Cooper v. Citizens & Southern National Bank

Gregory, Chief Justice:

This is an action for declaratory judgment to construe the 1942 will of John Hughes Cooper. We affirm.

Cooper died in 1945. He bequeathed his estate in trust to certain beneficiaries for life and the remainder to all of his nieces and nephews excepting two (not relevant to this appeal). Margaret Alderman was one of Cooper’s nieces. She assigned half of her interest in the Cooper trust to her attorney, appellant Bernstein, and bequeathed the remaining half to him as remainderman in her will. Margaret died in 1976. The last lifetime beneficiary under the Cooper will died…