Douglas K. Raborn v. Deborah C. Menotte

In this ease, a Bankruptcy Trustee has tried to include some land in the bankruptcy estate of Douglas K. Raborn. But the land had come to Douglas K. Raborn in a document entitled “Conveyance Deed to Trustee Under Trust Agreement,” and the document purports to convey the land to “Douglas K. Raborn, as Trustee under the Raborn Farm Trust Agreement dated January 25, 1991.” A dispute arose about whether the land could be lawfully included in Raborn’s bankruptcy estate. The Bankruptcy Trustee argued “Yes”; and he prevailed in the District Court.

On appeal, we faced an issue of state law — the…