Supreme Court of Texas

The court of appeals erred in concluding that a trust's exculpatory clause could not, as a matter of public policy, exonerate defendants from liability for allegedly mishandling trust funds, when their actions did not constitute self-dealing under the Trust Code or amount to gross negligence, bad faith, or fraud for which a trustee is liable.

Appellate Information

• Argued 03/27/2002
• Decided 12/31/2002
• Published 12/31/2002

Judges

• Justice ENOCH delivered the opinion of the Court.

Court

• Supreme Court of Texas

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Robert B. Gilbreath,Charles A. Gall, Timothy J. Goodwin, Jenkins & Gilchrist, Barbara M.G. Lynn, Brett David Kutnick, Jeffrey S. Levinger, Carrington Coleman Sloman & Blumenthal, Leslie Mariam El-Hakam, George M. Kryder, III, Vinson & Elkins, Dallas, for Petitioner.


• For Appellees:
  
• Christina Gratke Nason, Arlington, R. Michael Northrup, Julia F. Pendery, Shawn Malcolm, Godwin Gruber, P.C., Andrea M. Kuntzman, John Mathias Sjovall, Cowles & Thompson, Dallas, B. Michael Bennett, Bentonville, AR, Charles M. Hunt, Martha J. Hardwick, Christopher H. Rentzel, Bracewell & Patterson, Dallas, for Respondent.