Case Citation
Legal Case Name

RABORN v. MENOTTE Case Brief

Supreme Court of Florida2008
974 So.2d 328

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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

General Brief
4 min read

tl;dr: The Florida Supreme Court held that a deed conveying property to a grantee “as Trustee” under a specifically named and dated trust agreement conveys only legal title, not full ownership, because the deed’s language provides sufficient notice of the trust’s existence.

Legal Significance: This case clarifies that under Florida Statute § 689.07(1), a deed’s explicit reference to a specific trust agreement is sufficient to express a “contrary intention,” preventing the merger of legal and equitable title and preserving the grantee’s status as a trustee.

RABORN v. MENOTTE Law School Study Guide

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Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

Robert and Lenore Raborn created the ‘Raborn Farm Trust Agreement’ and subsequently executed a ‘Conveyance Deed to Trustee Under Trust Agreement.’ This deed conveyed the family farm to their son, Douglas Raborn, ‘as Trustee under the Raborn Farm Trust Agreement dated January 25, 1991.’ The deed contained numerous references to the trust agreement, the settlors (grantors), and the trustee’s powers. However, the trust agreement itself was not recorded in the public records, nor did the deed name the trust’s beneficiaries or explicitly state its purposes. After Douglas Raborn filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the bankruptcy trustee, Laurie K. Menotte, sought to include the farm in the bankruptcy estate. Menotte argued that under Florida Statute § 689.07(1), the failure to record the trust or detail its terms in the deed resulted in Douglas Raborn receiving fee simple title to the property. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit certified the question of title to the Supreme Court of Florida.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Does a deed that conveys real property to a grantee ‘as Trustee’ under a specifically named and dated trust agreement, without the trust instrument itself being recorded, convey fee simple title to the grantee or merely legal title as trustee under Florida Statute § 689.07(1)?

The deed conveyed mere legal title to the grantee as trustee, not Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in cul

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Legal Issue

Does a deed that conveys real property to a grantee ‘as Trustee’ under a specifically named and dated trust agreement, without the trust instrument itself being recorded, convey fee simple title to the grantee or merely legal title as trustee under Florida Statute § 689.07(1)?

Conclusion

This decision affirms that under Florida property law, a deed provides sufficient Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris ni

Legal Rule

Under Florida Statute § 689.07(1), a deed of conveyance to a grantee Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehend

Legal Analysis

The Florida Supreme Court's analysis centered on the interpretation of Florida Statute Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipi

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Flash Summary

  • Under Fla. Stat. § 689.07(1), a deed to a grantee “as
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in

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