Vaux v. Parke
Vaux v. Parke
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
This case seems to present the same question which was decided by this court in Fisher v. Taylor, (2 Rawle 33). There the testator directed his executors to purchase a tract of land tó be conveyed to them in trust for his son, who was to have the rents, issues and profits, but the same was not to be liable to any debts contracted or which might be contracted by him; at his death the land was to vest in the' right heirs of the testator; and it was held that the son- had not such an interest in the land as could be taken in execution and sold for his debts. The court say the intention of the testator was manifestly to secure to his son the enjoyment of the rents, issues and profits during his life, in such á manner as to-be secured from the payment of his debts, and the executors were constituted special trustees for that purpose. It was necessary the trustees should take the legal estate to carry that intention into effect. A different construction would defeat the intention. There was nothing in this illegal or contrary to public policy. The benefit the son derived was merely a right to receive the rents and profits of the premises. In the case now before us, the same intention is manifest from comparing the different clauses of the will, and the devise to trustees, and the directions as to the son are quite as strong as in that case. xIt cannot therefore be' determined that the son has an estate in the land bound by the judgment, (which it is essential he should have in order that it may be taken in execution, Morrow v. Brenizer, 2 Rawle 188), without considering the creation of the trust as a mere nullity, or else confounding together a simple trust, which gives the cestui que trust a' right to the possession, control and disposal of the land, and a special trust which gives him no more than the right to enforce in equity the intention of the testator to the extent of his interest. The distinction between these two classes of trusts pervades the whole doctrine of trusts, and without a due regard to it their existence cannot be preserved. Settlements of this kind by parents on their children have been
We are, therefore, of opinion that the defendant in the judgment, James P. Parke, had no estate or interest in the land which could be sold or conveyed by the sheriff on the execution against him. We give no opinion how far such a right as he had’could be reached by his assignees or by other proceedings on behalf of creditors.
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Vaux against Parke
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