Opinion ID: 1564053
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: effect of the 1964 order

Text: Following the death of Becke Ruth Epstein, the three daughters filed a non-adversary petition in the Chancery Court of Chicot County alleging that they were the beneficiaries of the trust estate created under their father's will, that the administration of their father's estate had been concluded and requesting court approval for continued operation of the Sam Epstein Trust. The following day the chancery court entered a consent order finding that the trust might properly be continued beyond the death of Mrs. Epstein and noting the election of the three daughters to continue the trust which the court granted pursuant to the terms of the will of Sam Epstein and the laws of the State of Arkansas. None of the prospective bodily heirs of the three daughters were parties to the proceeding and, apparently, most of them were minors at the time. Although the appellants argued vociferously to the trial court (as they have here) that the 1964 order was res judicata with respect to the ownership of the property and bound the three sisters to continue the trust until the death of the last survivor as among them, the trial court found to the contrary and we concur. As pointed out above, the order can certainly not bind the children of Sylvia Epstein Angel or Melvyn Epstein Festinger since they were not parties thereto. Further, the order simply authorizes the continuance of the trust under the terms of Sam Epstein's will which authorized a continuance of the trust at the election of the three sisters. Now, two of the three sisters, together with the children of one of them, who are apparent remaindermen, have elected and petition the court to discontinue the trust. The court below found that none of the three sisters was prevented from withdrawing her accord initially given to the continuance of the family enterprises within the format of the father's testamentary trust. The court further found that any benefits arising by virtue of the continuance of the trust had given way and been lost due to family bitterness and cross purposes necessitating the termination of the trust. We believe, on the basis of the circumstances here existing and the wording contained in the Sam Epstein will and the 1964 order, the chancellor's decision on this point was correct.