Suagee v. Cook

OP ALA, Justice.

The dispositive issue presented on certio-rari is whether a third party, who receives no personal benefit from a decedent’s will, may be regarded in law as capable of unduly influencing a will’s procurement or its making? We answer in the affirmative.

I

THE ANATOMY OF LITIGATION

Evelyn Afton Maheras [Maheras or decedent] died testate on January 16, 1991 at the age of 96. She left the bulk of her estate to the First Baptist Church of Bartlesville [First Baptist], whose pastor, William H. Cook [appellant or Cook], is named co-execu*271tor of the will. The decedent’s sole heir is her…