Eugene Barriffe v. Lawson v. Nelson

DICKINSON, Presiding Justice,

for the Court:

¶ 1. Ernie and Eugene Barriffe seek compensation for money they gave to Lawson Nelson to start a landfill business, and for improvements they made to an apartment on his land. The chancellor found that Nelson held the money and improvements in a constructive trust. But because the Barriffes failed to establish the existence of a constructive trust, we reverse in part and render.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

¶ 2. This family stew began from a familiar recipe: Trusting family members enter financial transactions with each other and later discover that…