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(F) Reggie “ to Veronica for life , then to Betty and her heirs if Betty attains the age of 21 .”. Veronica: Life Estate Betty: Contingent Remainder in Fee Simple Reggie: Reversion What happens if Veronica dies when Betty is 17?.
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(F) Reggie “to Veronica for life, then to Betty and her heirs if Betty attains the age of 21.” Veronica: Life Estate Betty: Contingent Remainder in Fee Simple Reggie: Reversion What happens if Veronica dies when Betty is 17?
(F) Reggie “to Veronica for life, then to Betty and her heirs if Betty attains the age of 21.” What happens if Veronica dies when Betty is 17? (Common Law): If contingency not met when prior estate ends, contingent remainder is destroyed. Betty has nothing. Reggie has fee simple absolute.
DOCTRINE OF DESTRUCTABILITY OF CONTINGENT REMAINDERS If contingency not met when prior estate ends, contingent remainder is destroyed
DOCTRINE OF DESTRUCTABILITY OF CONTINGENT REMAINDERS Overruled by statute or caselaw in every American jurisdiction except Florida
(F) Reggie “to Veronica for life, then to Betty and her heirs if Betty attains the age of 21.” What happens if Veronica dies when Betty is 17? (Modern View): If contingency not met when prior estate ends, we wait to see if it is met later. Betty’s remainder becomes an executory interest. Reggie has fee simple on executory limitation
(F) Reggie “to Veronica for life, then to Betty and her heirs if Betty attains the age of 21.” Veronica dies; Betty is 17 (Modern View)
DOCTRINE OF DESTRUCTABILITY OF CONTINGENT REMAINDERS(Second Common Application) Where there is a life estate, a contingent remainder, and a reversion, and the life estate and reversion merge into a fee simple, the contingent remainder is destroyed
(F) Reggie “to Veronica for life, then to Betty and her heirs if Betty attains the age of 21.” Veronica buys R’s reversion (Destructability)
(F) Reggie “to Veronica for life, then to Betty and her heirs if Betty attains the age of 21.” Veronica buys R’s reversion (Modern View)
“At Common Law” v. “Today”
Life Estate Fee Simple See White v. Brown & Williamson v. Williamson (P578) Default Estate“At Common Law” v. “Today”
Created a Traditional Fee Tail Traditional Fee Tail eliminated; state statutes provide different results when this language used [See P576] “to X and the Heirs of his Body”“At Common Law” v. “Today”
Applied everywhere Eliminated in all states except Florida Doctrine of Destructability of Contingent Remainders“At Common Law” v. “Today”
PROBLEM J Featuring Live Oaks
(J): Mary "to Rhoda for life, then to Ted if Ted gives Mary a proper funeral." Rhoda?
(J): Mary "to Rhoda for life, then to Ted if Ted gives Mary a proper funeral." Rhoda: Life Estate Ted?
(J):Mary "to Rhoda for life, then to Ted if Ted gives Mary a proper funeral." Rhoda: Life Estate Ted?: Contingent Remainder (in f.s.) Other?
(J): Mary "to Rhoda for life, then to Ted if Ted gives Mary a proper funeral." Rhoda: Life Estate Ted?: Contingent Remainder (in f.s.) Mary: Reversion
(J): Mary "to Rhoda for life, then to Ted if Ted gives Rhoda a proper funeral." Rhoda: Life Estate What difference does change make?
(J): Mary "to Rhoda for life, then to Ted if Ted gives Rhoda a proper funeral." Ted can’t possibly give Rhoda a “proper” funeral by the time Rhoda dies. Thus, Ted’s interest cannot be a remainder; there will be a gap between the end of R’s life estate and Ted’s interest. So Ted has …?
(J): Mary "to Rhoda for life, then to Ted if Ted gives Rhoda a proper funeral." Rhoda: Life Estate Mary: Reversion Ted: Springing Executory Interest (in f.s.)
EXAM TIP: USE COMMON SENSE!! • Can’t give a “proper” funeral to a person until after death
EXAM TIP: USE COMMON SENSE!! • If an interest is conveyed in a will, the grantor is dead.
Vested Remainder Subject to Divestment=Vested Remainder Subject to Complete Defeasance (P596)
CONTINGENT REMAINDER v. VESTED REMAINDER SUBJECT TO DIVESTMENT (1) To A for life, then to B & her heirs if she turns 21, but if B dies before 21, then to C and his heirs. (2) To A for life, then to B & her heirs, but if B dies before 21, then to C & his heirs.
CONTINGENT REMAINDER v. VESTED REMAINDER SUBJECT TO DIVESTMENT (1) To A for life, then to B & her heirs if she turns 21, but if B dies before 21, then to C and his heirs. (2) To A for life, then to B & her heirs, but if B dies before 21, then to C & his heirs. A alive; B dies at 17:(1+2) B gets 0; C gets fee simple at A’s death
CONTINGENT REMAINDER v. VESTED REMAINDER SUBJECT TO DIVESTMENT (1) To A for life, then to B & her heirs if she turns 21, but if B dies before 21, then to C and his heirs. (2) To A for life, then to B & her heirs, but if B dies before 21, then to C & his heirs. A alive; B turns 21: (1+2) B has vested remainder; C’s interest fails
CONTINGENT REMAINDER v. VESTED REMAINDER SUBJECT TO DIVESTMENT (1) To A for life, then to B & her heirs if she turns 21, but if B dies before 21, then to C and his heirs. (2) To A for life, then to B & her heirs, but if B dies before 21, then to C & his heirs. A dies; B is 17: (1) Grantor has fee simple on executory limitation; B & C have springing executory interests.
(1) To A for life, then to B & her heirs if she turns 21, but if B dies before 21, then to C and his heirs. (2) To A for life, then to B & her heirs, but if B dies before 21, then to C & his heirs. A dies; B is 17: (1) Grantor has fee simple on executory limitation; B & C have springing executory interests. (2) B has fee simple on executory limitation; C has shifting executory interest.
VESTED REMAINDER SUBJECT TO DIVESTMENT v.VESTED REMAINDER IN FEE SIMPLE ON EXECUTORY LIMITATION To A for life, then to B & her heirs,but if B dies before turning 21, then to C & his heirs. Condition can occur before B obtains possession.
VESTED REMAINDER SUBJECT TO DIVESTMENT v.VESTED REMAINDER IN FEE SIMPLE ON EXECUTORY LIMITATION To A for life, then to B & her heirs,but if B ever uses the land for commercial purposes, to C & his heirs. (Condition cannot occur before B obtains possession)
COMMON MISTAKES Contingent Remainder Subject to Open Contingent Remainder Subject to Divestment Executory Interest Subject to Divestment
COMMON MISTAKES Contingent Remainder Subject to Open Contingent Rem. Subject to Divestment Executory Interest Subject to Divestment
PROBLEMS K-L Featuring Live Oaks
(K): “To George for life, then to Kramer and his heirs;but if Kramer does not attain the age of 21, then to Elaine and her heirs." Kramer is 15 years old. George?
(K): “To George for life, then to Kramer and his heirs;but if Kramer does not attain the age of 21, then to Elaine and her heirs." Kramer is 15 years old. George: Life Estate Kramer?
(K): “To George for life, then to Kramer and his heirs;but if Kramer does not attain the age of 21, then to Elaine and her heirs." Kramer is 15 years old. George: Life Estate Kramer: Vested Remainder (in f.s.) subject to divestment Elaine?
(K): “To George for life, then to Kramer and his heirs;but if Kramer does not attain the age of 21, then to Elaine and her heirs." Kramer is 15 years old. George: Life Estate Kramer: Vested Remainder (in f.s.) subject to divestment Elaine: Shifting executory interest (in f.s.)
(L): Daffy "to Tweety for life, then to such of Tweety's children as survive him,but if none of Tweety's children survives him, then to Peggy and her heirs."Tweety has 2 children, Heckle and Jeckle. Tweety?
(L): Daffy "to Tweety for life, then to such of Tweety's children as survive him,but if none of Tweety's children survives him, then to Peggy and her heirs."Tweety has 2 children, Heckle and Jeckle. Tweety: Life Estate Tweety’s Children?
(L): Daffy "to Tweety for life, then to such of Tweety's children as survive him,but if none of Tweety's children survives him, then to Peggy and her heirs."Tweety has 2 children, Heckle and Jeckle. Tweety: Life Estate Tweety’s Children: Contingent remainders (in f.s.) (must survive Tweety) Peggy?
ALTERNATIVE CONTINGENT REMAINDERS Two contingent remainders for which the event that causes one to vest will destroy the other.
ALTERNATIVE CONTINGENT REMAINDERS Two contingent remainders for which the event that causes each one to vest will destroy the other. Here, only two possibilities: either (1) Tweety will be survived by children (who would then take) or (2) he won’t (Peggy takes)
(L): Daffy "to Tweety for life, then to such of Tweety's children as survive him,but if none of Tweety's children survives him, then to Peggy and her heirs."Tweety has 2 children, Heckle and Jeckle. Tweety: Life Estate Tweety’s Children: Contingent remainders (in f.s.) (must survive Tweety) Peggy: Alternative contingent rem. (in f.s.) Other?
(L): Daffy "to Tweety for life, then to such of Tweety's children as survive him,but if none of Tweety's children survives him, then to Peggy and her heirs." Tweety: Life Estate Tweety’s Children: Contingent remainders (in f.s.) Peggy: Alternative contingent rem. (in f.s.) Daffy: Reversion (even when alternate contingent remainders)
(L): Daffy "to Tweety for life, then to such of Tweety's children as survive him,but if none of Tweety's children survives him, then to Peggy and her heirs." Tweety: Life Estate Heckle/Jeckle: Contingent remainders (in f.s.) Peggy: Alternative contingent rem. (in f.s.) Daffy: Reversion
PROBLEMS M & N Featuring The M&Ngos
(M): Amanda "to Billy for life, then to Billy's children and their heirs, but if at Billy's death he is not survived by any children, then to Jo and her heirs." Billy has no children. Billy?
(M): Amanda "to Billy for life, then to Billy's children and their heirs, but if at Billy's death he is not survived by any children, then to Jo and her heirs." Billy has no children. Billy: Life Estate Billy’s children?
(M): Amanda "to Billy for life, then to Billy's children and their heirs, but if at Billy's death he is not survived by any children, then to Jo and her heirs." Billy has no children. Billy: Life Estate Billy’s children? Contingent remainder (in f.s.) (unborn) Jo?