In Re Estate of Smid
Full Opinion (html_with_citations)
[¶ 1.] With her husbandâs death imminent, Audrey Smid signed documents creating a trust, which gave her an interest in the marital home, but left the remainder to her husbandâs children from a prior marriage. She challenges the circuit courtâs decision that the waiver of her surviving spouse statutory rights contained within trust documents was valid. We affirm.
FACTS
[¶ 2.] Ronald W. Smid was married to Delores Smid until her death on September 17, 1996. The couple had four children. During the marriage, the couple purchased a home with money Delores inherited from her parentâs estate. After her death, Ronald continued to live in this home. Ronald was diagnosed with cancer in 1997.
[¶ 3.] Ronald met Audrey Smid and later married her on March 16, 1999. Audrey was aware of Ronaldâs cancer diagnosis. During the marriage, they lived in the same home purchased with a portion of Deloresâ inheritance.
[¶ 4.] In January of 2003, Ronaldâs son, Dale Smid, became concerned about his fatherâs failing health and the plans for his fatherâs estate. Dale spoke with attorney Roy Wise about meeting with his father and getting his affairs in order. Wise agreed to meet with Ronald.
[¶ 5.] Wise met with Ronald and Audrey and Audreyâs brother, Darwin Bett-man, on January 24, 2003. Dale alleged that during this meeting, Bettman told Wise that he was familiar with estate planning matters and his attorney was Ken Gosch. Wise testified that he assumed Darwin was helping Audrey with this matter and legal counsel was available through her brother. Wise wanted to conduct the meeting with Ronald alone, but Ronald desired Audrey to be present the entire time.
[¶ 6J During this meeting, Ronald informed Wise that he wanted the marital home to go to his and Deloresâ children. However, he wanted Audrey to be able to live in the home as long as she wished, with forfeiture only for remarriage, abandonment or death. Upon any of these events, ownership would pass to his children. Wise told Ronald and Audrey that the best way to fulfill these wishes was to create a trust and transfer the ownership of the marital home to the trust, with an interest in Audrey. He also explained that the trust should require the real estate taxes, insurance, and upkeep expenses remain Audreyâs responsibility while she lived in the home. According to Wise, Audrey wanted to fulfill her dying husbandâs wishes.
[¶ 7.] Wise asked Ronald about any other important assets that should be considered to get his final affairs in order. Ronald indicated Audrey should be the beneficiary of his IRA and receive some savings bonds. Audrey volunteered to complete the change of beneficiary paperwork. Ronald indicated his sons should receive his gun collection and Deloresâ jewelry should go to their daughters. Additionally, Audrey gave Wise a box contain
[¶ 8.] On January 27, 2003, Audrey called Wise and said Ronald decided to proceed with the trust for the marital home. Wise drafted the trust documents and met with Ronald and Audrey on January 29, 2003. During this meeting, Wise explained the trust documents. He then left the documents for their consideration and returned later that day to have Audrey and Ronald sign the trust documents and the deed,
[¶ 9.] Informal probate proceedings were commenced in April of 2006 and Audrey was appointed personal representative of the estate. Audrey continued to live in the marital home after Ronaldâs death, but due to a sewer maintenance problem that she claimed would cost $5000 to repair, the house was sold and she moved out of the marital home in April of 2006. Audrey sued Dale as trustee for the Trust, claiming the marital home proceeds should be removed from the trust and placed in the probate estate because the waiver of her surviving spouse statutory rights
[¶ 10.] Audrey appeals raising the following issues:
1. Whether the circuit court erred when it found the trust agreement and Audreyâs waiver enforceable under SDCL 29A-2-213.
2. Whether the circuit court erred when it found Audreyâs waiver was not obtained through fraud, undue influence or mistake; and therefore, whether the circuit court erred when it found the revocable trust agreement was not voidable or otherwise subject to rescission under SDCL 53-11-2.
STANDARD OF REVIEW
[¶ 11.] The circuit courtâs âfindings of facts, reviewed under the clearly erroneous standard, will not be overturned
[¶ 12.] 1. Whether the circuit court erred when it found the trust agreement and Audreyâs waiver enforceable under SDCL 29A-2-213.
[¶ 13.] With her husbandâs death approaching, Audrey signed the trust documents, which contained the following waiver provision:
SETTLORâS WIFEâS WAIVER OF RIGHTS:
The settlorâs wife (Audrey Smid) by executing this Agreement and by executing and delivering the Warranty Deed, on behalf of herself, her heirs, legal representatives and assigns, waives and renounces any and all rights of homestead, surviving spouse award, surviving spouse right of election, exemption, family allowance, inheritance, descent, or other marital right arising by virtue of statute or otherwise, in and to the real property.
Audrey argues that her waiver was unconscionable or not voluntary as set forth in SDCL 29A-2-213. That statute provides that a surviving spouse may waive any and all rights of the surviving spouse but:
(b) A surviving spouseâs waiver is not enforceable if the surviving spouse proves that:
(1) the waiver was not executed voluntarily; or
(2) The waiver was unconscionable when it was executed and, before execution of the waiver, the surviving spouse:
(i) Was not provided a fair and reasonable disclosure of the property or financial obligations of the decedent;
(ii) Did not voluntarily and expressly waive, in writing, any right to disclosure of the property or financial obligations of the decedent beyond the disclosure provided; and
(iii) Did not have, or reasonably could not have had, an adequate knowledge of the property or financial obligations of the decedent.
SDCL 29A-2-213.
[¶ 14.] First, Audrey argues that her waiver was not voluntary. Voluntary is not defined in SDCL 29A-2-213. Audrey alleges that in order for waiver to be voluntary, one must have âknowledge of essential facts.â (Citing Blackâs Law Dictionary (4th ed.)). Therefore, Audrey argues that her waiver was not voluntary because she did not know about the essential facts and law behind the document she signed. Dale argues that voluntary does not mean a âknowing and voluntaryâ waiver. Instead, he argues that voluntary means the action was âdone by design or intention, intentional, proposed, intended, or not accidental.â (Citing Blackâs Law Dictionary (Revised 4th ed. 1968)).
[¶ 15.] Audrey admits that she âwas not physically forced to sign the docu-mentĂ©]â Audrey testified that she did not know what her surviving spouse rights were, that she was under stress and extremely upset because her husband was dying and she did not give the transaction much thought. She also alleged that she signed the document to âavoid probate.â However, she also testified that she knew Ronald wished for his children to have the home and she wanted to fulfill his dying wishes and give him peace of mind.
[¶ 16.] The circuit court conducted a two-day bench trial regarding Audreyâs claims. After hearing the testimony of the witnesses, the court specifically rejected Audreyâs factual claims. Specifically, it found that Audrey knew her husband was dying, his impending death was not a shock, she was mentally and emotionally stable, and his death did not unduly interfere with her ability to understand and comprehend the events. The court also found Audrey knew and understood the home was to go to Ronaldâs children, but she would be allowed to live there as long as she wished. It found she knew and understood she had to pay taxes, insurance and upkeep expenses while living there.
[¶ 17.] While Audrey argues that she lacked full knowledge of the facts and law, we have held that âone who accepts a contract is conclusively presumed to know its contents and to assent to them, in the absence of fraud, misrepresentation or other wrongful act by another contracting party.â Holzer v. Dakota Speedway, Inc.,
[¶ 18.] The dissent argues that we should impose a more benevolent standard when considering the definition of voluntary. It claims that this âCourt embraces [a] bleak and mercantile view of marriageâ and urges several newly developed factors that should be considered when determining if a post nuptial agreement should be enforced. See infra ¶ 42 (Konenkamp, J., dissenting). First, Audreyâs counsel conceded he did not argue to the circuit court that Ron had this independent fiduciary duty due to marriage. Audreyâs counsel admitted that he only presented this case under the statute, SDCL 29A-2-213. More importantly, our case law already has a standard for determining whether a postnuptial agreement should be enforced.
[¶ 19.] In Estate of Gab, this Court upheld a postnuptial agreement between married parties. 364 N.W.2d 924, 925 (S.D.1985). In that case, both parties, Edwin and Frances, had children from prior marriages. Both parties had real and personal property when they married each other. Both continued to work during the majority of the marriage and each made substantially equal financial contributions during the eight-year marriage. Id.
[¶ 20.] Frances and Edwin executed wills specifically excluding each other as heirs and bequeathed all of their individual residuary estates to their own children. Additionally, the couple entered into a postnuptial property agreement that stipulated neither party would revoke or amend their wills without written consent of the other. However, when Edwin died in 1982, Frances petitioned the court to take her elective share of his estate. The trial court denied her petition.
[¶ 21.] In upholding the postnuptial agreement, this Court recognized that such agreements are lawful and that we have âendorsed property agreements between spouses as a method of protecting the inheritance rights of their children by previous marriages.â Id. Moreover, we noted that âcourts have recognized that it is natural and proper for a parent to desire to provide for the children of his or her first marriage.â Id.
[¶ 22.] According to Estate of Gab, postnuptial agreements are subjected to close scrutiny because of the confidential relationship between husband and wife.
[¶ 23.] Importantly, the trial court found:
30. Audrey knew her husband was dying. Ronâs impending death was not a surprise or shock to Ron or Audrey.
31. Ronâs impending death was not unduly interfering with Audreyâs ability to understand and comprehend the events unfolding around her.
32. Audrey was stable in her emotions and intellect.
33. She knew Ron was dying and wanted to help him fulfill his last intentions.
34. She knew and understood that Ron wanted his children to have the house.
35. She knew and understood that Ron wanted her to live in the house as long as she wished.
36. She knew and understood that she would have to pay for expenses of upkeep for the house while she lived there.
The trial court had the opportunity to listen to Audrey, her brother Darren and Attorney Wise and weigh their credibility. Audrey has not met her burden of demonstrating the trial courtâs factual findings are clearly erroneous.
[¶ 24.] Moreover, Audrey received consideration for the agreement.
[¶ 25.] Next, Audrey argues that the waiver was unconscionable because she would have received at least part of Ronaldâs estate without the waiver. Now, she alleges that she receives nothing from the estate if the waiver is enforceable. The marital home is the only property in the trust and the remainder of Ronaldâs estate was held jointly with various individuals, including Audrey. Therefore, as the circuit court found, Audrey has received significant monetary amounts from accounts that she held jointly with Ronald.
[¶ 26.] Additionally, Audrey cannot prove the second requirement of SDCL 29A.-2-213(b)(2)(i)-(iii). Both Wise and Audrey testified that she brought a box full of financial documents to the kitchen for Wise to review. Wise testified that Audrey was present when he went through each document and while he prepared a detailed list regarding Ronaldâs finances. He testified that Audrey knew exactly what Ronaldâs holdings were and she was in the process of transferring those holdings over to her name alone.
[¶ 27.] The circuit court heard both Audrey and Wise testify and resolved the conflict in testimony against Audrey. See Fin-Ag v. Feldman Bros., 2007 SD 105, ¶ 38, 740 N.W.2d 857, 866 (âThe trial court is the judge of credibility and it is the trial courtâs duty to weigh the testimony and resolve any conflicts.â). She cannot prove that she did not know Ronaldâs financial status, nor can she prove that she did not have an adequate opportunity to know of his financial holdings.
[¶29.] Audrey alleges that the trust agreement is voidable or otherwise subject to rescission because her waiver was obtained through constructive fraud (SDCL 53-4-6), undue influence (SDCL 53-4-7) or mistake (SDCL 53-4-8). SDCL 53-4-1 provides that âapparent consent is not real or free and is voidable when obtained through: (1) Duress; (2) Fraud; (3) Undue influence; or (4) Mistake.â
Constructive fraud
[¶ 30.] Audreyâs claim of fraud is alleged to be constructive fraud under SDCL 53-4-6, which provides:
Constructive fraud consists:
(1) In any breach of duty which, without any actually fraudulent intent, gains an advantage to the person in fault or anyone claiming under him, by misleading another to his prejudice or to the prejudice of anyone claiming under him; or
(2) In any such act or omission as the law specially declares to be fraudulent, without respect to actual fraud.
Audrey alleges that Ronald had a statutory duty to make a full disclosure to her of his financial holdings and what she was giving up by signing the waiver. She argues that by misleading her to her prejudice by breaching this duty, his estate gained an advantage.
[¶ 31.] The circuit court rejected Audreyâs claims and specifically found that Audrey had a full disclosure of Ronaldâs finances. She was present during Wiseâs review of the financial documents that Audrey provided and this constitutes disclosure of his finances. Audrey has not met her burden of showing the circuit court erred in determining there was not constructive fraud.
[¶ 32.] Additionally, Audrey alleges that she was.misled into believing Wise was her attorney and looking out for her interests. Audrey argues that Professional Rule of Conduct Rule 4.3 (SDCL 16-18 Rule 4.3) required Wise to inform Audrey he was not her attorney and that she should seek legal counsel. Rule 4.3 provides:
In dealing on behalf of a client with a person who is not represented by counsel, a lawyer shall not state or imply that the lawyer is disinterested. When the lawyer knows or reasonably should know that the unrepresented person misunderstands the lawyerâs role in the matter, the lawyer shall make reasonable efforts to correct the misunderstanding. The lawyer shall not give legal advice to an unrepresented person, other than the advice to secure counsel, if the lawyer knows or reasonably should know that the interests of such a person are to have a reasonable possibility of being in conflict with the interests of the client.
The circuit court found that Wise never told her or âintimated that he was representing Audreyâs interests.â Moreover, the circuit court found Bettmanâs comments regarding his âexperience with such mattersâ and that his attorney was Ken Gosch made Wise believe that âBettman was advising Audrey and that legal counsel
Undue inñuence
[¶ 33.] SDCL 53-4-7 provides that:
Undue influence consists:
(1) In the use, by one in whom a confidence is reposed by another, or who holds a real or apparent authority over him, of such confidence or authority for the purpose of obtaining an unfair advantage over him; or
(2) In taking an unfair advantage of anotherâs weakness of mind; or
(3) In taking a grossly oppressive and unfair advantage of anotherâs necessities or distress.
Audrey has the burden
To prove each of the four elements of undue influence by the greater weight of the evidence. These elements include:
(1) [her] susceptibility to undue influence;
(2) opportunity to exert such influence and effect the wrongful purpose;
(3) a disposition to do so for an improper purpose; and
(4) a result clearly showing the effects of undue influence.
In re Estate of Schnell, 2004 SD 80, ¶ 21, 683 N.W.2d 415, 421 (additional citations omitted).
[¶ 34.] Audrey has not met her burden of demonstrating undue influence. First, there is no testimony that Audrey was susceptible to undue influence. She testified she was under stress due to her husbandâs impending death, but the circuit court specifically found that she was not suffering from any weakness of mind, that she was cool, calm and collected during the entire trust planning and knew and understood what was asked of her. Moreover, there is no testimony Ronald had a disposition to exert undue influence over Audrey for an improper purpose, or had an opportunity to exert undue influence, especially considering he was so weak that he needed Audreyâs help signing the documents.
[¶ 35.] Additionally, there is not a result that clearly shows the effects of undue influence. Audrey was allowed to live in the home for as long as she liked as long as she paid for insurance, taxes and upkeep. This is the same obligations she would have prior to Ronâs death. Furthermore, this home was purchased with the inheritance from Ronaldâs first wife.
Mistake
[¶36.] Audreyâs final claim under this issue is that the agreement is voidable or otherwise subject to rescission because of mistake. SDCL 53-4-10 provides that:
A mistake of law in relation to consent to contract constitutes a mistake resulting in voidable consent only when it arises from:
(1) A misapprehension of the law by all parties, all supposing that they knew and understood it and all making substantially the same mistake as to the law; or
(2) A misapprehension of the law by one party of which the others are aware at the time of contracting, but which they do not rectify.
[¶ 37.] Audrey argues that she did not know the facts and law surrounding the waiver of her surviving spouse rights; therefore, the agreement is voidable and/or should be rescinded. As the trial court noted, Audrey does not argue that all parties misapprehended the law or knew she misapprehended the law and failed to rectify her misapprehension. She argues that she alone did not understand or know the law. Therefore, her lack of knowledge does not constitute a mistake of law.
Mistake of fact is a mistake not caused by the neglect of a legal duty on the part of the person making the mistake and consisting in:
(1) An unconscious ignorance or forgetfulness of a fact, past or present, material to the contract; or
(2) Belief in the present existence of a thing material to the contract which does not exist, or in the past existence of such a thing which has not existed.
SDCL 53-4-9. Audrey alleges that her lack of knowledge of Ronaldâs financial holdings constitutes a mistake of fact. However, the circuit court found Audrey ascertained the state of Ronaldâs financial holdings when Wise went through the financial documents she provided in her presence. Given the record, this finding is not clearly erroneous and will not be disturbed on appeal.
[¶ 38.] Finally, as noted above, âone who accepts a contract is conclusively presumed to know its contents and to assent to them, in the absence of fraud, misrepresentation or other wrongful act by another contracting party.â Holzer, 2000 SD 65, ¶ 28, 610 N.W.2d at 795 (additional citations omitted). Wise testified Audrey did not ask any questions regarding the waiver of her statutory surviving spouse rights. Nor did Audrey seek the advice of an attorney, despite having five days between meeting with Wise and signing the waiver. When presented with the documents for her signature, again Audrey did not seek the advice of an attorney or request time to do so. â[I]gnorance of the contents of a written contract is not a ground for relief from liability.â Wiley v. Iverson, 295 Mont. 511, 985 P.2d 1176, 1181 (1999) (additional citations omitted). âTo permit a party, when sued on a written contract, to admit that he signed it but to deny that it expresses the agreement he made or to allow him to admit that he
[¶ 39.] Audrey failed to meet her burden of demonstrating that the trial court erred when it held the waiver was valid and the agreement was enforceable. For all the foregoing reasons, we affirm.
. The house was still owned in joint tenancy with Delores. Wise prepared an affidavit for termination of life estate to remove Delores from the title so the house could be transferred to the revocable trust.
. The surviving spouse rights that Audrey alleges she is entitled to are:
Intestate share of $100,000 plus one-half of any balance above that amount in the estate provided in SDCL 29A-2-102; Family allowance of up to $18,000 in one year provided in SDCL 29A-2-403; and Homestead allowance of $30,000 provided in SDCL 29A-2-402.
. The entire text of the statute is as follows:
(a) The right of election of a surviving spouse and the rights of the surviving spouse to homestead allowance, exempt property, and family allowance, or any of them, may be waived, wholly or partially, before or after marriage, by a written contract, agreement, or waiver signed by the surviving spouse.
(b) A surviving spouseâs waiver is not enforceable if the surviving spouse proves that:
(1) The waiver was not executed voluntarily; or
(2) The waiver was unconscionable when it was executed and, before execution of the waiver, the surviving spouse:
*7 (i) Was not provided a fair and reasonable disclosure of the property or financial obligations of the decedent;
(ii) Did not voluntarily and expressly waive, in writing, any right to disclosure of the property or financial obligations of the decedent beyond the disclosure provided; and
(iii) Did not have, or reasonably could not have had, an adequate knowledge of the property or financial obligations of the decedent.
(c) An issue of unconscionability of a waiver is for decision by the court as a matter of law.
(d) Unless it provides to the contrary, a waiver of "all rights," or equivalent language, in the property or estate of a present or prospective spouse or a complete property settlement entered into after or in anticipation of separation or divorce is a waiver of all rights of elective share, homestead allowance, exempt property, and family allowance by each spouse in the property of the other and a renunciation by each of all benefits that would otherwise pass from the other by intestate succession or by virtue of any will executed before the waiver or property settlement.
. Wise testified that Audrey knew she was to pay the expenses associated with living in the home. The trust was only to contain the home and the trust would have no assets or income besides the home to pay for the expenses. He had taken contemporaneous notes from all his conversations with Audrey and Ron and used the notes during his testimony.
. Although the issue of a separate fiduciary duty between husband and wife was discussed at oral argument, it was not raised or argued at trial, or briefed on appeal and therefore waived. Millard v. City of Sioux Falls, 1999 SD 18, ¶ 30, 589 N.W.2d 217, 221 (additional citations omitted).
. While Attorney Wise did not specifically explain what these rights meant, he did go through the entire document in Audreyâs presence. So she at least heard she had these rights and was giving up these rights.
. See note 23, infra.
.According to Plaintiff's Exhibit 7, Audrey received approximately $45,000, including property (furniture and vehicle) and certificates of deposits, shares, and an IRA. There is no evidence or allegation that Audrey contributed to the value of these accounts during the marriage.
. Audrey was approximately fifty-three years old at the time of her husbandâs death in 2003. Based on mortality tables from 2003, Audrey could expect to live another 29.7-30.6 years. See Arias, Elizabeth, National Vital Statistics Reports, Vo. 54 No. 14, Table 3. Life table for females: United States, 2003 (revised March 28, 2007) available at http: //â www. cdc. gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr5 4/nvsr5 4_ 14.pdf decision by the court as a matter of law (accessed April 14, 2008). She had the right to live in the home rent free until her death, however many years later. In this case, this could amount to approximately 82% of the value of the home or approximately $82,000. See Actuarial Values: Remainder, Income, and Annuity FactorsâFor One Life, Two Lives, and Terms Certain, Publication 1457 (7-1999), Table S. § 1(8.6), available at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdftpl457.pdf (accessed on April 14, 2008); see also 26 C.F.R. § 20.2031-7.
. Audrey seems to allege that there was no disclosure of Ronaldâs finances because Wise did not provide her with an actual compiled list of Ronald's assets. However, "the ... spouse can be said to have had adequate knowledge of the nature and extent of the other partyâs property, either as a result of disclosure by the other party or through the independent knowledge, however acquired, of the ... spouse[.]" Smetana v. Smetana, 2007 SD 5, ¶ 9, 726 N.W.2d 887, 892 (quoting Schutterle v. Schutterle, 260 N.W.2d 341, 348 (S.D. 1977)) (analyzing an antenuptial agreement). Therefore, Audrey did not need the actual compiled list to gain adequate knowledge of Ronald's property; the knowledge she gained when Wise went through the documents in front of her, documents that she provided, is sufficient. Wise testified that Audrey knew exactly what Ronaldâs holdings were as he inventoried the documents while she and her brother were present. Wise also testified that Audrey was present when he explained the state of his financial affairs to Ronald.
. Audrey's claim the agreement is entitled to rescission is based upon the same arguments as the claim the agreement is voidable; therefore, plaintiff's issue 2 and issue 3 have been combined.
.Attorney Wise did not issue an engagement letter with a copy to Audrey that he only represented Ronald, or place such an ac-knowledgement in the trust agreement. Either may have eliminated the question, cost and expense of this appeal.
. See also note 5, supra.
. Indeed, as Dale points out in his brief, the drafters of the Uniform Probate Code recognized that parties in second marriages may choose the same result as Ronald. Comments