Opinion ID: 1135924
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Sufficiency of the Evidence For Validating the Trust

Text: Hilbert challenges the trial court's finding that the trust was valid and enforceable, claiming no evidence was submitted on this issue and it must still be decided. The only issue regarding the validity of the trust joined by the pleadings involved the mental capacity of trustor Hornig. The trustee's complaint for declaratory judgment requested that the trust be declared valid in all particulars. Hilbert's answer generally denied the trust was valid and in his amended counterclaim alleged that the trust was not valid on grounds of lack of testamentary capacity and undue influence. The elements of a valid trust include a competent settlor and trustee, intent by the settlor to create a trust, ascertainable trust res, sufficiently ascertainable beneficiary or beneficiaries, a legal purpose, and a legal term. McGinnis v. McGinnis, 391 P.2d 927, 933 (Wyo.1964); Dallas Dome Wyoming Oil Fields Co. v. Brooder, 55 Wyo. 109, 127-28, 97 P.2d 311, 318 (1939); State v. Underwood, 54 Wyo. 1, 25, 86 P.2d 707, 714 (1939); In Re Baum, 22 F.3d 1014, 1018 (10th Cir.1994) (citing In re Estate of Granberry, 30 Colo. App. 590, 498 P.2d 960, 963 (1972) and Estate of Brenner, 37 Colo.App. 271, 547 P.2d 938, 941 (1976)); see also Matter of Estate of Boyer, 117 N.M. 74, 868 P.2d 1299, 1303 (1994). Although the record is missing documents relating to bifurcation, the trial court apparently granted a request to bifurcate the proceedings. At trial, the trial judge directed the record to indicate that the matter before the Court at this portion of the bifurcated proceedings was the issue of the validity of the Trust, . . . whether that Trust is valid or not and the issues will be limited to that. All trial testimony addressed only testamentary capacity and undue influence. The written closing arguments submitted addressed only these two aspects of validity. The trial court's ruling that the trust is valid and enforceable is supported by the record, precluding Hilbert from raising the issue of validity in any other context. Affirmed.