Opinion ID: 837289
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Paragraph B

Text: The identity of language between paragraphs A and B reflects testator's intent that the distribution through one paragraph be similar to the distribution through the other. By expressing her intent to distribute a portion of the estate in a particular way in paragraph A, testator seemingly intended to match that distribution for the other portion of the estate by reciting the same language in paragraph B. Additionally, because of this identity, paragraph B is subject to the same interpretation as A, with the only difference being that paragraph B pertains to Claude's, rather than testator's, siblings. Interpreting paragraph B in the same manner identified above for paragraph A creates the following distribution under paragraph B: a 50 percent portion of the estate should be divided into eight equal shares; Claude's two brothers and one sister who were still living at the time of testator's death should each receive one of the shares; and the remaining five shares should go to the respective descendants of each of the five siblings who predeceased testator. Within each group of descendants, the share should be divided by representation as outlined in MCL 700.2106(1).