Paul Estate

34 Pa. D. & C.2d 765, 1964 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 97
CourtPennsylvania Orphans' Court, Delaware County
DecidedSeptember 16, 1964
Docketno. 603
StatusPublished

This text of 34 Pa. D. & C.2d 765 (Paul Estate) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Orphans' Court, Delaware County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Paul Estate, 34 Pa. D. & C.2d 765, 1964 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 97 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1964).

Opinion

van Roden, P. J.,

Counsel for certain beneficiaries in this estate have filed exceptions to the adjudication nisi dated April 16, 1964, sur the first and final account of the trustees and also to the order and decree entered the same date sur petition to determine the value of corporate stock belonging to the estate.

The exceptions to the adjudication, order and decree have been embodied in a single pleading. While it might be better practice to have filed separate exceptions to the decree nisi and to have taken an appeal from the order and decree, which was final in both form and substance, nevertheless, the two matters are interrelated in that both raise a single issue and will be so considered herein.

[767]*767The sole question involved is whether petitioners have relinquished or are estopped from asserting their right to have the value of the aforementioned corporate stock determined by this court.

The facts are not in dispute, the present controversy being centered on the legal inferences and conclusions to be drawn from the facts.

Decedent died November 9, 1955. By her last will and testament in writing dated April 29, 1949, she devised and bequeathed her residuary estate in trust for the benefit of certain designated beneficiaries until the youngest of the income beneficiaries should attain the age of 30 years, at which time the balance of principal and accrued income is to be paid to the said beneficiaries in the same proportions as they share in the income. The youngest beneficiary became 30 years of age on December 5, 1962, which event terminated the trust and matured the corpus for distribution.

In Item Eighth (c) of her will, decedent made the following provision with respect to shares of stock in A. H. Wirz, Inc., belonging to her estate:

“(c) At the termination of the trust provided under Item FIFTH hereof, my estate shall be divided for distribution as above provided and each share thereof shall contain a proportionate share of the stock in A. H. Wirz, Inc. Upon the calculation of such division, the then actual value of the said stock shall be determined by my corporate Trustee with the approval of such of the said Roberta W. Blakiston and Jean Blakiston and the said Anne Elizabeth Maddock Ewing, Mary C. Maddock, Robert F. Cox, Townsend C. Cox, Jr., and Henry Wirz Cox as shall then be living, and in the event of a failure of any of them to agree, the then actual value of the said stock shall be determined by the then President Judge of the Orphans’ Court of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and upon the determination of the value of the stock as aforesaid, such of [768]*768the said Anne Elizabeth Maddock Ewing, Mary C. Maddock, Robert F. Cox Townsend C. Cox, Jr., and Henry Wirz Cox as shall then be living and my Trustees on behalf of the issue then living of any of them that may then be deceased, shall have the right within six (6) months to purchase for cash any or all of the stock of A. H. Wirz, Inc., at a price equal to the value so determined from the shares of the said trusts about to be distributed to the said Roberta W. Blakiston and Jean Blakiston or their issue, such rights to be exercised pro rata.”

On March 11, 1963, the corporate trustee valued the 980 shares of the A. H. Wirz, Inc., stock belonging to decedent’s estate at $600 per share and so notified all of the beneficiaries. On May 23, 1963, following the receipt of such notice of a valuation, petitioners, Anne Elizabeth Maddock Ewing, Mary C. Maddock Rowan, Robert F. Cox, Jr., and Townsend C. Cox, Jr., through their counsel, offered to respondents Roberta W. Blakiston and Jean Blakiston Cox, to purchase for $400 per share the stock of A. H. Wirz, Inc., to which respondents would be entitled under the trust instrument or, if this offer was unacceptable, to waive their right to purchase such stock and request the trustee to distribute the stock in kind without any determination of value by the president judge of the orphans’ court.

On the following day, May 24, 1963, counsel for respondents telephoned counsel for petitioners and advised him that the offer to purchase was not acceptable, but that respondents would agree to the distribution of the stock in kind without requesting the president judge of the orphans’ court to determine its value. Counsel for petitioners replied he would advise the corporate trustee of the aforesaid understanding and request the trustee to take the necessary steps to distribute the stock in kind. Counsel for petitioners and [769]*769counsel for respondents confirmed the understanding and requested distribution of the stock in kind by letters written to the corporate trustee.

On September 11, 1963, counsel for petitioners advised counsel for respondents that his clients had changed their minds and wanted them to request the determination of value by the president judge of the orphans’ court. Counsel for respondents immediately objected thereto, claiming that such action was in violation of the “agreement.”

Respondents take the position that petitioners had relinquished their right to have the value of the stock of the A. H. Wirz, Inc., held by this trust estate determined by the president judge of this court and further relinquished their right to purchase the stock distributable to the respondents, or, in the alternative, that petitioners are estopped from requiring such determination of value by this court and from exercising any right to purchase the stock otherwise distributable to the respondents.

In the aforementioned order and decree dated April 16, 1964, this court held that petitioners had not relinquished their right to have the value of the A. H. Wirz, Inc., stock held by this trust determined by the president judge of this court nor their right to purchase stock otherwise distributable to respondents, nor are they estopped therefrom; granted the petition to have the value of the stock determined by this court; directed the trustees to retain the stock and not to make any distribution or disposition thereof pending further order of this court; and, because of the complicated and disputed issues of fact involved in the determination of the actual value of the shares of stock, appointed a master to take testimony upon all issues of fact involved in the determination of the actual value of the shares of stock in A. H. Wirz, Inc., held by the trustees, and to report to the court his [770]*770findings of fact and conclusions of law and his recommendations as to the proper actual valuation thereof.

The adjudication nisi, filed concurrently with said order and decree, made reference thereto and contained an award reflecting the provisions thereof.

The court has had the benefit of written briefs and oral argument on the issues raised by the exceptions. After full and careful consideration and review, the court is of the opinion, that the disposition of this matter by the auditing judge was proper and just and in accordance with the facts and the law and should not be disturbed.

Although it is true that on May 23, 1963, counsel for the petitioners informed counsel for respondents that petitioners were willing to purchase for $400 per share the stock of A. H.

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Bluebook (online)
34 Pa. D. & C.2d 765, 1964 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 97, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/paul-estate-paorphctdelawa-1964.