Opinion ID: 887160
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: ¶3 On June 24, 1993, Julia J. Vermandel (Julia) executed an Irrevocable Trust Agreement establishing the Trust and naming her daughter, Genevieve J. Dilley (Genevieve), as Trustee of the Trust. During her lifetime, Julia transferred substantially all of her assets to the Trust including real property situated in Yellowstone County and mineral interests situated in Richland County. The Trust provided that Julia, as Trustor of the Trust, may direct the distribution of the Trust’s principal among her issue in such manner as she may designate in her will. Julia executed her Last Will and Testament on November 14, 1997, wherein she specifically directed the distribution of certain assets of the Trust among her three living daughters, Genevieve, Irene and Virginia George, and her grandson, Kevin Carter. 2 ¶4 Julia passed away on September 30, 2000, and Genevieve, as Trustee of the Trust, paid all of Julia’s outstanding expenses and the expenses incurred in administering the Trust. Genevieve also hired a land surveyor to survey the real property in Yellowstone County and divide the property into four separate tracts of land in accordance with Julia’s will. Genevieve subsequently transferred these four tracts of land to the four beneficiaries of the Trust along with the mineral rights and interests appurtenant to each tract of land. She also transferred the mineral interests in Richland County to the four beneficiaries along with a portion of the cash assets of the Trust. In accordance with Julia’s Last Will and Testament, Irene’s share of the cash assets of the Trust was reduced by the amount of attorney’s fees that she owed Julia in connection with a lawsuit involving the reopening of the Estate of Alphonse J. DeNeve, of which Julia was the sole heir. Irene’s share of the cash assets of the Trust was also reduced by order of the District Court allowing for the recovery of attorney’s fees and costs that the Trust incurred in defending a lawsuit Irene unsuccessfully brought against the Trust. ¶5 On December 28, 2004, Genevieve filed in the District Court a “Verified Petition for Approval of Trust Accounting and Distribution of Trust Assets, Authorization of Final Distribution of Trust Assets, and Discharge of Trustee.” Irene filed her opposition to the verified petition on January 12, 2005, wherein she stated that she could not appear at the hearing in this matter “for fear of her life and for fear of being incarcerated on false affidavits accusing her of crimes she didn’t commit or understand . . . .” On January 25, 2005, the 3 District Court granted Genevieve’s verified petition and discharged her from any further duties and responsibilities as Trustee of the Trust. Irene appealed.