Opinion ID: 1195075
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Roys' claim to L.C.A. 9932

Text: The Roys seek to establish their chain of paper title to the subject property from the following events: On June 19, 1940, Alinakai Kepoikai and Ami Charman sold their interest in L.C.A. 9932 (and other lands in North Kona) to their brother, John A. Hoopale. John A. Hoopale died on July 19, 1951, devising all of his real property to his wifeLily K. Hoopalefor life, and then to his childrenKatie A. Chun, Emily Watson, Dorothy Cram, Lily N. Hao, Aileen A. Ho, Margaret K. Wong, and Rebecca A. Brownand two of his grandchildrenMary Tadame Mori and Jack Tadao Moriin equal shares for life, the vested remainder in fee simple absolute to pass to his other grandchildren. Lily K. Hoopale elected to take her dower, as provided by statute, rather than proceeding under the provisions of the will. The record, however, is unclear as to the precise interest that Lily K. Hoopale claimed in L.C.A. 9932 as a result of her election. On April 6, 1954, Lily K. Hoopaledespite her electionundertook to sell her interest in L.C.A. 9932 to Josephine Roy, who was the mother of the defendant Carlton A. Roy. In this connection, as an exhibit to their memorandum in opposition to the Morinoues' motion for summary judgment, the Roys attached a copy of a deed whereby Charles D.K. Roy and Heather K. Minton, as trustees of the estate of Josephine Roy (who, by the express terms of the instrument, was alive on July 8, 1986), transferred such title, derived from Josephine Roy's purchase from Lily K. Hoopale, as they possessed in L.C.A. 9932 to the defendant Carlton A. Roy. Lily K. Hoopale died on November 7, 1954, before her husband's estate was closed, and her claim for dower was subsequently disallowed by the circuit court. Instead, the circuit court ordered the Hoopale estate, including L.C.A. 9932, distributed to the remaining nine life-interest beneficiaries named in the [w]ill. As reflected in similarly worded deeds, David K. Roy, Jr. purchased all of the grantor[s'] right[s], title, interest[s,] and estate[s] in certain described real property, located in the land of Holualoa, in the district of North Kona, Island, County[,] and Territory of Hawaii, from four of the nine life-interest beneficiaries, in the following order: (1) Margaret K. Wong on November 29, 1958; (2) Aileen A. Ho on December 27, 1958; (3) Katherine A. Chun on January 15, 1959; and (4) Rebecca A. Brown on June 24, 1960. David K. Roy also purchased the interest of one of the grandchildren designated as a remainderman in the will, Tadame Mori Ishida, on January 14, 1959. [4]