Section 207.23 Bills of particulars in contested probate proceedings.

(a) In any probate proceeding in which objection to probate is made upon the grounds that the execution of the propounded instrument was procured by fraud or undue influence and the proponent demands or moves for a bill of particulars, the proponent shall be entitled as of course to the following information:

(1) the specific act or acts or course of conduct alleged to have constituted and effected such undue influence, the person or persons charged therewith and the time or times and place or places where it is alleged to have taken place;

(2) the particular false statements, suppressions of fact, misrepresentations, or other fraudulent acts alleged to have been practiced upon the decedent, the place or places where these events are claimed to have occurred and the persons who perpetrated them; and

(3) whether such acts were accompanied by an act of physical violence or mistreatment of the decedent or threats, and if so, the nature thereof.

(b) If it is claimed by the contestant that the instrument offered for probate is not the last will of the deceased, the proponent shall be entitled to a bill of particulars as of course, which shall state:

(1) whether it is claimed that there is an alleged testamentary instrument of later date than the instrument offered for probate;

(2) whether it is claimed that the instrument offered for probate was revoked, and if so, the method by which the alleged revocation was accomplished; or

(3) whether it is merely claimed that the instrument offered for probate was not executed in accordance with the prescribed statutory formalities.

(c) In the demand or notice of motion it shall not be necessary for the proponent to set forth at length the foregoing items; he or she may, in lieu thereof, refer to the items specified in this rule. As to any other desired particulars, the proponent shall set them forth at length in the demand or notice of motion.

(d) Nothing contained in the foregoing shall be deemed to limit the court in denying, in a proper case, any one or more of the foregoing particulars, or in a proper case, in granting other, further or different particulars.

Historical Note
Sec. filed Jan. 9, 1986 eff. Jan. 6, 1986.


Last Modified on Rules.Legal: