Girard Trust Corn Exchange Bank v. Griffith

140 A.2d 86, 49 N.J. Super. 399, 1958 N.J. Super. LEXIS 563
CourtNew Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division
DecidedMarch 20, 1958
StatusPublished

This text of 140 A.2d 86 (Girard Trust Corn Exchange Bank v. Griffith) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Girard Trust Corn Exchange Bank v. Griffith, 140 A.2d 86, 49 N.J. Super. 399, 1958 N.J. Super. LEXIS 563 (N.J. Ct. App. 1958).

Opinion

Dkefk, J. C. C.

(temporarily assigned). This matter seeks the construction of the will of William B. Griffith and Stella R. Griffith, deceased husband and wife. Plaintiffs Herbert W. Royal and Camden Trust Company, executors of the estate of Stella R. Griffith, also seek instruc[401]*401tions regarding the collection of the New Jersey inheritance tax assessed against the share of Carolyn M. Griffith, a daughter of the decedents and a legatee under both wills.

With the exception of the admissibility of certain declarations made by Stella R. Griffith, the facts are admitted. The declarations were adduced in the deposition on written interrogatories of Herbert W. Royal. It appears to me that the deposition is not required in construing the will of Stella R. Griffith, so that no ruling is made upon its admissibility.

I am of the opinion that the intention of both testators is clear in their respective wills and also clear when read together, so that there is no need to apply the rules of construction, Morristown Trust Company v. McCann, 19 N. J. 568 (1955); Rosencrans v. Fry, 12 N. J. 88 (1953).

William B. Griffith and Stella R. Griffith were the father and mother of Carolyn M. Griffith. The father’s estate is by far the more substantial. They made, originally, practically identical wills, each bearing the date September 19, 1953. Each will created an annuity of $1,000 per month for the daughter. The father and mother also executed practically identical codicils to the will of September 19, 1953, which do not bear upon the provisions of the respective wills creating the annuity for the daughter.

William B. Griffith died first, on April 1, 1954. The provision in his will of September 19, 1953, establishing the annuity for the daughter is as follows:

“SEVENTH: Commencing with the death of my wife, STELLA R. GRIFFITH, or with my death if my said wife shall not survive me, there shall be paid to my daughter, CAROLYN M. GRIFFITH in monthly installments during her lifetime, such sum which, together with all other income then being received by her, as shall aggregate $1,000 per month. My Trustee is authorized to pay to my said daughter such sums from the principal of the Residuary Trust as in its sole discretion shall be necessary or advisable from time to time to maintain her in the standard of living to which she had been accustomed, and for her medical care, welfare and emergency needs and the purchase of a dwelling for her if that should be desirable. In thus encroaching upon the principal of the Residuary Trust, my [402]*402Trustee shall take into consideration all other income and cash resources available to my said daughter for such purposes from all sources known to it.”

The mother’s will, dated September 19, 1953, contained a nearly identical provision. This will was revoked by a subsequent will made by Stella R. Griffith, dated February 21, 1955. A codicil thereto was dated September 19, 1955. Stella R. Griffith died June 12, 1956. Her will of February 21, 1955 made the following provision for the annuity to the daughter Carolyn.

“FOURTH: (a) If my daughter, CAROLYN M. GRIFFITH, survives me, then commencing with my death, there shall be paid to my daughter in monthly installments during her lifetime, such sum which, together with all other income then being received by her, as shall aggregate $1,200.00 per month. If the income of said trust shall be insufficient, the principal thereof may be used to make such payments. If there is more than sufficient income to make such payments, then such overplus shall be paid monthly to my brother, HERBERT W. ROYAL, or, if he is not living, or on his death, then to his wife, DORA M. S. ROYAL.
FIFTH: It is my intention to limit the income which my daughter, CAROLYN M. GRIFFITH shall receive from all sources to a maximum of $1,200.00 per month. Notwithstanding that intention, and in order to provide for emergencies, my trustees are authorized to pay to my said daughter such sums from the income or principal of my estate as in their sole discretion shall be necessary or advisable from time to time to maintain her in the standard of living to which she has been accustomed, and for her medical care, welfare and emergency needs, and for the purchase of a dwelling for her if that should be desirable.”

The codicil of September 19, 1955 ratified and confirmed the will of February 21, 1955 and corrected the same by providing;

“FIRST: I hereby correct and amend sub-paragraph (a) of the FOURTH paragraph of my said Will to read as follows:
(a) If my daughter, Carolyn M. Griffith, survives me, then commencing with my death, there shall be paid to my daughter in monthly installments during her lifetime, such sum which, together with all other income then being received by her, as shall aggregate $1,200.00 per month. If the income of said trust shall be insufficient, the principal thereof may be used to make such payments. If there is more than sufficient income to make such payments, then such [403]*403overplus shall be paid monthly to my brother, HERBERT W. ROYAL. If my said brother should predecease me, or upon his death if he survives me, then such overplus shall be paid monthly to his wife, DORA M. S. ROYAL; or, if she is not then living, or upon her death if she survives him, then such overplus shall be paid monthly to their son, my nephew, H. WILLIAM ROYAL, for the education of his children; or, if he is not then living, or upon his death if he survives his mother, DORA M. S. ROYAL, then such overplus shall be paid monthly to his then living children in equal shares, share and share alike.”

The major change in the annuity provisions of the 1955 will and codicil of Stella B. Griffith from that of the 1953 will was to increase the annuity to the daughter Carolyn from $1,000 to $1,300 per month. An additional change is that the 1955 will and codicil provides for a gift over of income in excess of that required to maintain the $1,300 per month, to others than the daughter.

While the original wills and the codicils of both testators, were similar, there was no provision in either against a future change by either testator. They are not mutual wills, even though basically they are according to what appears to be a mutual plan. That is, each testator seeks to provide for the daughter after the death of the survivor of them. At the same time it is evident that both testators, for whatever reason, desire to limit the income of the daughter, but only to the extent that she receive a sum not in excess of the sum necessary to maintain the standard of living to which she was accustomed while her parents were living.

Standing alone, each will is clear and concise as to the intention of the respective testators. It is only when the wills are read together that any difficulty is presented. The -primary question thus presented is to what extent should each estate contribute to the monthly payment of the annuity bequeathed the daughter.

Tt is clear that both the father and mother, by their 1953 wills and codicils, desired to limit the daughter’s monthly income from all sources to $1,000, except for the contingencies set forth therein. On April 1, 1954, the father died. Thereafter, by will of February 31, 1955 and the codicil [404]

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140 A.2d 86, 49 N.J. Super. 399, 1958 N.J. Super. LEXIS 563, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/girard-trust-corn-exchange-bank-v-griffith-njsuperctappdiv-1958.