as: Contestant; Proponent; Neither: Proponent
  • Testator Male or Female: Female
  • Testator Education Summary: Unknown
  • Testator Sophistication Rating: Unknown

  • Prevailing Party in Trial Court: Contestant
  • Prevailing Party in COA: Appellee
  • Attorney Fees Awarded in Trial Court: Awarded
  • Amount of Attorneys' Fees: $ 25000.
  • Testamentary or Contractual Capacity Case: Contractual
  • Estate Value: $ 277000.
  • Disorientation as to: Person
  • Parallel Cite: 1998 WL 542733
  • Docket Number: 09-97-024CV

Outcomes
  • Our Summary:

    Jury determined that son breached fiduciary duty to mother by inducing her to revoke trust and appoint him as power of attorney when she lacked capacity. Son admitted that mother could not manage her finances when she revoked trust.

  • Interesting Notes:

    Good summary of legal and factual sufficiency standards. // Fiduciaries may not benefit from their own misdeeds or use the effects of their own actions as a shield from liability. Arce, 958 S.W.2d at 246. Even when the exercise of an agent's duties is placed in the agent's absolute discretion, the agent still must use good faith and act reasonably in the discharge of them, or he can be held liable to the principal for the resulting damages. // Unverified interrogatory answers cannot serve as judicial admission

Summaries