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205 F.2d 512

Docket No. 14228.

Bird v. Stein

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

Decided June 26, 1953.

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals · decided 1953-06-26

Cited by 4 later decisions — most recently January 1962

3 federal appellate · 1 state decisions

2 counsel of record

Key passage — most relied on by later courts

“* * * A man may not step into and out of the role of trustee as his personal interest dictates; it is easier to step into the role than it is to step out of it; and the evidence in this case over-whelmingly shows that Lawrence Stein assumed the role of trustee under his father's will and acted in that capacity many times to his pecuniary advantage. * * *”

quoted by 1 later decision, including Bird v. Stein

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1953-06-26

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

¶1Frank E. Everett, Jr., and Brunini, Everett, Grantham & Quin, Vicksburg, Miss., for appellants,

¶2H. P. Farish, W. C. Keady and Edward J. Bogen, Farish, Keady & Campbell, Greenville, Miss., for appellees.

¶3Before HOLMES, STRUM and RIVES, Circuit Judges.

¶4HOLMES, Circuit Judge.

¶5A man may not step into and out of the role of trustee as his personal interest dictates ; it is easier to step into the role than it is to step out of it; and the evidence in this, case overwhelmingly shows that Lawrence Stein assumed the role of trustee under his father’s will and acted in that capacity many times to his pecuniary advantage. We did not hold in our former opinion that a joint tenancy in Little Hope plantation, with the right of survivorship, was created in V. A. and Sarah Stein. All the parties in interest suppressed the will of the mother, obviously for the purpose of leaving in effect the trust created by the will of their father as to property in which it is stipulated that each has an undivided one-eighth interest. It would shock the conscience of the Court to allow a fiduciary to play fast and loose with his cestuis que trust.

¶6The petition for rehearing is denied.

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