Loring v. Marshall Case Brief

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court1985Docket #1909206
484 N.E.2d 1315 396 Mass. 166 Trusts and Estates Property Civil Procedure

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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

3 min read

tl;dr: When a trust beneficiary partially exercised a special power of appointment, leaving the principal unappointed, the court ruled the principal passed by implication to the sole member of the permissible appointee class, not to the contingent remaindermen.

Legal Significance: Establishes that where a special power of appointment is not exercised and the instrument lacks an express gift in default, the unappointed property passes by implication to the members of the class of permissible appointees.

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Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

Marian Hovey’s will established a trust, granting the last surviving nephew, Cabot Jackson Morse, a special power to appoint the trust principal to his “wife and issue.” The power was limited: a wife living at Hovey’s death could only receive a life interest in the income. The will provided a gift-over to several charities “if neither of my said nephews leave such appointees then living.” Cabot Morse’s wife, Anna, was living at Hovey’s death. In his will, Cabot Morse exercised the power only partially, appointing a life income interest to Anna but making no appointment of the trust principal. His only issue was his son, Cabot Jr. After Anna’s death, the trust terminated, and the trustees sought instructions from the court on how to distribute the unappointed principal. The charities claimed the principal under the gift-over provision, while the estate of Cabot Jr. claimed it as the sole permissible appointee of the principal.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Where a donee of a special power of appointment fails to appoint the trust principal, and the trust instrument does not contain an effective gift in default of appointment, does the unappointed principal pass to the class of permissible appointees?

Yes. The unappointed trust principal is to be distributed to the estate Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fug

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IRAC Legal Analysis

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Legal Issue

Where a donee of a special power of appointment fails to appoint the trust principal, and the trust instrument does not contain an effective gift in default of appointment, does the unappointed principal pass to the class of permissible appointees?

Conclusion

This case provides a clear application of the modern rule implying a Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commo

Legal Rule

When a special power of appointment is not exercised and the instrument Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis

Legal Analysis

The court's analysis centered on the disposition of unappointed property under a Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do ei

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  • When a donee fails to exercise a special power of appointment
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim

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