Canning v. Bennett

1952 OK 191, 245 P.2d 1149, 206 Okla. 675, 1952 Okla. LEXIS 666
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedApril 29, 1952
Docket34571
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 1952 OK 191 (Canning v. Bennett) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Canning v. Bennett, 1952 OK 191, 245 P.2d 1149, 206 Okla. 675, 1952 Okla. LEXIS 666 (Okla. 1952).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

Clarence Clark Bennett, a resident of Okmulgee county, Oklahoma, died March 25, 1940, leaving a will dated December 10, 1938, and a codicil thereto dated March 9, 1940, which were admitted to probate by the county court of Okmulgee county on April 15, 1940. Administration proceedings were completed and final decree entered by said court April 27, 1942.-

The will directed the payments of debts and- funeral expenses; ten per cent of the remainder of the estate was placed in “The Blanche Emma Bennett Educational and Student Loan Fund” and is not involved herein; the remaining 90 per cent of the estate was devised as follows: to Wilima Edna Bennett, surviving wife, 18% and a life estate in the homestead property and furnishings; 18% each to Harold Richard Bennett, Nola Frances Canning, and Merna Grace Thomas, children of deceased; and the remaining 18% of the estate to the four children of a deceased daughter, hereináfter referred to as the Litman heirs. The will, among other things, provided:

“5. If my beloved wife or anyone or more of my children now living should die before the final settlement of my estate, without leaving heirs of their body, the share to which he or she would be entitled and which has not been paid or delivered to them, shall become and remain a part of my estate and be distributed herein as a part of said estate to those mentioned and provided for herein.
“12. If and in the event any of the persons named in this my last will and testament, save and except my wife, shall bring or start a suit or other proceedings to set aside or interfere in any way with the terms and conditions of my last will and testament, then I do hereby give, bequeath and devise to said person or persons, the sum of One and no/100 Dollars ($1.00) and no more. The portion or part that they would otherwise receive from my estate, shall be divided among those others herein named according to the percentages mentioned unless said suit or other proceedings is to defend and sustain the terms of this my last will and testament.”

The codicil placed all property of every kind, including the Blanche Emma Bennett Educational and Student Loan Fund, in a trust, named the Central National Bank of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, Wilima Edna Bennett and Harold Richard Bennett the trustees of said trust, provided for certain payments to be made to the surviving wife, and a salary to Harold Richard Bennett as superintendent of the properties and for the maintenance of a trust office. The codicil contained the following provisions which seem pertinent to this controversy:

“4 (c) I hereby direct my trustees, or a majority of them, if in their judgment the net profits from said trust estate will warrant the same, to expend from said net profits at the end of each three months, and to pay to my beloved wife, my children and grandchildren mentioned in my said last will and testament, if living, or in case of their death, then those entitled to their share as set forth in my last will and testament, such sums as they, my trustees, or a majority of them, may agree upon, said amounts so paid to each one to be made according to the percentages as set forth in my last will and testament, and after said trustees have set aside ten per cent of the net profits for and to be used for ‘The Blanche Emma Bennett Educational and Student Loan Fund’. Any and all moneys so paid under and by virtue of this paragraph (c) shall be and is hereby declared to be an indebtedness or an advancement against their share or portion of my estate to which they are or may be entitled under the terms *677 and conditions of my last will and testament.
“(d) I direct that in the event my beloved wife, Willma Edna Bennett, and my son, Harold Richard Bennett, acting as trustees, should be of the opinion that it would be for the best interest of said trust estate and all parties mentioned or referred to in my last will and testament, to terminate and close said trust estates prior to or before the end of the ten-year period for which this estate in trust is created, then said trustees shall have the right to and are hereby directed to make final distribution of the same in accordance with the terms and conditions herein set forth and as set forth in my last will and testament.
“(e) At the termination of the period for which this trust estate is created, I do hereby direct and authorize my said trustees, or a majority of them, to sell the properties in their charge as such trustees, if in their judgment they deem it advisable and for the best interests of those persons named or referred to in my last will and testament, and to divide the proceeds therefrom and on hand in said trust estate in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in my last will and testament.
“(h) I direct that my heirs or those mentioned and provided for in my last will and testament, shall not sell, transfer, mortgage or convey their interest in my estate, or the properties covered by this trust estate, or any part thereof, unless said sale be made to one of the other heirs mentioned and set forth in my last will and testament, or to the trustees of this trust for the use and benefit of the other heirs.
“Sixth: If my beloved wife, or any one of my other heirs provided for under my last will and testament, should die between the closing of the administration and before the final termination or closing of this trust estate, then and in that event the share to which he or she would be entitled and which has not been paid to them, shall become and remain a part of my estate and trust estate and be distributed in accordance with the terms and conditions of my last will and testament.”'

By the ninth numerical paragraph of the codicil, the terms and provisions of the original will were left intact except as specifically changed or modified by the provisions of the codicil.

On August 24, 1948, the Central National Bank of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, sole trustee by virtue of the refusal of the Bennetts to act as co-trustees, and under judgment of the district court of Okmulgee county, Oklahoma, filed its petition for authority to terminate the trust and for further judgment decreeing the persons entitled to participate in the distribution of the residue of the estate and the proportion thereof to which each such person would be entitled. It alleged that it believed the only persons entitled to participate in such distribution were Willma Edna Bennett and Harold Richard Bennett; that the defendants, Nola Frances Canning and Henry James Thomas, claimed some interest in and to the trust estate; that if their claims werei correct, similar claims might also be made by the defendants, Phyllis Ann Litman, Rhea Frances Litman, Ruth Litman Coe and Betty Jo Litman Main, referred to as the Litman heirs. It prayed that each of the defendants be required to set. up what interest they had or claimed in said trust estate or be forever barred. Each of the defendants was served either personally or by publication. The Litman heirs, with the exception of Phyllis Ann Litman, a minor, who appeared by her guardian ad litem, L. L. Cowley, and certain other defendants, failed to enter appearance and' were adjudged in default.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1952 OK 191, 245 P.2d 1149, 206 Okla. 675, 1952 Okla. LEXIS 666, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/canning-v-bennett-okla-1952.