Patton v. Sherwood

Opinion

YEGAN, J.

Here we hold, that the settlor of a charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT) may enforce the terms of the trust by petitioning the probate court concerning the internal affairs of the trust, here an accounting. In the present case, the settlor of three irrevocable CRUT’s successfully petitioned to remove the trustee. But, the trial court then ruled that settlor lacked standing to object to the ousted trustee’s accounting because he was not a “beneficiary” within the meaning of Probate Code section 17200. We reverse and conclude that a settlor may, pursuant, to the terms of the…