Case Citation
Legal Case Name

Scheffel v. Krueger Case Brief

Supreme Court of New Hampshire2001Docket #65187984
146 N.H. 669 782 A.2d 410 2001 N.H. LEXIS 131 Trusts and Estates Torts

Why Top Law Students (And Those Aspiring to Be) Use LSD+ Briefs

Let's be real, law school is a marathon. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full case system is designed by Harvard Law School and MIT grads to match your pace: Quick summaries when you're slammed, detailed analysis when you need to go deep. Only LSD+ offers this kind of flexibility to genuinely fit your study flow.

Adaptive Case Views

Toggle between Flash, Standard, and Expanded. Get what you need, when you need it.

Exam-Ready IRAC Format

We deliver the precise structure professors look for in exam answers.

Complex Cases, Clarified

We break down dense legal reasoning into something digestible, helping you grasp core concepts.

Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

General Brief
3 min read

tl;dr: A tort victim with a judgment against a trust beneficiary sought to attach his interest. The court held that a valid spendthrift provision, authorized by a clear state statute, protected the trust assets from the tort creditor’s claim.

Legal Significance: This case establishes that a clear state statute authorizing spendthrift trusts will be strictly enforced according to its plain language, precluding judicially created public policy exceptions for tort creditors, even those with claims arising from heinous criminal acts.

Scheffel v. Krueger Law School Study Guide

Use this case brief structure for your own legal analysis. Focus on the IRAC methodology to excel in law school exams and cold calls.

Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

The plaintiff, Lorie Scheffel, obtained a default judgment exceeding $550,000 against the defendant, Kyle Krueger, for sexually assaulting her minor child. To satisfy the judgment, Scheffel sought to attach Krueger’s beneficial interest in an irrevocable trust established by his grandmother. The trust contained a spendthrift provision explicitly stating that no principal or income shall be subject to the interference or control of any creditors or be reached by any legal process prior to its receipt by the beneficiary. The trust terms required the trustee to pay all net income to Krueger and gave the trustee discretion to pay principal for Krueger’s maintenance, support, and education. Krueger himself could not invade the principal until age fifty. The trustee, asserting the spendthrift provision as a bar to Scheffel’s claim, moved to dismiss the attachment action. The trial court granted the motion, finding the provision enforceable under New Hampshire statute. Scheffel appealed.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Does a statutorily authorized spendthrift provision in a trust protect the beneficiary’s interest from attachment by a creditor seeking to satisfy a tort judgment arising from the beneficiary’s intentional criminal conduct?

Yes. The spendthrift provision is enforceable against the tort creditor’s claim. The 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 fugi

Master Every Case Faster

Unlock premium legal analysis that helps you quickly understand complex cases, designed by Harvard Law and MIT graduates. It's about working smarter, not just harder.

Start 14-Day Free Trial

Thousands of students are already saving time and gaining clarity. Why not you?

IRAC Legal Analysis

Premium Feature Unlock

Complete IRAC Analysis for Higher Grades

IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.

Legal Issue

Does a statutorily authorized spendthrift provision in a trust protect the beneficiary’s interest from attachment by a creditor seeking to satisfy a tort judgment arising from the beneficiary’s intentional criminal conduct?

Conclusion

This case demonstrates the dispositive power of a specific statute in trust 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 nis

Legal Rule

Under New Hampshire RSA 564:23, a spendthrift provision in a governing trust 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

Legal Analysis

The court's analysis rested on a strict textualist interpretation of New Hampshire's 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 e

Flash-to-Full Case Opinions

Flash Summary

  • A spendthrift trust provision in New Hampshire is enforceable against 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

Master Every Case Faster

Unlock premium legal analysis that helps you quickly understand complex cases, designed by Harvard Law and MIT graduates. It's about working smarter, not just harder.

Start 14-Day Free Trial

Thousands of students are already saving time and gaining clarity. Why not you?