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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Agreed times five (six now maybe?
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif">😊</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">), and I think Jeff’s is the most straightforward path to the right outcome.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">But, darn it, I’d already diagrammed this to check myself, and now Ken is asking, so I’m sending it anyhow, just in case Son tries to prove an interpretation that makes
his survival change the analysis. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Here’s my argument
<u>why</u> Son is disinherited even if he survives:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The sentence either means:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I make no provision in this Will for my son . . . if he does not survive me.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><br>
–and–<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="2" type="1">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I make no provision in this Will for my son[’s] . . . descendants if he does not survive me. [or alternatively, “I
make no provision in this Will for my son[’s] . . . descendants . . .”]<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">OR<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="3" type="1">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I make no provision in this Will for my son.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><br>
–and–<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="4" type="1">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I make no provision in this Will for my son[’s] . . . descendants if he does not survive me.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">To we responders, options 3 and 4 are the only reasonable interpretation of this poorly drafted sentence. Indeed, I doubt it would take most readers long to conclude so.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">To inherit, son would have to prove that options 1 and 2 are intended and the most reasonable interpretation.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">But option 1 makes no sense, because why would Testator make provision (or no provision) for someone on the
<u>condition</u> that “he does <b><u>NOT</u></b> survive” Testator? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">It is not only unintuitive, such an unusual “intention” should require (of Son, proposing the interpretation, and Testator, if intending it)
<u>more explanation</u> or context than is provided by the sentence. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">And, Option 1 must “go with” one of the alternative interpretations of Option 2, because anyone proposing Option 1 as the proper interpretation must explain
<u>also</u> how to read the “descendants clause” – it cannot be ignored just because Son survived or some such argument. No court would allow an interpretation that does not make sense of both clauses.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">And, once you must interpret the “descendants clause”
<u>somehow</u>, then it simply defies any canon of interpretation to assert that the language “if he does not survive me” only modifies “my son” and NOT the descendants clause as well. (That is what my “alternative option 2” states above, but it’s just nonsense.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Therefore, if 1 is correct, 2 must be correct as well. And, then, it just makes 1 nonsense, because, if 1 is correct, then the Testator must be assumed to have used THIS
language of all the available language <u>to <b>provide</b> for Son if Son <b>survived</b> Testator and NOT for his descendants if he did not survive</u>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">So once Son has to prove that that interpretation is the most reasonable one a court can provide, he loses – because it just isn’t. It’s ludicrous and unintuitive. In that
instance, the sentence would simply read “I make no provision in this Will for my son’s descendants if he does not survive me.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Anyhow, that is my approach to pinning this down. But, as I said, Jeff’s may be the most straightforward path.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Good luck! Best, Josh
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Sara Longley<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, September 2, 2022 2:37 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Ambiguity in will.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">That’s my reading as well. Terrible drafting though!<o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sent from my iPhone<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">On Sep 2, 2022, at 1:33 PM, Kerry Brink <<a href="mailto:Kbrink@vjglaw.com">Kbrink@vjglaw.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
</blockquote>
</div>
<blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"> I definitely think I would read it as the son gets nothing. I would read it that Son gets nothing and likewise son’s descendants get nothing if Son does not survive testator.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sent from my iPhone<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">On Sep 2, 2022, at 1:23 PM, Ken Luce <<a href="mailto:Ken.Luce@lucelawfirm.com">Ken.Luce@lucelawfirm.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
</blockquote>
</div>
<blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt">Can someone tell me how to interpret this? A Will provides:</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt"> “Except as provided blow, I make no provision in this Will for my son___,</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt"> nor his descendants, if he does not survive me.” The son survived. The</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:18.0pt">will makes no further mention of the son and leaves the RRR to
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:18.0pt">someone not his son. Does the above language disinherit the son?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:18.0pt">Nothing is said about if or what the son inherits if he does survive.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt">All help appreciated.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:18.0pt"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Kenyon Luce</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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