Date: 03-09-2003

Case Style: Rosemary Altea v. Mary Jane Osborne, Lynne August, and Rick and Geraldine Burnet

Case Number: Unknown

Judge: Unknown

Court: Superior Court, Rutland County, Vermont

Plaintiff's Attorney: Jim Swift and Peter Langrock of Langrock Sperry & Wool, L.L.P., Middlebury, Vermont

Defendant's Attorney: John J. Kennelly of Pratt Vreeland Kennelly Martin & White, Ltd., Rutland, Vermont

Karl C. Anderson, Rutland, Vermont

Description: Family members of Llewella Day sought to set aside the will executed by Ms. Day before her death giving her 580-acre hilltop Ira estate, valued at $720,000, to Rosemary Altea, a British-born psychic medium who bills herself as "The Voice of the Spirit World." The plaintiff claimed that the defendant used undue influence to convince a dying woman to change her will. Ms Altea had lost before the Probate Court in her attempt to have a will that left everything to her admitted to probate. Under Vermont law she had the right to appeal that decision to the Superior court. Which she did. After a five and one-half day trial a jury of 10 agreed with Ms Altea that the will dated 1/03/01 was not the result of undue influence.

Outcome: Verdict in favor of appellant.

Plaintiff's Experts: Unknown

Defendant's Experts: Unknown

Comments: Reported by K. Morlan