Precatory Trust

A trust created by certain words which are more like words of entreaty and permission than of command or certainty. Words of entreaty when coupled with discretionary words, 15 L. J. Ch. 182; 20 L. J. Ch. 280i 17 Bea. 156; 18 Bea. 215; L. R. 4 Eq. 151, 4 Ch. D. 238, 40 L. J. Ch. 447. 6 Ch. 597, or with an absolute gift do not create such trust. E. g., "They are hereby enjoined to take care of my nephew J. J. as may seem best in the future," 55 L. J. Ch. 418; "feeling confident that she will act justly," 51 L. J. P. C. 72, 7 App. Ca. 321; "agreeably to my wishes," 46 L. J. Ch. 880, 5 Ch. D. 225, 36 L. T. 498. Examples of such words, which the courts have held sufficient to constitute a trust, are "having full confidence, I hereby request," 59 Wis. 172; "recommend and re-. quest," 127 U. S. 300; "request," 82 N. Y. 405; "hope and trust," 109 U. S. 725; "advise him to settle," 5 L. J. Ch. 98; "well assured," 1 Atk. 389, 1 Amb. 520; "have full assurance and confident hope," 17 Bea. 299; "authorise and empower", 4 Ves. 708, 5 lb. 495, 8 lb. 561, 18 lb. 192, 11 L. J. Ch. 219, 5 Bea. 241; "beg," Ir. Rep. 7 Eq. 456; "in the full belief," W. N. (75) 140; "most heartily beseech," 1 Sim. 553; "confide," 11 L. J. Ch. 219, 5 Bea. 241, 2 J. & H. 766; "have the fullest confidence," 32 Bea. 143, 60 L. T. 140; 17 Ves. 255, 19 lb. 299, 21 L. J. Ch. 625; 2 Sim. N. S. 267. Where the words expressing "confidence" are preceded by an absolute gift. 52 L. J. Ch. 758, 24 Ch. D. 199, 6 Ch. 597; 8 Ch. D. 540, 51 L. J. P. C. 72, 7 App. Ca. 321. "In consideration the legatee has promised to give," 1 Amb. 519; "under the firm conviction," 26 L. J. Ch. 92, 2 Jur. N. S. 1127; "of course the legatee will give," 6 Mad. 194, 2 My. & K. 198; "desire," 1 Atk. 469, Amb. 4, 2 Vern. 708, 3 Ves. 7, 9 Ves. 319; "do not doubt," 18 Ves. 476, 2 V. & B. 378; "entreat," 2 Mad. 458, 1 Sim. 553, 555; "hope," 1 Bro. C. C. 142, L. R. 4 Eq. 151; "well know," 7 L. J. Ch. 268, 9 Sim. 323, 1 Bro. C. C. 489, 3 Mac. & G. 546, 46 L. J. Ch. 880, 36 L. T. 498; "order and direct," 2 Sch. & Lef. 189; "recommend," Jac. 317, 19 Ves. 656, 1 S. & S. 387, 8 Ves. 280, 3 Ves. 150, 1 Sim. 553, 2 Hogan 166, 14 Sim. 590, 18 Bea. 215, 15 Sim. 33. That "recommend" may amount to a command and create a binding trust is certain. It is equally certain that the word is susceptible of a different interpretation. It must depend upon the language of the particular instrument in which this word is found, in which of the two senses it is to be taken, 17 L. J. Ch. 438, 2 D. G. & S. 356; "request," 2 Bro. C. C. 38, 3 Ir. Ch. confiding," 5 L. J. Ch. 361, 6 lb. 366, 2 My. & C. 684, 12 Sim. 114; "wiU," Pr. Ch. 200, 1 Vern. 411; "will and declare," 11 Ir. Ch. Rep. 218; "will and desire," 3 V. & B. 198; "wish and desire," 29 L. J. Ch. 619, 28 Bea. 266; "wish and request," 5 Sim. 138, 2 My. & K. 138. But any of the foregoing or similar phrases might easily be controlled the other way by a context, 52 L. J. Ch. 761, 24 Ch. D. 199; and at the present time, the courts are not disposed to enlarge the number of such phrases, so as to create a trust. 2 Pom. Eq. Jur. § 1016.

A trust created by certain words, which are more like words of entreaty and permission than of command or certainty. Examples of such words, which the courts have held sufficient to constitute a trust, are "wish and request," "have fullest confidence," "heartily beseech," and the like. Ra palj'e & Lawrence. See Hunt v. Hunt, 18 Wash. 14, 50 Pac. 578; Bohon v. Barrett, 79 Ky. 378; Aldrich v. Aldrich, 172 Mass. 101, 5l N. E. 449.

Defined under Precatory in Black's Law Dictionary.