Opinion ID: 2505374
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Deed

Text: At the time this deed was executed, the South Carolina Probate Code required that a trust which includes real property be proved by a writing. See S.C.Code Ann. § 62-7-401 (1986). A trust in land may be proved by more than one writing, so long as each writing is signed by the settlor and the writings indicate they relate to the same transaction. Ramage v. Ramage, 283 S.C. 239, 322 S.E.2d 22 (Ct.App.1984). Moreover, one who appears to hold title to property in her own name can be shown to have acknowledged that she in fact holds title as trustee under the terms of the grantor's will. Rutledge v. Smith, 6 S.C.Eq. (1 McCord Eq.) 119 (1825). Petitioners' reliance on Rutledge is misplaced, as this is not a situation where a party is seeking to impose a trust, but rather one where the purported settlor denies the existence of a trust in land. Moreover, there is no written evidence of the purported trust's terms or its beneficiaries in document(s) signed by respondent. We agree with the Court of Appeals that the circuit court correctly found no evidence of a proper trust in land as there are no documents signed by respondent referring to a trust other than the deed.