Jones v. Coon

295 N.W. 162, 229 Iowa 756
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedDecember 10, 1940
DocketNo. 45406.
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 295 N.W. 162 (Jones v. Coon) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jones v. Coon, 295 N.W. 162, 229 Iowa 756 (iowa 1940).

Opinion

Oliver, J.

In 1929, a judgment was secured against Cora L. Coon. In 1934, William F. Cronk, father of Cora L. Coon, made a will containing a testamentary trust in which Cora L. Coon was a beneficiary. William F. Cronk died in 1938, the probate of his estate has been closed, and Bankers Trust Company is acting as trustee of said trust. Plaintiff-appellants, as alleged owners of the judgment against Cora L. Coon, instituted this action in equity against said judgment debtor and Bankers Trust Company, trustee, to subject to said judgment the interest of Cora L. Coon in said trust. The trial court denied the relief prayed and dismissed the petition and plaintiffs have appealed.

The will of William F. Cronk, in part, provides:

“Third: I give, devise and bequeath all the rest and residue of my -estate, real, personal and mixed, * * # to the Bankers Trust Co. of Des Moines, Iowa * * * as trustee, hereunder in trust, upon the following terms, trust and conditions.”

(1) Gives the trustee general discretionary power and .authority to handle, sell, invest and re-invest the trust estate.

(2) Provides for a trust period of 15 years which may be terminated after 10 years upon request of the four children and may be extended up to 20 years “in the manner hereinafter provided.”

(3) Provides that the income and principal of .the trust estate shall be distributed as follows: “The trustee shall divide the same into four equal shares, but said shares may be of. undivided interests!”

# * #
“c. One share for my daughter Cora L. Coon, and to her children, subject to the limitations hereinafter provided.”

*758 a, b and e refer to shares for decedent’s other three living children, Nellie May Adams, Mary Amanda Lewis, and Anson M. Cronk.

(4 and 5) Provide that the lineal descendants of any child dying prior to the termination of the trust shall take in lieu of said child. If no lineal descendants survive, such share shall be divided among the other shares.

“(6) Upon the termination of said -trust period as heretofore designated, the said trustee shall convey, transfer and assign one of such shares to each of my said children, or, in the case of the death of any one of my said children, then to his or her lineal descendants, per stirpes and not per capita, and said trust shall thereupon be terminated. It is particularly understood, however, that it is my intention that the trustee need not sell any of the property held by it as a part of said trust but may distribute the same as above provided and such distribution may be made of undivided interests. ’ ’

(7 .and 8) Provide for the compensation of the trustee and method of computing net income.

(9) The application of net income shall be as follows:

a. $25 per year for ten years to a church.

b. Bequires trustee to set up and maintain an emergency fund of $1,000 out of funds on hand or income, for use “for any purpose which it deems for the best interests of the said estate.”

“c. During the trust period herein specified the trustee shall pay the residue and remainder of the net income in equal parts, to, and for the benefit of the surviving children, or in case of the decease of any child to his or her living lineal descendants per stirpes and not per capita. Such payments shall be made quarterly on January 1st, April 1,- and July 1 and October 1.
“(10) Bach and every payment of principal or income, and each and every delivery of any property of any kind which may be paid to Mary Amanda Lewis, or to Cora L. Coon, or to Anson M. Cronk, shall be payable and transferable, *759 and shall be paid and transferred only to the said Mary Amanda Lewis, and the' said Cora L. Coon and the said Anson Cronk personally and the same shall not be payable to, or transferable to any other person, by reason of any assignment or transfer by operation of law or otherwise, of any supposed possible right of the said Mary .Amanda Lewis, or the said Cora L. Coon, or the said Anson M. Cronk, to receive the same and in the event that the said Mary Amanda Lewis or Cora L. Coon or Anson M. Cronk shall by operation of law, or by reason of any act of his or hers, be barred or prohibited from receiving the payment of any installment of money, or any transfer of property, and applying the same to-his or her use, or if the money paid, or property transferred to him or her would be subject to any liens of judgments or liable for his or her debts at the time unpaid, then such payment' of money or transfer of property shall not be made to him or her but shall be payable or transferable to my eldest grandson, or the Court may appoint my granddaughter Mrs. Gwendolyn Lofquist,' which money so paid to my eldest grandson or granddaughter, shall be applied to the care, board and clothing of my said children respectively, as far as may be proper or necessary in the judgment of trustee, and in case of the said shares of Mary Amanda Lewis, Cora L. Coon and Anson M. Cronk cannot be paid to him or her without being subject to liens and debts at the time unpaid, then upon the death of each or 21 years after my decease, if the time should first elapse, trustee shall pay, transfer, assign and deliver his or her shares or so much thereof as may remain in the hands of trustee to his or her children per stirpes and not per capita.”

In construing provisions of a will the end sought is the ascertainment of the expressed intent of the testator. Bach portion should be construed, not as standing alone, but as related to all other provisions so that the intent of the testator may be gathered from the entire instrument. If not in contravention to some established rule of law .or public policy sueh intent will be carried into effect. Dickerson v. Morse, 200 Iowa 115, 202 N. W. 601.

The provisions of the testamentary trust leave no doubt of the intent of the donor (testator). In addition to restraining *760 the voluntary and involuntary transfer (or attempted transfer) of the right of Cora L. Coon to the income and principal, during the trust period, and providing for the loss of such right, it provides (1) that any payment of income which may not, by reason thereof, be made to her, shall be made to a grandchild and applied to Cora’s care, board and clothing “so far as may be proper or necessary in the judgment of trustee”; and (2) that at the end of-the trust period, the share of the principal shall he transferred to her, only if she survives and if- it will not be subject to her liens and debts at the time unpaid. Unless she survives the termination of the trust and attains this financial status prior to 21 years from testator’s death she will not be entitled to a transfer of the principal and the trustee is required to transfer it to her children (to be theirs absolutely).

Appellants complain:

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Bluebook (online)
295 N.W. 162, 229 Iowa 756, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jones-v-coon-iowa-1940.