Young's Trustees v. Young's Trustee [1901] UKHL 212 (17 December 1901)
A testamentary direction to apply funds for 'charitable or public purposes' is void for uncertainty because 'public purposes' is too vague and does not constitute a sufficiently definite class of objects; thus, the trust cannot be administered by the court.
- Citation
- [1901] UKHL 212
- Parties
- Respondents: Miss Agnes Young's Trustees; Appellant: Young's Trustee
- Jurisdiction
- United Kingdom
- Judgment Date
- 17 December 1901
- Procedural Posture
- Appeal / House of Lords Judgment on Appeal From the Second Division, Court of Session
- Outcome
- Appeal dismissed with costs; interlocutor of the Second Division affirmed.
- Legal Topics
- Testamentary Disposition, Charitable Trusts, Certainty of Trusts, Vagueness and Uncertainty in Bequests
Case Brief
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Parties
Miss Agnes Young's Trustees
Respondents
Young's Trustee
Appellant
Procedural Posture
Appeal / House of Lords Judgment on Appeal From the Second Division, Court of Session
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether a testamentary direction to apply residue for 'such charitable or public purposes as my trustee thinks proper' is valid or void for uncertainty under Scots law
Ratio Decidendi
A testamentary direction to apply funds for 'charitable or public purposes' is void for uncertainty because 'public purposes' is too vague and does not constitute a sufficiently definite class of objects; thus, the trust cannot be administered by the court.
Court Disposition
Appeal dismissed with costs; interlocutor of the Second Division affirmed.
Orders
- Appeal dismissed
- Respondents awarded costs
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