Opinion ID: 1574529
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Factual Basis of Turner's Claims.

Text: Considering the well-pled facts of the petition in the light most favorable to Turner and disregarding the factual allegations contained in the motion to dismiss and its attachments, we find the facts as follows. Gene Turner died on October 2, 2000. He was married to Mary Christine Turner and had two children, Duane and Kenneth. Duane predeceased his father but left two children, Douglas Turner and Stacy Turner-Richards. In Gene Turner's will he created a trust for the benefit of his wife with his sons or their issue named as residuary beneficiaries. When the court closed the estate, Kenneth and Douglas were named co-trustees. Kenneth and Douglas had several disagreements so the court appointed Iowa State Bank and Dick as successor co-trustees in April of 2003. Sometime thereafter, the family members entered into a family settlement agreement ending the trust and disbursing the assets. The terms of the agreement are not included in Turner's petition. On October 12, 2004, the court entered an order enforcing the settlement agreement. On October 22 the court entered an order closing the trust and discharging the trustees. At the same time Turner filed this action, he appealed the order closing the trust and discharging the trustees. In an unpublished opinion, the court of appeals affirmed the order. In re Trust of Turner, No. 04-1835, 715 N.W.2d 768, 2006 WL 468611, at  (Iowa Ct.App. March 1, 2006). Turner's petition contains three claims. The first claim is for damages against the co-trustees for their failure to pay Turner's legal fees arising from his successful defense of a criminal trespass charge. Turner was charged with trespassing on the trust property at a time he and Douglas were co-trustees. At the criminal trial the court found Turner not guilty. Turner claims the final report of the trust as filed by the successor co-trustees should have contained a provision indemnifying him for the legal fees he incurred in defense of the criminal action. The second claim against the co-trustees is for their interference with the family settlement agreement. In this claim Turner alleges the family members entered into an agreement settling the disputes concerning the trust. The agreement called for closing the trust and disbursing the assets of the trust. Turner claims the co-trustees interfered with the family settlement agreement by their actions in distributing the trust assets. The third claim is for damages arising out of the co-trustees' breach of an agreement not to interfere with any lawsuits brought between beneficiaries of the trust. Turner claims the co-trustees breached this agreement by conspiring with his mother to file an action to have Turner declared incompetent.