Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District / Sep 25, 2023
IN THE ESTATE OF ANTHONY M. VRANA, DECEDENT, SANDRA FIDURA-PHILLIPS, Appellant vs. AARON WILSON, Respondent
Sandra Fidura-Phillips, as personal representative for Anthony Vrana's estate, sought court authorization to execute a contract for the sale of real estate. Aaron Wilson intervened, claiming ownership via a beneficiary deed that became effective upon Vrana's death. The probate court denied Fidura-Phillips's petition, ruling that the property was not part of the estate. The appellate court affirmed, concluding that because no deed was delivered prior to Vrana's death, the beneficiary deed transferred ownership to Wilson by operation of law, making specific performance of the contract unavailable.