District of Columbia v. Estate of Parsons

FARRELL, Associate Judge:

This appeal asks us to decide whether the words “and other personal property,” as used in the will of testatrix Evelyn Parsons, constitute a residuary clause embracing a lapsed bequest of money to the testatrix’ sister made elsewhere in the will, or rather, as the District of Columbia (the District) contends, the will contains no residuary clause and the lapsed bequest of money escheats to the District by operation of law. The trial judge, applying the rule of construction favoring interpretation of a will so as to avoid intestacy (whole or partial), found the phrase…