Section 474.400

Title XXXI TRUSTS AND ESTATES OF DECEDENTS AND PERSONS UNDER DISABILITY

Chapter 474

Effective - 28 Aug 1955   

  474.400.  Revocation of wills. — No will in writing, except in the cases herein mentioned, nor any part thereof, shall be revoked, except by a subsequent will in writing, or by burning, cancelling, tearing or obliterating the same, by the testator, or in his presence, and by his consent and direction.

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(RSMo 1939 § 521, A.L. 1955 p. 385 § 269)

Prior revisions: 1929 § 520; 1919 § 508; 1909 § 538

(1961) In proceeding to contest will on ground proposed will had been revoked by later will, the burden was on the contestants to show execution of later will and that it either expressly revoked the proposed will or that its provisions were so inconsistent with the prior will as to revoke the former will by implication. Yates v. Jeans (A.), 345 S.W.2d 657.

(1974) Subsequent to execution and attestation of will testator wrote "nine" over word "ten" and wrote "9" over figure "10" and marked through and circled name of one of the distributees of the remaining nine-tenths of his estate intending to eliminate such person as a distributee. Court held that effect of alterations would be to increase portions of other distributees as well as to revoke share of the distributee whose name was stricken and that such changes constituted a new and distinct testamentary disposition which, since not attested, were not legally effective and, applying doctrine of dependent relative revocation, no revocation was had and will remained in effect as originally written. Oliver v. Union National Bank of Springfield (A.), 504 S.W.2d 647.