Source: http://www.leagle.com/decision/In%20DCCO%2020170615061/ESTATE%20OF%20WALKER%20v.%20STEFAN
Timestamp: 2017-06-26 17:21:32
Document Index: 337766848

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 19', '§ 19', '§ 19', '§ 19', '§ 212', '§ 19', '§ 19']

ESTATE OF WALKER v. STEFAN | No. 15-PR-1069. | By McLEESE | Leagle.com
Citing Case IN RE ESTATE OF FRANCES WALKER, Appellant,
STANLEY STEFAN, Appellee.
FootNotes 1. At times, Mr. Stefan seems to suggest that the trial court should have ruled in his favor on an alternative rationale. Specifically, Mr. Stefan argues that D.C. Code § 19-602.12 (a) creates a presumption that a multiple-party account confers a right of survivorship, and that presumption can be rebutted only if the "terms of the account" provide otherwise, D.C. Code § 19-602.12 (c). Mr. Stefan further argues that because the account documents in this case were silent as to a right of survivorship, the account did not by its terms rebut the statutorily presumed right of survivorship. Under this rationale, Ms. Walker's intent would be irrelevant. Although § 19-602.12 (a) does create a default rule that multiple-party accounts confer a right of survivorship, it also states that the default rule is inapplicable if other provisions in the subchapter "otherwise provide[]." Arguably, § 19-602.04 (b) provides otherwise in the circumstances to which it applies. Unif. Nonprobate Transfers on Death Act § 212 cmt. (Nat'l Conference of Comm'rs on Unif. State Laws 1990) (provisions corresponding to D.C. Code §§ 19-604.04 and .12 "permit a court to implement the intentions of parties to a joint account governed by [the provision corresponding to D.C. Code § 19-606.04 (b)]" based on the form of the account and "extrinsic evidence tending to confirm or contradict intention as signalled by the form"). In any event, the rationale suggested by Mr. Stefan and the approach taken by the trial court both lead to the conclusion that Mr. Stefan is the owner of the funds at issue. Thus, we need not decide the precise scope of the default rule (or presumption) created by the statute with respect to the rights of survivorship in multiple-party accounts.