Man's Final Wishes on Cellphone Count As a Will, Court Says

ST. JOSEPH (AP) — The Michigan appeals court says a young man's final words written in electronic form can count as a valid will.

Before killing himself in 2015, a 21-year-old Berrien County man said he had written a "farewell" that was accessible on his phone. He gave instructions for how to get to it.

He expressed personal sentiments, requests for a funeral and instructions about how to distribute his possessions.

The man's mother, who didn't inherit anything, appealed after a judge said the electronic wishes would be considered a valid will.

In a 3-0 decision Tuesday, the appeals court said evidence "strongly supports the conclusion" that the man wanted the note to be his will.

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