Execution of a Witnessed Will

 
When a person executes a witnessed will, certain formalities must be adhered to during the process. The following is a brief overview of the process.

First, the will must be signed by one of the following individuals. Prob C § 6110(b)(1)-(3).

1. By the testator.
2. In the testator’s name by some other person in the testator’s presence and by the testator’s direction.
3. By a conservator pursuant to a court order to make a will under Section 2580.

For reference, the testator is the person who wrote the will and a conservator is somebody who has been court-appointed to oversee the testator because the testator lacks mental capacity. 

Second, the will must be witnessed by at least 2 other witnesses. Prob C § 6110(c). The requirements to be a witness involved a low threshold, "any person generally competent to be a witness may act as a witness to a will." Prob C § 6112(a). 

Frequently the drafting-attorney and an employee will serve as the witnesses. It is highly recommended that the witnesses be disinterested. The reason for this is because of Prob C § 6112(c), which reads in pertinent part "unless there are at least two other subscribing witnesses to the will who are disinterested witnesses, the fact that the will makes a devise to a subscribing witness creates a presumption that the witness procured the devise by duress, menace, fraud, or undue influence." 

For example, if Wilbur was a beneficiary under Theo's will and witnessed it, a rebuttable presumption would arise that Wilbur wrongfully procured this devise. Hence, if Wilbur was to inherit Theo's car, Wilbur would have to prove that there was no wrongdoing on his part for inheriting Theo's car. If Wilbur cannot rebut this presumption, he is entitled to take "such proportion of the devise made to the witness in the will as does not exceed the share of the estate which would be distributed to the witness if the will were not established." Prob C § 6112(d). In other words, Wilbur would be entitled to his share of Theo's estate as an intestate heir, if he qualified.

These 2 witnesses must countersign after witnessing the testator sign or acknowledge their signature in front of them. The relevant statute reads "the will shall be witnessed by being signed, during the testator’s lifetime, by at least two persons each of whom (A) being present at the same time, witnessed either the signing of the will or the testator’s acknowledgment of the signature or of the will and (B) understand that the instrument they sign is the testator’s will." Prob C § 6110(c)(1).

For instance, Thomas types a will one Sunday afternoon and invites his neighbors William and Wendy to serve as witnesses that evening in his kitchen. Thomas just tells them that he needs them to witness a legal document but does not mention that it is a will. Just prior to coming over, Williams decides to make a phone call because he is addicted to his smart phone. Wendy leaves without him and enters Thomas' home to find him in the kitchen. Thinking everything is alright, Thomas signs the will and Wendy signs as a witness. After finishing his phone call, William comes to the kitchen for the first time and signs the will as the second witness. Since William was neither present when Thomas signed his will nor did Thomas acknowledge his signature or will to William upon entering the home, Thomas' will does not comply with the requirements of Prob C § 6110(c) and is arguably invalid.

However, Thomas' will may be found to be valid if "proponent(s) of the will establish by clear and convincing evidence that, at the time the testator signed the will, the testator intended the will to constitute the testator’s will." Prob C § 6110(d). Granted, this is not the ideal method to prove a will but it does provide an avenue for relief should the technical attestation requirements not be met.  

Furthermore, a notary should not notarize the will. While studying to become a notary, my training manual actually said it was okay to notarize a will under certain circumstances. The training manual was and remains wrong on this issue. No competent California attorney will tell a client to have a notary notarize a will because 
(1) it is not required and (2) it is so peculiar such that it will arose suspicion that something dishonest is at play. 
   
Also, California law does not require the initialing of each page for a will. The purpose of this is to prove that the testator has presumably read and approved each page. I have seen some wills have initials on each page. Again, this is not required and personally I find this to be overkill.