Purifoy v. Mercantile-Safe Deposit & Trust Co.

Carolyn Bauernschmidt Purifoy (Carolyn) and her mother Grace M. Bauernschmidt (Grace) (the appellants) instituted a declaratory judgment proceeding on October 10, 1972, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland; they sought a declaration that by reason of the provisions of Maryland Code (1957, 1973 Repl. Vol.) Art. 16, § 78 (c), the terms “child,” “children,” “descendants” and similar terms used in trust instruments which were executed by various members of the Bauernschmidt family and which became effective prior to June 1, 1947, included Carolyn, an adopted child.…