In Re Estate of Payton

Martha Payton, respondent, has brought this appeal from the judgment of the circuit court finding that certain transfers of property owned by Robert Payton into joint ownership with her were invalid because Robert was not competent at the time he made the transfers. Respondent contends that she was denied a fair trial on the issue when the trial court: (1) erroneously submitted to the jury verdict forms requiring them to make a single determination as to Robert’s competency; (2) excluded certain testimony on the grounds that it was barred by the Dead Man’s Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1977, ch. 51,…