Darrow v. Fifth Third Union Trust Co.

139 N.E.2d 112, 78 Ohio Law. Abs. 303, 1 Ohio Op. 2d 104, 1954 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 303
CourtCourt of Common Pleas of Ohio, Hamilton County
DecidedNovember 30, 1954
DocketNo. A-137519
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 139 N.E.2d 112 (Darrow v. Fifth Third Union Trust Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Common Pleas of Ohio, Hamilton County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Darrow v. Fifth Third Union Trust Co., 139 N.E.2d 112, 78 Ohio Law. Abs. 303, 1 Ohio Op. 2d 104, 1954 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 303 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1954).

Opinion

OPINION

By HESS, J.

This cause came on to be heard on the pleadings, evidence, stipulation of facts, arguments and briefs of counsel.

The action is for a declaratory judgment in which the plaintiff [305]*305seeks the determination of this court concerning her rights in personal property held by the defendant, The Fifth Third Union Trust Company, under an amendable trust agreement executed by the plaintiff’s husband prior to his death. Generally, the plaintiff maintains that by reason of her election not to take under her husband’s last will and testament, she is entitled to share in the assets of said inter vivos trust.

The defendants deny the plaintiff is entitled to invade the trust.

Specific issues will be discussed in this opinion.

At the hearing, counsel for the parties offered the following stipulation of facts:

“It is hereby stipulated and agreed by and between the plaintiff and the defendants, by their respective attorneys, and the following stipulated facts may be admitted in evidence, subject, however, to the general-objections of any party as to competency, materiality and/or relevancy:
“1. That the plaintiff, Florence C. Darrow, is the surviving spouse of Eleazar Darrow, deceased.
“2. That Eleazar Darrow was the settlor under a trust agreement known as Trust Number L-3030, entered into with The Fifth Third Union Trust Company, trustee, on October 4, 19^7, a true copy of which trust agreement with amendments thereto is attached to plaintiff’s petition.
“3. That Eleazar Darrow upon the creation of said trust deposited with The Fifth Third Union Trust Company, trustee, certain property to be held under the provisions of said trust agreement, which property, and the market value thereof at the date of the creation of said trust, was as follows:
33,000 U. S. 2 % % — 9/15/47 @ 102 12/32 $33,783.75
1,000 U. S. 2 7/8% — 3/15/60 @ 100 12/32 $1,003.75
60 Cincinnati Gas & Electrict Company 5% pfd. @ 100 $6,000.00
Total market value ______________________________$40,787.50
“4. That Eleazer Darrow was married to Madelyn Darrow at the time of the execution of said trust agreement.
“5. That Madelyn Darrow died on November 29, 1940.
“6. That the plaintiff and Eleazar Darrow were married at Cincinnati, Ohio on June 7, 1941.
“7. That Eleazar Darrow died September 10, 1952 and was domiciled in Miami, Florida at the time of his death.
“8. That the last will and testament of Eleazar Darrow was admitted to probate by the Probate Court of Hamilton County, Ohio on October 27, 1952, under the provisions of §10504-15 GC (§§2107.11, 2107.12 R. C.), a true copy of which last will and testament is attached to plaintiff’s petition.
“9. That defendant, The Fifth Third Union Trust Company, qualified in said Probate Court of Hamilton County, Ohio as executor of the estate of Eleazer Darrow on October 27, 1952.
“10. That said executor filed with said Probate Court an inventory of said estate on October 31, 1952, listing personal properties with a total value of $1,288.38 as the sole assets of said estate.
[306]*306“11. That plaintiff made no objections to the inventory of said estate as filed by the executor with said Probate Court.
“12. That said Probate Court under the provisions of §10509-78 GC (§2117.23 R. C.), set off to plaintiff $1,800.00 as her year’s allowance, $1,000.00 <?f which has been paid to plaintiff by said executor.
“13. That the executor has in its possession only enough assets to pay proper fees and costs chargeable to said estate, and does not have in its possession sufficient assets to pay in full the year’s allowance set off to the plaintiff.
“14. That said executor and the appraisers of said estate did not set off to plaintiff 20% of the assets of the estate.
“15. That on October 31, 1952, plaintiff filed with said Probate Court an election not to take under the last will and testament of her deceased husband, under the provisions of §10504-55 GC (§2107.39 R. C.)
“16. That Eleazar Darrow made withdrawals of assets from said trust as follows:
May 17, 1939 Eleazar Darrow withdrew $2,197.50
August 24, 1939 Eleazar Darrow withdrew 1,084.69
February 15, 1941 Eleazar Darrow withdrew 1,080.94
May 15, 1949 Eleazar Darrow withdrew 1,080.69
July 20, 1944 Eleazar Darrow withdrew 5,000.00
August 18, 1945 Eleazar Darrow withdrew 3,003.75
September 6, 1951 Eleazar Darrow withdrew 1,000.00
Total withdrawals ________________$14,447.57
“17. That upon the death of Eleazar Darrow, plaintiff became entitled to the income for life under said trust agreement, and that the market value of the trust assets at the time of Eleazar Darrow’s death was $28,753.84.
“18. That The Fifth Third Union Trust Company, trustee, pursuant to authority given in said trust agreement, paid claims from the principal of said trust as follows:
November 3, 1952 Agnes Smart, Nursing Eleazar Darrow $ 24.00
November 3, 1952 Murphy’s Pharmacy — medicine 11.37
November 21, 1952 John R. Harding, M. D. 214.00
December 1, 1952 W. Mack Johnson — funeral 881.52
$1,130.89
“19. That plaintiff was born February 12, 1892.
“20. That the value of plaintiff’s life estate in said trust at the time of Eleazar Darrow’s death, based upon the American Experience Table of Mortality and computing interest at the rate of 4% per annum on the value of the trust assets, less the claims referred to in Item 18 above, was $10,285.68.
“21. That The Fifth Third Union Trust Company, trustee, pursuant to the provisions of said trust agreement, has paid to plaintiff the total sum of $1,587.82, in monthly installments, said amount being the income of said trust from the date of Eleazar Darrow’s death, less proper charges thereon.
[307]*307“22. That decisions of the Florida courts, as reported in the official Reports thereof, may be offered in evidence merely by submission of the book and page number thereof.”

The last will and testament of Eleazar Darrow reads as follows:

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Related

Fifth Third Bank v. Crosley
669 N.E.2d 904 (Court of Common Pleas of Ohio, Hamilton County, 1996)

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Bluebook (online)
139 N.E.2d 112, 78 Ohio Law. Abs. 303, 1 Ohio Op. 2d 104, 1954 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 303, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/darrow-v-fifth-third-union-trust-co-ohctcomplhamilt-1954.