Belgrade State Bank v. Swainson

Defendants appeal from the judgment of the district court, Park County, for plaintiff Belgrade State Bank.

In 1966 Herbert Earl Swainson (Bert) was appointed guardian of his minor daughter’s estate and proceeded to manage the assets, which the daughter had inherited from her mother. A part of the estate was used to purchase a ranch near Livingston, Montana and the rest was put in certificates of deposit. The district court judge who presided over the guardianship proceedings allowed the purchase of the ranch as an investment but he made it clear from the outset that in no way would he allow…