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Stepmother Had Right to Portion of Children’s Trust Under Spouse’s Right of Election

Petitioners were the children of the grantors of a trust and were co-beneficiaries of the trust.  The grantors of the trust were the beneficiaries’ mother and father. The mother died and respondent was the children’s stepmother.  The children moved to dismiss the objections to the trust accounting made by the respondent-stepmother on the ground she did not have standing.  In ruling the stepmother had standing pursuant to the right of election, the Third Department wrote:  …[A] revocable trust … is a testamentary substitute, subject to [the surviving spouse’s] right of election … . Where a trustee voluntarily commences judicial settlement of the account of a trust, process must be provided ‘to all persons who are entitled absolutely or contingently by the terms of the will, lifetime trust instrument or by operation of law to share in the estate’ …” .  The surviving spouse, by operation of law, was entitled to a portion of the estate, including the trust.  In the Matter of Garrasi …, 515128, 3rd Dept. 3-7-13

 

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