Festinger v. Kantor

616 S.W.2d 455, 272 Ark. 411, 1981 Ark. LEXIS 1284
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedMay 4, 1981
Docket80-15, 80-174 and 80-184
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 616 S.W.2d 455 (Festinger v. Kantor) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Festinger v. Kantor, 616 S.W.2d 455, 272 Ark. 411, 1981 Ark. LEXIS 1284 (Ark. 1981).

Opinions

Donis B. Hamilton, Special Justice.

This complex case involves three appeals pending in this court consolidated for argument and decision. The first case (80-15) consists of two cases which were consolidated in the trial court and has been previously before us. See Festinger v. Kantor, 264 Ark. 275, 571 S.W. 2d 82 (1978). As we commented then, it is not an overstatement to say the issues are as numerous as would ordinarily be found in a half dozen lawsuits. The basic issues in 80-15 involve the construction of the wills of Sam Epstein and Becke Ruth Epstein, his wife, the construction of the testamentary trusts found in each of those wills, accounting by the trustees, termination of the trusts, and partition of certain lands. The other two cases (80-174 and 80-184) involve appeals from the chancellor’s orders concerning the sale of one of the assets (a cotton gin, its improvements and related acreage), and the confirmation thereof.

After having reviewed the orders appealed from, we affirm in part and reverse in part.

Prior to his death in 1944, Sam Epstein accumulated vast holdings in Chicot County consisting of approximately 10,000 acres of land, two properties and lots, rent houses, business properties, and a cotton gin. Surviving Sam Epstein were his widow, Becke Ruth Epstein, and three daughters, Helen Epstein Kantor, Sylvia Epstein Angel and Melvyn Epstein Festinger.

During his life, Sam Epstein either bought or arranged for the purchase of various properties aggregating approximately 1,000 acres consisting of various tracts, the deeds to which showed the grantees as being Becke Ruth Epstein (the wife of Sam Epstein), Helen Epstein, Sylvia Epstein, Melvyn Epstein, or in the name of Ben Angel (son-in-law of Sam Epstein and husband of Sylvia Epstein Angel), or in combination of two or more of these five persons. These properties constitute what will be referred to herein as the “disputed properties.” Other properties which were unquestionably in Sam Epstein’s name or which were acquired by the trustees of his testamentary trust are referred to as the “undisputed properties” or the “original lands.” Certain other lands, although originally a portion of the disputed lands were later excepted out of the case by a stipulation of the parties and have been referred to as the “excepted lands.”

Part VII of Sam Epstein’s will, dated less than two months prior to his death, provides;

I give, devise and bequeath to my said trustees, Ben Angel, Harold Kantor and Becky Ruth Epstein, ... and unto the survivor of them, and their successor in trust as herein provided, all of my estate ... to be held in trust as herein provided, all of my estate ... to be held in trust by them for the use and benefit of my said beloved wife, Becke Ruth Epstein ... and my said children, Helen Epstein Kantor, Sylvia Epstein Angel and Melvyn Epstein Festinger, share and share alike, and unto the heirs of their body and the survivor or survivors of them, per stirpes, for the uses, covenants, purposes and with and subject to the powers and limitations hereinafter expressed and declared of and concerning the same as follows ...

Subparagraph (F) of Part VII of the will provides that the net income of the trust estate should:

be paid over ... to my beloved wife, Becke Ruth Epstein ... and to my children, Helen Epstein Kantor, Sylvia Epstein Angel and Melvyn Epstein Festinger, share and share alike, and unto the heirs of their body, and the survivor or survivors of them per stirpes, so long as they shall live, or until the expiration of this trust. ...

Subparagraph (G) of Part VII of the will is as follows:

This trust shall remain in full force and effect for a period of ten years from the date of my death, and as long thereafter as my said wife shall live, provided she is a party beneficiary and trustee under this trust, if not, then for so long thereafter as the surviving beneficiary or beneficiaries hereunder may elect, and when, according to the terms hereof, this trust shall cease, it then is my will and I do so hereby devise, will and bequeath all of the remainder thereof, as well as money and all other assets of said trust estate, and the increase thereof, in fee simple and absolute, to the beneficiaries under this trust, share and share alike, and unto the heirs of their body, and the survivor or survivors of them, per stirpes.

It is undisputed that before his death, Sam Epstein controlled, managed, rented and collected the income from all of the properties, both disputed and undisputed. Although it is asserted that Sam Epstein kept some sketchy accounts in his books relating to income from properties variously owned among his wife, his daughters and his son-in-law, it is undisputed that only nominal amounts of income were actually distributed to the record title owners. After Sam Epstein’s death, Ben Angel, who, by all accounts, was an honest, honorable and diligent manager, continued to manage all the properties, both disputed and undisputed, in the same manner as Sam Epstein had done prior to his death. For the period from 1944 to 1951, it is controverted as to whether income from the disputed properties was accounted for in the books or ledgers that were kept. However, all distributions of income that were actually made were given in equal shares to the widow and three daughters. From 1951 until litigation was commenced, both disputed and undisputed properties were managed as a single unit without attempting to identify what income was produced by what property and with all distributions being made in five equal parts: one part was retained in the trust to provide for depreciation and capital expenditures; one part was distributed to Becke Ruth Epstein; and the remaining three parts were distributed to the three daughters.

Sam Epstein’s widow, Becke Ruth Epstein, died testate in 1963. In one provision of her will, Mrs. Epstein implores her daughters to continue the Sam Epstein Testamentary Trust, apparently under the mistaken impression that it would continue after her death:

(3) It is my wish and desire that after my death, my daughters or those surviving me shall elect to continue the Sam Epstein Trust as their father intended for them to do. By so following the intent of their father, his grandchildren should always enjoy economic security as their grandfather provided for their mothers. If my daughters elect to continue said trust, it is my desire that my three daughters, the survivor or survivors, shall qualify and act as co-trustees with Ben Angel and such that all four of them will be charged with the duties and obligations imposed by the said Sam Epstein Trust. ...

In another portion of her will, and after making specific bequests, Mrs. Epstein leaves the residue of her property to her three daughters in trust to pay the income to the grandchildren during their lifetimes with the remainder over to the descendants of said grandchildren.

In 1964, the three Epstein daughters filed a petition in the Chancery Court of Chicot County alleging that they were the sole surviving heirs at law of Sam Epstein and the beneficiaries under his testamentary trust. The petitioners further alleged that the trust had been in existence and still existed.

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Festinger v. Kantor
616 S.W.2d 455 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1981)

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Bluebook (online)
616 S.W.2d 455, 272 Ark. 411, 1981 Ark. LEXIS 1284, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/festinger-v-kantor-ark-1981.