In re the Estate of Klein

Appeal from a decree of the Surrogate’s Court of Schenectady County (Kramer, S.), entered September 3, 1997, which admitted to probate an instrument purporting to be the last will and testament of decedent.

At issue on this appeal is the validity of a will dated April 28, 1980 in which decedent, having no close relatives, left substantially all of her estate to charity. Following a jury trial, a verdict was rendered that the will had been executed in conformance with all of the formal requirements of EPTL 3-2.1. Respondent, a cousin of decedent and objectant in the probate proceeding, appeals…