Korean New Hope Assembly of God v. Haight

Petitioner appeals as of right from the probate court’s grant of summary disposition in favor of respondents in this case where petitioner sought to have a handwritten document admitted to probate as a codicil to the deceased’s last will. We reverse and remand.

The deceased, Kilyon Lee Smith, immigrated to the United States from Korea approximately twenty years before her death on May 1, 1999. Smith became a naturalized United States citizen and was fluent in the English language. On April 20, 1999, the day following the execution of her last will, Smith met with her church pastor, Seok Hwan…