Perosi v. LiGreci

31 Misc. 3d 594
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 14, 2011
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 31 Misc. 3d 594 (Perosi v. LiGreci) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Perosi v. LiGreci, 31 Misc. 3d 594 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2011).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Joseph J. Maltese, J.

The petitioners move for an order directing the respondents to turn over: all records in their possession relating to the LiGreci Irrevocable Insurance Trust (the Trust) or its assets and [595]*595to submit to examinations before trial concerning the nature and value of the trust corpus when received; any income received; disbursements, distributions or payments; any commissions paid, and the location of all records regarding the Trust relating to the accounts for all Trust assets; and move for an order directing John T. LiGreci to account to this court for all the Trust property and effects which have been received by him from the date of the creation of the Trust to the date of such accounting. In opposition, the respondents cross-move by order to show cause for an order denying the petitioners’ petition, vacating, setting aside and rescinding the May 19, 2010 “Amendment to LiGreci Irrevocable Insurance Trust” under agreement dated November 5, 1991 and the May 19, 2010 “Amended Irrevocable Trust Agreement.” Also, that upon the recision and reinstatement of John T. LiGreci as trustee of the Trust, that an order be issued directing John T. LiGreci to render an accounting in accordance with article 22 of the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act. The respondents’ order to show cause is granted and the petitioners’ motion is denied.

Facts

It is undisputed that Nicholas LiGreci created an irrevocable trust in 1991. The title of the trust agreement reads “IRREVOCABLE TRUST AGREEMENT”; at article 19 of the instrument the Trust is named “LiGreci Irrevocable Insurance Trust u/a 11/5/91”; and article 13 of the Trust reads: “This Agreement, and the Trust created hereby, shall be irrevocable and shall not be subject to any alteration or amendment. This Agreement shall continue until the termination hereof pursuant to Paragraph (B) of Article 5 [death of the grantor].”

Nicholas LiGreci’s brother and the respondent in this action, John T. LiGreci, was named trustee of the Trust with his accountant, Jack A. DeSantis of 1540 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, New York 10305, named as successor trustee. Upon the death of Nicholas LiGreci the proceeds of the Trust were to be distributed in one-third shares to the following beneficiaries, who are the children of the settlor: John LiGreci, date of birth xx/xx/xxxx; James LiGreci, date of birth xx/xx/xxxx; and Linda (LiGreci) Perosi, date of birth xx/xx/xxxx. According to an affidavit submitted by John T. LiGreci, the settlor’s brother, the Trust’s sole asset was a one million dollar life insurance policy that insured his brother’s life.

On April 20, 2010 Nicholas LiGreci, residing at 21 Crystal Avenue, Staten Island, New York, executed a New York statutory [596]*596short form power of attorney designating his daughter Linda LiGreci Perosi, also residing at 21 Crystal Avenue, Staten Island, New York, as agent. On that same instrument, Nicholas LiGreci designates his grandson, Nicholas A. Perosi, as a successor agent. The power of attorney granted the agent full authority to act on his behalf, as well as all the modifications listed 1 through 11 on the statutory form. Simultaneously with the execution of the power of attorney, Nicholas LiGreci executed the form designated “New York Statutory Major Gifts Rider Authorization to Make Major Gifts or other Transfers.”

On May 19, 2010 Linda Perosi, apparently using her purported authority as Nicholas LiGreci’s attorney-in-fact, executed an “Amendment to LiGreci Irrevocable Insurance Trust u/a/d November 5, 1991.” The amendment sought to remove their uncle, John T. LiGreci, and the accountant, Jack A. DeSantis, as trustee and successor trustee of the Trust, respectively. In their place, Linda Perosi sought to appoint her son Nicholas Perosi of 10 Wexford Lane, Shelton, Connecticut and Ericalee Burns of 21 Crystal Avenue, Staten Island, New York as trustee and successor trustee of the Trust, respectively. Each of the beneficiaries of the Trust executed the required statutory consents to the amendment.

On June 3, 2010, Nicholas LiGreci, the creator or settlor of the trust, died 15 days after Linda Perosi signed the “Amendment to LiGreci Irrevocable Insurance Trust u/a/d November 5, 1991,” as his attorney-in-fact.

Discussion

The New York Court of Appeals has held that a trust created during the settlor’s lifetime is presumed to be irrevocable absent language contained in the four corners of the instrument that retains the settlor’s right to alter or amend the instrument.1 But there is an exception to this strict rule. A settlor failing to include language that would make the instrument revocable still has a statutory right to revoke or amend the trust.2 A “creator” of an irrevocable trust may revoke or amend an otherwise irrevocable trust by obtaining the “written consent, acknowledged or proved in the manner required by the laws of [597]*597this state for the recording of a conveyance of real property, of all the persons beneficially interested in a trust property.”3

It is clearly evident that Nicholas LiGreci intended to create an irrevocable trust when he executed the trust instrument on November 5, 1991. The language contained within the four corners of the trust instrument does not permit Nicholas LiGreci to amend the trust, nor does it permit his agent to amend the trust. It is without question that Nicholas LiGreci as the “creator” of the Trust could have, during his lifetime, utilized the statutory mechanism to revoke or amend an otherwise irrevocable trust. The issue is whether Linda Perosi, one of the beneficiaries of the Trust, could utilize that same statutory provision acting as the settlor’s attorney-in-fact when she signed the amendment that removed John T. LiGreci as trustee and named her son Nicholas Perosi as trustee of the LiGreci Irrevocable Insurance Trust u/a 11/5/91 on May 19, 2010.

The Surrogate’s Court in Westchester County examined this very question in the case Matter of Goetz4 that contained a very similar set of facts. In that case, the settlor of the trust reserved in himself the right to revoke or amend the terms of the trust during his lifetime. At the same time the settlor executed a statutory short form durable power of attorney in favor of his wife, that granted her full authority. Subsequent to the creation of the trust the settlor sought to exercise his right to amend the trust and revoke that provision dividing the residuary of his estate equally among his children and instead grant his wife a limited testamentary power of appointment. The amendment was drafted and brought to the settlor for execution. The settlor signed the amendment, but not in the presence of a notary, thereby making it ineffective. The very next day the settlor’s wife executed the amendment in her capacity as the settlor’s attorney-in-fact. The Surrogate’s Court held that the amendment executed by the settlor’s wife, in her capacity as attorney-in-fact, amending the trust was ineffective.5

The “creator” of a trust is defined as “a person who makes a disposition of property.”6 The Court of Appeals, in Culver v Title Guar. & Trust Co., addressed the individualized nature of the [598]*598statutory right to revoke an otherwise irrevocable trust.7 In that case, a trust was created by three settlors or creators.

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Related

Perosi v. LiGreci
98 A.D.3d 230 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2012)

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Bluebook (online)
31 Misc. 3d 594, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/perosi-v-ligreci-nysupct-2011.