Judge Says Final Words On Cell Phone Of Berrien County Man Qualifies As A Will

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.