State v. First National Bank of Monroe

This is an appeal from two probate court orders determining the Wisconsin inheritance taxes in the estate of Bertie M. Frautschy. The estate’s personal representative since March 14, 1976 has been the respondent, First National Bank of Monroe (hereafter personal representative). The probate court determined that a bequest in the deceased’s will, establishing the “John Cowles Frautschy Scholarship Fund,” was exempt from taxation as a charitable trust. The appellant, Wisconsin State Department of Revenue (department) contends that the trust was not exempt.

The question is whether the bequest of…