Polsky v. Continental Nat. Bank

110 F.2d 50, 1940 U.S. App. LEXIS 4477
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
DecidedFebruary 19, 1940
DocketNos. 11512, 11513
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 110 F.2d 50 (Polsky v. Continental Nat. Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Polsky v. Continental Nat. Bank, 110 F.2d 50, 1940 U.S. App. LEXIS 4477 (8th Cir. 1940).

Opinion

GARDNER, Circuit Judge.

These are appeals from a decree entered in a suit for the construction of a will. Morris Polsky, who died April 4, 1929, left surviving a widow, Rachel C. Polsky, a daughter, Ruth Polsky, and a son, Bernard S. Pol-sky. Morris Polsky had been twice married, and Ruth Polsky was his daughter by his first wife, while Bernard S. Polsky was his son by his second wife. The testator executed his will on July 19, 1928, naming therein as beneficiaries, legatees and devisees his surviving widow, his daughter and his son, and making certain other bequests hereinafter to be noted. Bernard died February 19, 1931, intestate, at the age of 22 years. The widow, Rachel C. Polsky died May 22, 1936, testate, and her estate is now being probated in the County Court of Lancaster County, Nebraska.

[52]*52Upon the death of the widow, Rachel C. Polsky, her stepdaughter, Ruth Polsky, commenced this suit for construction of the will of her father in so far as it related to (1)' the fee and the income to Lot 5, Block 211, in the City of Lincoln, Nebraska, this property being the homestead of the testator and his spouse, Rachel; (2) the income from Lots 8 and 14, Block 42, in the City of Lincoln, Nebraska, said property and income therefrom being included in the so-called twenty-five year trust; and (3) the income from the balance of the property, referred to as the twelve year trust.

The executrices of the estate of Rachel C. Polsky, deceased, are in this controversy asserting the rights of the widow under the will and also asserting whatever rights were possessed by the widow as the only heir at law of Bernard S. Polsky, deceased, who was one of the beneficiaries of the several trusts created by the will.

The residuary clause of the will bequeathed the residue of the estate to the Lincoln Trust Company, the predecessor of the Continental National Bank of Lincoln, Nebraska, which has succeeded to the trust.

The trustee under the will has approximately $10,000 for distribution, being income received from the intrusted properties. The Denver National Home for Jewish Children, of Denver, Colorado, the Jewish Consumptive Relief Society of Denver, Colorado, the Jewish Orphan Home of Cleveland, Ohio, the National Jewish Hospital of Denver, Colorado, and the Ex-Patient Tubercular Home of Denver, Colorado, answered and filed cross-complaints asking for a general construction of the fee titles to all of the property.

The lower court dismissed the cross-complaint of these institutions and decreed (1) with respect to the homestead (Lot 5, Block 211, City of Lincoln) dealt with by paragraph 11 of the will, that the trust had not expired; that plaintiff, Ruth Polsky, is entitled to recover three-fourths of the net income received from this homestead property since the death of Rachel C. Polsky, and that the remaining one-fourth should be retained by the trustee as a part of the corpus of the trust estate; (2) with respect to the twenty-five year trust, created by paragraph 13 of the will, that plaintiff was entitled to recover of the trustee one-half of the net rentals received since the death of Rachel C. Polsky, the remaining one-half to be retained by the trustee as a part of the corpus of the trust estate; (3) with respect to the twelve year trust, that plaintiff was entitled to three-fourths of the net income received by the trustee from said properties, the trustee to retain the remaining one-fourth as a part of .the trust estate, to be dealt with according to the terms of the trust.

The lower court refused to make any findings or determination with reference to the corpus of the trust estates or with respect to subsequent distribution of the income of said trust properties, or with respect to the ultimate disposition of the properties involved in the trusts. Ruth Polsky and the executrices of the estate of Rachel C. Polsky have appealed.

It is the contention of the appellant Ruth Polsky, that she is entitled (1) to the fee of the homestead, effective on the date of the death of the widow; that if in error as to this, she is entitled to all of the income; (2) that she is entitled to all of the income from the twelve year trust, effective on the date of the death of the widow; (3) that as to the twenty-five year trust, she being the only surviving beneficiary, the trust will continue until July 19, 1953, unless she die earlier; that she is entitled to all of the income formerly received by the widow, Rachel C. Polsky.

The executrices under the will of Rachel C. Polsky contend that (1) with respect to the homestead property, the trust was a dry trust, and the various beneficiaries, upon the death of Morris Polsky, immediately became entitled to the legal title and that Rachel C. Polsky then became entitled to an undivided one-fourth interest in fee; (2) with respect to the twelve year trust, the equitable interest of Rachel C. Polsky in the income derived by the truste-e passed through the natural channels of descent; (3) with respect to the twenty-five year trust, Rachel C. Polsky took an equitable fee interest subject to a limitation over to various survivors upon the death of the original takers. The limitation with respect to her interest not occurring, her interest to the income passed by her will, or through the laws of inheritance. They contend that they are entitled to participate in the income accumulated by the trustee from the various trusts since the date of the death of Rachel C. Polsky, and are entitled to a full and final disposition of the controversy.

The will is both long and complicated. It deals with many contingencies which did not happen, and omits provision for certain [53]*53contingencies which actually occurred. The facts are not in dispute. The provision with reference to the homestead is clause 11, which is set out in footnote.1 Clauses 13, 14, IS, 16 and 17 relate to the twenty-five year trust. Clause 18 and part of clause 19 relate to the twelve year trust, These clauses are set out in footnote.1

[54]*54Clause 23 provides that if the children die without issue, the wife not surviving, the trustee shall divide the estate into two parts, one of which shall vest in the heirs of the two children as of the dates of their respective deaths, and the other part shall be [55]*55divided into five parts, one of which is given to the five eleemosynary institutions above referred to.

Clause 11, deals specifically with the homestead and authorizes the trustee, with the consent of the widow, to sell and dispose of it, and, if the widow desired, the property might he sold and the proceeds divided among the widow and children. Clause 10 gives and bequeaths all the residue of the testator’s property in trust for the purposes thereinafter named. Clause 18 directs payment of income from the rest and residue of the testator’s property. We think the language of these clauses of the will is broad enough in its terms to include the homestead after it lost its character as such by the death of the widow, and after it became impossible, by reason of her death, to sell it and divide the proceeds as provided in clause 11. Clause 19 indicates that the homestead is to remain in trusteeship after the termination of the twelve year trust proper. Although no specific time limited this trust, it would endure for such period as would be necessary to accomplish its purpose. Angus v. Noble, 73 Conn. 56, 46 A. 278. We may put aside all questions as to the homestead during the life of the widow.

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Bluebook (online)
110 F.2d 50, 1940 U.S. App. LEXIS 4477, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/polsky-v-continental-nat-bank-ca8-1940.