In re Estate of Wright; Anderson v. Shayesteh
In re Estate of Wright; Anderson v. Shayesteh, 2024 UT App 146 (Oliver, J.)
Estate Law
A widow and her late husband had created a trust that made the Widow’s sister her sole heir. Years later, the widow met a Man and he moved in with her. About three years later, the widow died, and the Man claimed that his relationship with the widow was an unsolemnized marriage. The district court disagreed and dismissed the Man’s claim. The Man moved for a new trial, which the district court denied. On appeal, the Utah Court of Appeals affirmed, holding in part:
- Motion for a new trial: The district court’s findings were squarely supported by the evidence and not clearly erroneous.
- The Estate case: The district court correctly dismissed the man’s claims because he did not have standing—being neither spouse nor heir—to challenge the estate or the widow’s sister.