Order Michigan Supreme Court
Lansing, Michigan
May 2, 2008 Clifford W. Taylor,
Chief Justice
134461 Michael F. Cavanagh
Elizabeth A. Weaver
In re Estate of ALICE J. RAYMOND, Deceased. Marilyn Kelly
Maura D. Corrigan
_________________________________________/ Robert P. Young, Jr.
Stephen J. Markman,
CLAIR MORSE, Justices
Petitioner-Appellee,
v SC: 134461
COA: 267364
Lenawee Probate: 05-044839-DE
VALERIE SHARKEY, GAIL THOMAS,
GARY ZEIGLER, DEANNA CONANT,
CARYN NUZHET, JAY CURRY, MARY
JEAN MANDELA, JOHN PACKARD,
FRANK PACKARD, LISA MORSE,
ELLIOTT GUILLORY, ROBERT
McCLELLAND, BEVERLY CLEMENT,
DAVID MORSE, JUDITH FROELICK,
PHILLIP MORSE, JOAN SUMMERS,
JANICE FALKEY, DONALD MORSE,
MARVIN STULL, ERIC STULL, FRANK
BRIGGS, JOANNE CARTER, and
MARILYN RIGEL,
Respondents-Appellants.
_________________________________________/
On order of the Court, the application for leave to appeal the June 7, 2007
judgment of the Court of Appeals is considered. We direct the Clerk to schedule oral
argument on whether to grant the application or take other peremptory action. MCR
7.302(G)(1). The parties shall submit supplemental briefs within 42 days of the date of
this order addressing: (1) whether the will’s language is sufficient to convey the
possibility that the class of “brother[s] and sisters that survive me” might have no
members; (2) whether the language “or to the survivor or survivors thereof” creates an
alternative devise to the descendants of predeceased siblings of the testator (or Claude
Raymond) which only takes effect if all of the testator’s (or Claude Raymond’s) siblings
predecease the testator; (3) what significance, if any, should be attributed to the
placement of the language “share and share alike” in the middle of the pertinent clause,
rather than at the end; and (4) what effect, if any, the antilapse statute (MCL 700.2603)
should have on the construction of the will language at issue. The parties should not
submit mere restatements of their application papers.
I, Corbin R. Davis, Clerk of the Michigan Supreme Court, certify that the
foregoing is a true and complete copy of the order entered at the direction of the Court.
May 2, 2008 _________________________________________
d0429 Clerk