Ward-Allen v. Gaskins

Creech's original will left specific bequests and the estate residue to her nieces and nephews, naming nephew Mitchell as personal representative and niece Gaskins (defendant) as alternate; a later codicil changed the bequests and named grand-niece Ward-Allen (plaintiff) as alternate representative instead. After Creech died and Mitchell renounced his role, Ward-Allen sought to probate the codicil using only a copy, since the original codicil could not be located -- Ward-Allen claimed she had once possessed it and sent it to Mitchell, though the timing relative to Creech's death was unclear -- and the trial court refused to admit the copy while probating the original will, prompting Ward-Allen's appeal.