Provident Bank v. Goetz

219 N.E.2d 248, 8 Ohio Misc. 382, 36 Ohio Op. 2d 202, 1965 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 258
CourtHamilton County Probate Court
DecidedJuly 22, 1965
DocketNo. 2552
StatusPublished

This text of 219 N.E.2d 248 (Provident Bank v. Goetz) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Hamilton County Probate Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Provident Bank v. Goetz, 219 N.E.2d 248, 8 Ohio Misc. 382, 36 Ohio Op. 2d 202, 1965 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 258 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1965).

Opinion

Davies, J.

The Provident Bank, as trustee under the will of Emma Moerlein, deceased, has filed a petition for the construction of said decedent’s will and for “directions of court” concerning matters set forth in the petition.

Emma Moerlein died testate on October 3,1928. She created a trust of the residue of her estate and provided that the trust estate should be divided into five funds lettered as follows: “a” comprising two-thirds of the corpus of the entire [383]*383trust estate and “b,” “c,” “d,” and “e” each comprising one-twelfth of the corpus of said trust estate.

Item XIII of the decedent’s will provides as follows:

“The trustees shall pay the net income arising from fund ‘a’ to my sister, Lizzie Goetz, for and during her natural life and upon her death, or in the event she be not living at the time of my death, then the net income aforesaid shall be divided in equal parts and respectively paid to my niece, Emma Goetz, and my nephew, Christian J. Goetz, and my nephew, Robert J. Goetz. Should one or more of said children of my said sister, Lizzie Goetz, die without leaving lawful issue or a surviving spouse, then the net income from fund ‘a’ shall be paid to the survivors or survivor of them during their respective lives, in equal shares.

“Should one or more of said children of my said sister, Lizzie Goetz, die without leaving lawful issue, but leaving a spouse surviving, then the trustees shall pay to such relict one-third (l/3rd) of the income from fund ‘a’ for and during such spouse’s natural life, or so long as such spouse does not remarry.

“Should one or more of said children of my said sister, Lizzie Goetz, die leaving lawful issue and a spouse surviving, the trustee shall pay to said relict for and during such spouse’s life, or so long as said relict remains unmarried, so much of the income from fund ‘a’ as said child was enjoying at the time of his or her death and upon the death or remarriage of such relict, the trustee shall pay the net income from fund ‘a’ to the child of said deceased nephew or niece of the testatrix, or should there be more than one, then to such children, share and share alike until such child, or should there be more than one, until the youngest of such children shall have, or would have reached the age of thirty (30) years, at which time the trustee shall pay over, deliver and assign fund ‘a’ to such child or children as shall have reached the age of thirty (30) years, share and share alike, but in case any child who had reached the age of twenty-one (21) years has died before the youngest has or would have reached the age of thirty (30) years, then payment shall be made to the personal representatives of such child; but it is my intention that the interest of each child in fund ‘a’ shall yest absolutely when said child reaches the [384]*384age of twenty-one (21) years, and distribution of fund ‘a’ shall merely be postponed until the youngest child, or if only one, when that child reaches or would have reached the age of thirty (30) years.

“In tlae event my niece and nephews should die without leaving lawful issue and upon the death of their respective relicts, or if said trust fund ‘a’ should be terminated by reason of the provisions of Item XX hereof, then fund ‘a’ shall be equally distributed among the other trust funds hereinafter provided which are then in operation and effect.”

Items XIV, XV, XVI and XVII provided respectively for the administration of funds “b” through “e” for the primary benefits of the decedent’s sister, Lena Born (fund “b”), Katherine M. Pister, Anna E. Wells, and Charles Moerlein, children of her brother, John Moerlein (fund “c”), her nephew, William C. Moerlein (fund “d”), and her grandnephew, Jacob William Moerlein (fund “e”). These four funds all had similar provisions to fund “a” for alternate beneficiaries and termination of the trust funds.

Item XX reads as follows:

“In charging expenses they are to be apportioned in accordance with the value of each fund at the time the expense was incurred.

“In making the foregoing disposition of my property I have endeavored to equalize the fortunes of my several relatives. Therefore, in case any of the legatees or devises hereinbefore named, shall institute or prosecute any action to contest or set aside this, my will, the legacy or devise hereinbefore given to such person or persons shall be thereby forfeited and annulled and shall revert and inure equally to the several funds herein provided for.”

Of the funds referred to in the various items of the will fund “e” referred to in Item XVII has heretofore been distributed in its entirety to defendant, George A. Moerlein, who became thirty years of age on March 15, 1960; fund “d” referred to in Item XVI has heretofore been distributed to William M. Moerlein and Mary Jane Crannell, the children of William C. Moerlein, when the youngest of such children of William C. Moerlein became thirty years of age on March 3, 1960; pursuant to an order of this court entered on November 24, [385]*3851952 in case No. 1761 one-half of the corpus of fund “c” referred to in Item XV was distributed to defendant, Talitha Kluver, and one-half of the corpus of fund “c” is still being administered by plaintiff, and the income therefrom is being paid to defendant, Charles Moerlein; and fund “b” referred to in Item XIV is still being administered by plaintiff, and the income therefrom is being paid to defendants, Christian E. Born and Elizabeth Born Baron Irwin.

Of the persons named or referred to in Item XIII, Lizzie Goetz, the sister of testatrix, Emma Moerlein, died on January 11,1925, before testatrix, survived by her children, Emma Goetz, Christian J. Goetz and Robert J. Goetz (niece and nephews of testatrix); Robert J. Goetz died November 9, 1962, leaving surviving him his widow, defendant, Alice A. Goetz, but without leaving lawful issue surviving him; Emma Goetz died on March 4, 1964, without leaving lawful issue or a spouse surviving her; Christian J. Goetz died on February 3, 1964, without leaving lawful issue or a spouse surviving him.

Under these circumstances, the plaintiff states it is in doubt about the true intent and meaning of provisions of the last will of Emma Moerlein, deceased, specifically Item XIII thereof, is in doubt about the disposition to be made of two-thirds of the income of fund “a” which under the terms of said Item XTTT is not distributable to Alice A. Goetz, and is also in doubt about whether or not any part of the corpus of fund “a” should be distributed now, and, if so, how much and in what manner.

In its prayer, the plaintiff asks the direction of the court, whether or not plaintiff should distribute two-thirds of fund “a,” and, if so, what amounts and to whom, and for such other and further relief as may be necessary and proper.

The court, in studying Emma Moerlein’s will, found that Item XI of her will provides as follows:

“In the event of doubt, as to the interpretation or performance of this trust on the part of the trustees or either of them, they or either of them shall have the right to employ counsel of their or his selection and to charge the expenses of such counsel against the trust estate. The interpretation placed upon this instrument by the trustees in good faith, or upon the advice of counsel shall be binding and conclusive on [386]*386all persons whomsoever.

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Related

Lloyd v. Campbell, Trustee
196 N.E.2d 786 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1964)

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Bluebook (online)
219 N.E.2d 248, 8 Ohio Misc. 382, 36 Ohio Op. 2d 202, 1965 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 258, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/provident-bank-v-goetz-ohprobcthamilto-1965.