Brisbin v. Michigan Conference Ass'n of Seventh Day Adventists

215 N.W.2d 202, 51 Mich. App. 192, 1974 Mich. App. LEXIS 891
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 15, 1974
DocketDocket No. 14388
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 215 N.W.2d 202 (Brisbin v. Michigan Conference Ass'n of Seventh Day Adventists) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brisbin v. Michigan Conference Ass'n of Seventh Day Adventists, 215 N.W.2d 202, 51 Mich. App. 192, 1974 Mich. App. LEXIS 891 (Mich. Ct. App. 1974).

Opinions

Holbrook, P. J.

This writer agrees generally with the facts as stated by Judge Churchill in his well-written opinion, but is constrained to respectfully disagree with the result reached because the [194]*194facts as this writer views them call for an affirmance.

The basis for my brother’s reversal appears to rest upon his interpretation of the negotiations and communications concerning the possible sale of the trustor’s farm during late 1970 and early 1971.

The facts concerning these matters are best gathered from the testimony of the various witnesses and the letter from Mr. Homer W. Trecartin to Mr. and Mrs. Edward Simmonds who were interested in purchasing the trustors’ farm.

Mr. Trecartin testified in part as follows:

”Q. (Mr. Hughes, plaintiff’s attorney): Mr. Trecartin, at any time, did Mrs. Hartman tell you that she wanted to sell the farm?
“A. No, she told me, she asked me what I thought about selling the farm at this time. She said, we have an offer. What do you think about selling the farm now? And I think, well, I won’t tell you what I think. But, she didn’t tell me, I want to sell the farm. She said, what do you think? Shall we sell the farm? It was not her intention in any way, if I have understood her to withdraw, merely to exchange the real property for money in the trust. And—
"Q. That’s what you understand?
”A. That’s the way I understood what she said, and then the money would be, she would be drawing money from her own account and not advances on the trust.
"Q. What do you base that understanding on?
”A. On our discussion.
"Q. What did she say to you then?
“A. She said, do you think that we ought to sell? If I recall—
”Q. She, at that point was placing her confidence in you and asking for your judgment?
"A. If we ought to sell now, yes.
”Q. And at that point you discouraged her from selling?
[195]*195"A I discouraged her from selling at that point. Later, later— * * *
”Q. When Mrs. Hartman talked to you about selling the farm, did you tell her that she should try to get more money for the farm?
"A No, sir.
”Q. And at that time, did you think that the $25,000 proposal by Mr. and Mrs. Simmonds was a fair price?
"A I didn’t know.
”Q. Did you propose to Mrs. Hartman that you do anything to find out?
'A Yes.
”Q. What did you propose?
'A. That we get some appraisal and talk to the bank and talk to the some of the realtors in the neighborhood that know the value of property and find out if we’re getting a fair price.
”Q. Do you recall Mrs. Hartman calling you in the early part of 1971, at your office in Lansing?
’A. Yes.
"Q. Do you recall her asking you to come to see her?
’A. Yes, I do.
”Q. Do you recall her stating that she would like to talk to you about selling the farm?
’A. I don’t recall what she wanted to talk to me about on the phone, but I came up to see her.
”Q. And did she say that she wanted to see you right away?
A. As soon as possible.
”Q. And when did you ultimately arrive following that telephone conversation? When did you see her?
"A. I don’t have a record of the exact date, but it was very soon after.
”Q. And when Mrs. Hartman proposed selling the farm to you, did you tell her that we ought to hold off until spring?
"A. I told her that we ought to know more before we take the first offer that’s made. We ought to investigate the value of the farm and know that we’re getting a fair price and I thought maybe towards spring would be a better time to put it on the market.
[196]*196”Q. And you were very concerned about the amount of money that would be gotten for the sale of this farm, were you not?
"A. No, I wasn’t. I thought, I didn’t want her to be, to sell the farm for less than the value, but I wasn’t trying to get a lot more money than that. I thought we ought to have a fair price. As trustee, as representative of the trustee, I felt it my duty to sell the farm when we did sell it for the fair market value if possible.
"Q. And as representative of the trustee, you felt this was your obligation?
“A. I did. And Mrs. Hartman, too. We had no evidence at that time that Mrs. Hartman wouldn’t use all the money in the trust.”

Elder Robert W. Boggess, who was a local pastor of the Hartmans’s church at Marion, Michigan, during the time when the trust arrangement was made testified in part as follows:

”Q. (Mr. Hines, defense attorney): While Elder Trecartin was talking with them, did they make mention of their family? Specifically their grandson and their granddaughter?
"A. I don’t know whether they mentioned that right during the time we were discussing this trust agreement or not, right there at that time. I don’t recall.
”Q. Well, at any time on that day, do you recall their mentioning other members of the family?
”A. They mentioned other members of the family. Either on that day or on the next, the next date when Mr. Trecartin came back. I wouldn’t be sure just which day, maybe both days.
”Q. Well, recognizing that you’re not sure whether they mentioned the family on the late November date or the December 9th, date, what was said about the family?
”A. Mrs. Hartman made mention of the fact that they were not in need of any of the materials or properties that they had.
"Q. Now, when you said they, the they is the grandson and granddaughter?
[197]*197"A. The grand, that’s right. The grandchildren.
”Q. Were you aware of the fact that they had a granddaughter and a grandson?
"A. Yes, sir.
"Q. You were aware of that before this meeting, were you?
"A. I believe that it was before the meeting.

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Related

In Re Hartman Estate
215 N.W.2d 202 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1974)

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Bluebook (online)
215 N.W.2d 202, 51 Mich. App. 192, 1974 Mich. App. LEXIS 891, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brisbin-v-michigan-conference-assn-of-seventh-day-adventists-michctapp-1974.