Craft, Exrx. v. Shroyer

74 N.E.2d 589, 81 Ohio App. 253, 49 Ohio Law. Abs. 385, 37 Ohio Op. 77, 1947 Ohio App. LEXIS 620
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 25, 1947
Docket1928
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 74 N.E.2d 589 (Craft, Exrx. v. Shroyer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Craft, Exrx. v. Shroyer, 74 N.E.2d 589, 81 Ohio App. 253, 49 Ohio Law. Abs. 385, 37 Ohio Op. 77, 1947 Ohio App. LEXIS 620 (Ohio Ct. App. 1947).

Opinion

OPINION

By WISEMAN, PJ.

This is an appeal on law from the judgment .of the Com-" mon Pleas Court of Montgomery County. This is an action to construe the will of Susan A. Shroyer, deceased, instituted by Sophie Craft as Executrix and the- three trustees named in said will, in which the heirs-at-law of the testatrix are named parties-defendant. The will provided that the entire estate of the testatrix should be used to establish a home for full orphans of the United Lutheran Church in America of Miami County, Ohio, at her old home in said county east of Tipp City, Ohio.

*387 The plaintiffs-appellees alleged in their amended petition that “it is impracticable and inexpedient to execute and carry out the specific terms of said trust as set forth in said will, and it is, therefore, necessary to invoke the doctrine of cy pres in order that the corpus of the trust estate may be applied to the promotion of or merged with the assets of or completely paid over to” the Oesterlen Home for Children of the United Lutheran Church in America, located in Clark County, Ohio, near the city of Springfield.

The defendants-appellants in their answer “admit that it is impracticable and inexpedient to execute and carry out the specific terms of said trust”; deny the right of the plaintiffs-appellees to have the doctrine of cy pres invoked for the reason “that said will does not create a general charitable trust, but that the devise and bequest contained therein is limited specifically and definitely to the use of the home of said testatrix as a strictly private home under the definite,.specific, narrow and exclusive terms and conditions provided in said will; that, therefore, said devise and bequest and trust have lapsed and are void and have no effect; and that said property of the testatrix descends as intestate property to the defendants as heirs-at-law and next-of-kin of said testatrix.”

On the issues joined the trial court took testimony on the impracticability and inexpediency of the execution of the trust, according to its terms. Evidence was also admitted relative to the organization, administration, character and location of the Oesterlen Home; that said Home is supported by the United Lutheran Church and admits children from the states of Ohio,' Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia and'Tennessee; that under its regulations children may be admitted who are not orphans or who are not affiliated with the United Lutheran Church. Testimony was also admitted showing that the testatrix, during her lifetime, taught children in the lower grades of the public schools of this community; that she was fond of children; that she was a member of the United Lutheran Church; that family differences had arisen between the testatrix and certain members of 'her immediate family which caused an estrangement.

The trial court found the will created a charitable trust; that it is impossible, impracticable and inexpedient to carry out the terms of the trust; that the purposes of said trust can be served by the Oesterlen Home at Springfield, Ohio; that the doctrine of cy pres should be invoked and that the fund in the hands of the Executrix, after the administration of,said *388 estate is concluded, should be turned over to the Oesterlen Home of Springfield, Ohio, to be used in carrying on the work at that Home.

The defendants-appellants assign as error that the judgment is against the manifest weight of the evidence, and is not sustained by sufficient evidence; the judgment is contrary to law; the court erred in admission and rejection of evidence; and other errors apparent upon the face of the record.

The doctrine of cy pres operates in the field of charitable trusts. If the court finds that the execution of a charitable trust is inexpedient or impracticable, a court of equity will execute it, as nearly as it can, according to the original plan. In Vol. 7 O. Jur. p. 175, sec. 38, it is stated:

“The general principle upon which the court acts is that, if the testator has manifested a general intention to give to charity, the failure of the particular mode .in which the charity is to be executed shall hot destroy the charity; but, if the substantial intention is charity, the law will substitute another mode of devoting the property to charitable purposes, though the formal intention as to the mode cannot be accomplished.” (Emphasis ours.)

See also Scott on Trusts, Vol. 3, p. 2098, Sec. 399; Restatement of the Law of Trusts, Vol. 2, p. 1208, Sec. 399; Vol. 14 C. J. S., Sec. 52, p. 514.

It is conceded that the will created a charitable trust. In the pleadings it was admitted that it would be impracticable and inexpedient to carry out the terms of the trust. Thus, the sole remaining issue was whether the testatrix manifested a general charitable intent. This was a legal rather than a factual matter. While there was evidence taken on several matters, we fail to understand how the judgment of the trial court can be attacked on the weight of the evidence as the issue drawn was legal and not factual.

Extrinsic evidence was admitted, to which the defendants-appellants interposed an objection. The trial court reserved its ruling. The record does not disclose a ruling at any stage of the case. Evidence introduced over objection is regarded as admitted and considered by the court, unless the record affirmatively shows the court sustained the objection.

*389 *388 It was expressly stated that this evidence was not introduced to explain an ambiguity, but rather to show the inten *389 tion of the testatrix. The general rule is well established that where the language of the will is plain and unambiguous extrinsic evidence is inadmissible to show intention not expressed in the will. Townsend’s Ex’rs. v Townsend, et al., 25 Oh St 477; Sommers v Doersam, 115 Oh St 139; Steinbrenner v Dreher, 140 Oh St 305. Vol. 41 O. Jur. p. 610, Sec. 478; 94 A. L. R. p. 39 (note d.); American and English Annotated Cases, Vol. 36 (Ann. Cas. 1915 B. p. 16). However, in some jurisdictions the courts hav^e followed the rule that when the court is in doubt or uncertain as to the true intention of the testator, as expressed by the language of the will, evidence as to conditions and surrounding circumstances may be admitted. This rule is best stated in Vol. 41 O. Jur. p. 630, Sec. 498, as follows:

“It may be stated that generally evidence may be received as to any facts known to the testator which may reasonably be supposed to have influenced him in the disposition of his property, and as to all the surrounding circumstances at the time of making the will. In other woi;ds, the courts dó not commonly reject any evidence which in any fair view may be presumed to have a bearing upon the construction of the will.”

The admission of such evidence does not do violence to the general rule. In the final analysis the court must gather the Intention of the testator from the words of the will in light of the conditions and circumstances surrounding the testator at the time of the making of the will.

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74 N.E.2d 589, 81 Ohio App. 253, 49 Ohio Law. Abs. 385, 37 Ohio Op. 77, 1947 Ohio App. LEXIS 620, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/craft-exrx-v-shroyer-ohioctapp-1947.