Matter of Mancuso
2007 NY Slip Op 02123 [38 AD3d 664]
March 13, 2007
Appellate Division, Second Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
As corrected through Wednesday, May 9, 2007


In the Matter of the Estate of Faye Mancuso, Deceased. Michael Pizzi, Appellant; Sebastian Robert Grassi et al., Respondents.

[*1] Connors and Sullivan, P.C., Brooklyn, N.Y. (Marc J. Monte of counsel), for appellant.

Kevin J. Farrelly, New York, N.Y. (Richard J. Montelione and Jeffrey H. Weinberger of counsel), for respondents.

In a contested probate proceeding, the proponent Michael Pizzi appeals from a decree of the Surrogate's Court, Kings County (Tomei, S.), dated March 1, 2006, which, upon a jury verdict finding that the decedent lacked testamentary capacity at the time of execution of the will and that the will was procured by undue influence, denied probate of the will.

Ordered that the decree is affirmed, with costs.

The jury's finding that the decedent's will was procured by undue influence was supported by legally sufficient evidence and was not against the weight of the evidence.

The proponent's remaining contentions are without merit, do not require reversal, or need not be reached in light of our determination on the issue of undue influence. Crane, J.P., Florio, Fisher and Dickerson, JJ., concur.