Limitations does not begin to run even though trust property consists only of a claim against the trustee. The Supreme Court of New Hampshire reversed the grant of summary judgment for a successor trustee in an action alleging that the predecessor trustee violated his fiduciary duty by transferring all of the property of Trust 1 of which he was a trustee to Trust 2 of which he was settlor and trustee. The trial court granted the successor trustee’s motion for summary judgment on the ground that the action was barred by the statute of limitations which requires actions against a trustee for breach of trust be brought within three years of the termination of the beneficiary’s interest in the trust.
In re Theresa Houlahan Trust, citing Restatement (Third) of Trusts § 2, comment i and the Reporter’s Notes, the court held that Trust 1 did not cease to exist when all of its property was transferred to Trust 2 because Trust 1 held a chose in action against the trustee. The court remanded the case for trial on the remaining issues of both fact and law.
Special thanks to William LaPiana (Professor of Law, New York Law School) for bringing this case to my attention.
