Opinion ID: 1937063
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: delay in delivery of deeds

Text: In her fifth assignment of error, Rokahr argues the referee's finding that she engaged in delay, deceit, and deception in the delivery of Paula and Rebecca's deeds is not supported by clear and convincing evidence and is contrary to law. In finding that Rokahr engaged in delay, deceit, and deception, the referee relied primarily on correspondence between Rokahr and William Klimisch, an attorney retained by Arlene and Leon to represent them in their attempt to resolve disputes surrounding the trusts. The referee found that this correspondence demonstrated Rokahr was aware of Allen's obligation to deed the Gust and East Larson grounds to Paula on September 18, 1994, and to Rebecca on February 21, 1995, yet continually failed to do so even after specific requests from Klimisch. The record, however, contains conflicting evidence as to precisely when the deeds to the Gust and East Larson grounds were delivered to Paula and Rebecca. Rokahr produced evidence indicating that all deeds were hand delivered to Klimisch on April 24, 1995. Arlene, however, testified that Paula and Rebecca did not receive their East Larson deeds until March 17, 1997, when Arlene picked the deeds up from Rokahr's office. The record contains evidence supporting Rokahr's contention that the deeds for both the Gust and East Larson grounds were delivered to Klimisch on April 24, 1995. Copies of Rebecca's deeds to the Gust and East Larson grounds contain handwritten notations made by Rokahr's secretary that read: original given to Klimisch 4/24. Moreover, both Paula's and Rebecca's deeds to the Gust ground were filed with the register of deeds for Cedar County on April 27, 3 days after Rokahr contends all the deeds were delivered to Klimisch. In addition, the correspondence between Rokahr and Klimisch subsequent to April 24, 1995, does not contain any evidence clearly and convincingly disputing Rokahr's contention. To the contrary, in a letter to Klimisch dated April 25, 1995, 1 day after Rokahr asserts all the deeds were delivered, Rokahr wrote to Klimisch, stating: Hopefully by now you should have received the deeds transferring the land, which was as [sic] asset of the Rebecca and Paula Heine Trusts, to Rebecca and Paula. Klimisch, the only person who could have directly contradicted Rokahr's contention regarding the delivery of the deeds, did not testify. In our de novo review of the record on this disputed fact, we are unable to conclude that the evidence clearly and convincingly shows that the deeds were not delivered on April 24, 1995, as Rokahr contends. In concluding that the record supports Rokahr's contention that all deeds were delivered on April 24, 1995, we are mindful that delivery on April 24 still resulted in a delay of 2 months from the date Rebecca's trust terminated and 7 months from the date Paula's trust terminated. However, upon our de novo review of the record, we are unable to conclude that the evidence clearly and convincingly shows this delay was the result of deceitful or misleading conduct by Rokahr. The record discloses the establishment of eight individual trusts, with conveyances to those trusts made over a span of approximately 9 years. Rokahr had no involvement in drafting either the trusts or the initial deeds which transferred land in Nebraska and South Dakota to those trusts. Rather, Rokahr's involvement began in January 1994, when she was retained by Allen to assist with the closing of Paula's trust which was scheduled to terminate on September 18, 1994. The record is undisputed that significant problems regarding these trusts required Rokahr's attention. First, as noted above, the trusts were funded over a period of 9 years, with fractional interests in several different properties. For at least three of these properties, deeds had been drafted conveying more than 100 percent of the real estate to the benefiting trust. For example, as of December 23, 1981, all of the East Larson ground had been deeded to Allen as trustee. However, on December 31, 1982, Alphonse and Clara attempted to transfer an additional one-half interest in that same property to Allen as trustee. Also, a total of twenty-nine twentieths of the West Larson ground was transferred for the benefit of Allen's children to Leon as trustee. Finally, a total of thirty-seven thirtieths of the Wueben pasture was transferred to Allen as trustee. Second, the initial deeds conveying property to the trusts did not include an ascertainable trust beneficiary. This, according to the unrefuted opinion of Rokahr's expert, rendered the deeds insufficient to convey property in South Dakota. Not only did this omission bring the legality of the conveyances into question, it is supportive of Rokahr's contention that (1) there was uncertainty regarding the grantor's intent with respect to the East Larson ground and (2) it was this uncertainty, and not deceit, that caused the delay in delivering Paula's and Rebecca's deeds. Finally, other factors contributed to the confusion surrounding these trusts. First, the profits from the rental income on the Wueben pasture, the Gust ground, and the East Larson ground historically had been deposited into one account and divided equally between Paula, Rebecca, and Justin. Such conduct is supportive of Allen's view that Justin was to have a share of the East Larson ground and Rokahr's drafting of the corrective warranty deeds purporting to convey such interest. Also, in the initial letter written from Klimisch to Rokahr, Klimisch indicated he represented Leon and Arlene and their minor children. At that time, however, Justin was Leon and Arlene's only minor child. Rokahr claims that this letter led to confusion and delay in her responses to Klimisch as it was necessary for Rokahr to clarify with Paula and Rebecca who precisely Klimisch was representing. In our de novo review of the record, we acknowledge there is evidence which lends support to the referee's finding that Rokahr engaged in deceit with respect to the delivery of Paula's and Rebecca's deeds. The issue, however, is whether on balance, such evidence can be said to produce in the trier of fact a firm belief or conviction about the existence of the fact to be proved. See State ex rel. Special Counsel for Dis. v. Shapiro, 266 Neb. 328, 665 N.W.2d 615 (2003). Given the disputed facts on this question, together with the legal issues Rokahr confronted due to the manner in which the trusts were drafted and the deeds prepared, we cannot conclude that the evidence produces a firm belief or conviction that Rokahr's conduct was deceitful.