Hillman v. Roman Catholic Bishop of Fall River

In 1951, four members of the Hillman family, without consideration, gave a release deed to the Roman Catholic Bishop of Fall River (Bishop) of a seven and one-half acre parcel of land in North Attleborough. The deed read: “We . . . release to the . . . Bishop ... for the use of St. Mary’s Parish for educational, religious or recreational purposes, all our right, title, and interest in the land. ...” The question on appeal is whether that language and circumstances attending the conveyance in 1951 impressed a charitable trust limited to specific charitable purposes upon the Bishop’s title.

At…