My Brother Darryl's Guide To Getting A Copy Of Ralph's Trust

[ICanSleepWhenI'mDead]

My older brother Darryl is a bit of a moron, but just like my younger brother Darryl and me, he's a Bills fan. So like many of us here, he would like to know exactly what Ralph's trust says about how the team should be sold.

 

Problem is, wealthy people like Ralph use trusts in part to keep their financial affairs confidential. It's been reported in another thread (oddly titled "Koshinski"), that there are four trustees of Ralph's trust - - (1) Jeffrey Littman, (2) Mary Wilson, (3) Mary Owens, and (4) Eugene Driker.

 

http://www.allsportswny.com/prospective-buffalo-bills-owner-needs-3-trustee-votes-for-winning-bid/

 

I don't know if that's true, but it seems plausible. When I told Darryl about the Koshinski thread, he blindly accepted the identity of the trustees as gospel - - did I mention he's a moron?

 

Anyway, Darryl (the older one) got to wonderin' if maybe there was a way to get a copy of Ralph's trust. Don't seem to me like a fair fight, what with billionaire Ralph and his legal henchmen tryin' to keep it secret, and a moron tryin' to get a copy.

 

But Darryl (the older one) has friends in low places, and he don't mind doin' a little diggin' on the Interweb tubes. So he goes off and digs for a while, and then he comes back and says he wants me to post his "manifesto" about how to get a copy of Ralph's trust - - I guess he thought the other thread was entitled "Kaczynski" (as in Ted, aka the Unabomber).

 

Color me skeptical, but I promised Mama I'd humor him as long as it didn't hurt nobody, so FWIW, here it is:

 

1. Eugene Driker is Michigan lawyer admitted to the bar in both Michigan and New York, Jeffrey Littman got a law degree from the University of Detroit Law School, and both Ralph and Mary Wilson maintained a permanent residence in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan. The Bills also maintained their principal executive office in Michigan:

 

http://www.bsdd.com/Bio/EugeneDriker.asp

 

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/philanthropist-ralph-wilson-honors-buffalo-bills-cfo-jeffrey-c-littmann-with-endowed-scholarship-at-walsh-college-228615781.html

 

http://www.ralphwilsonfoundation.org/index.php/about-us

 

http://appext20.dos.ny.gov/corp_public/CORPSEARCH.ENTITY_INFORMATION?p_nameid=416418&p_corpid=355631&p_entity_name=%42%75%66%66%61%6C%6F%20%42%69%6C%6C%73&p_name_type=%41&p_search_type=%42%45%47%49%4E%53&p_srch_results_page=0

 

2. This makes it likely (but not certain) that Ralph's trust was established under Michigan law.

 

3. Michigan adopted its version of the Uniform Trust Code effective April 1, 2010. Among other things, it requires trustees to provide beneficiaries with a copy of the trust instrument upon request, and to keep them informed about the trust administration, even if the trust document specifies otherwise:

 

http://www.michbar.org/probate/pdfs/mtcstatusreport_0906.pdf

 

Section 7105 (Default and Mandatory Rules). . . . Noteworthy among the provisions that cannot be varied by the settlor are the requirements that trusts be disclosed to their beneficiaries, the mandatory reporting requirements, and the trust protector provisions.

* * * * * * *

Section 7814 (Duty to Inform and Report). Section 7814 obligates trustees to keep beneficiaries informed about the trust administration; to furnish beneficiaries with a copy of the trust instrument; to give notice of the trustee’s status as trustee and of the creation of the trust; . . . In addition, the trustee must periodically report to the beneficiaries concerning the administration of the trust. The section describes in detail the nature of the report periodically provided.

 

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(twlobseypupcww45j5q12j55))/mileg.aspx?page=GetMCLDocument&objectname=mcl-700-7105

 

700.7105 Duties and powers of trustee; provisions of law prevailing over terms of trust.

Sec. 7105.

 

(1) . . .

 

(2) The terms of a trust prevail over any provision of this article except the following:

 

(a) . . .

 

(i) The duty under section 7814(2)(a) to © to provide beneficiaries with the terms of the trust and information about the trust's property . . .

 

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(dhydhan2biokgy55xzxuixay))/mileg.aspx?page=GetMCLDocument&objectname=mcl-700-7814

 

700.7814 Duty to inform and report.

Sec. 7814.

 

(1) . . .

 

(2) A trustee shall do all of the following:

 

(a) Upon the reasonable request of a trust beneficiary, promptly furnish to the trust beneficiary a copy of the terms of the trust that describe or affect the trust beneficiary's interest and relevant information about the trust property. . . .

 

4. So let's say you're an AP reporter, or a Buffalo News reporter, or a Toronto reporter, or even a blogger trying to find out exactly what the trust says about how the Bills should be sold. If you can find a cooperative beneficiary and get them to request a copy of the trust instrument from Littman, Mary Wilson, Mary Owens or Eugene Driker, that trustee is legally required to give the beneficiary a copy.

 

5. Tough part is finding a cooperative beneficiary. Charities that Ralph donated to during his lifetime might be beneficiaries of the trust, but (1) they may not want to jeopardize future contributions from the Wilson family by cooperating, and (2) Ralph could have set up the trust to funnel post-death gifts to charity through the Ralph Wilson Foundation first as the direct beneficiary of the trust. The Foundation ain't gonna be cooperatin'.

 

6. Darryl vaguely recalls reading that Ralph had 2 daughters from a former marriage, one of whom unfortunately passed away. But if Darryl's recollection about there being a remaining daughter is correct, maybe Ralph would make that daughter a direct beneficiary of the trust, especially if there was any historical friction between that daughter and his new wife. Seems like the daughter would already be interested in getting a copy of the trust, as her step-mom and step-mom's niece (not blood relatives) are two of the four trustees currently managing the trust that may be intended to benefit that daughter (among others).

 

I wonder if Ted Kaczynski's brother had to put up with this much crap . . .

Edited May 6, 2014 by ICanSleepWhenI'mDead

[BuffaloBill]

It will be OK, I went to straight to Dionne Warwick. She says that there can be no doubt that for the past 14 years the Bills sucked and for sure there will be a new owner in the future.

[Dean Cain]

Your brother sounds insane.

[bigK14094]

You have way to much time on your hands.

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

Is that your brother Darryl, or your other brother Darryl?

[Cash]

Interesting. Tell Daryl thanks for the research! Now if only I knew a beneficiary...

[Hplarrm]

What does Darryl (either one as they appear equally moronic) say about to what extent is this document about public things (probate decisions strike me as a public thang) either available or figurable out.

[bladiebla]

How the F* did your parents end up naming two of their kids Darryl? Insurance policy? I.e. if one Darryl fails they still have another? Must have been easy growing up; Darryl did it Mom, it was Darryl!

Edited May 6, 2014 by bladiebla

[bowery4]

If I could, I'd bonk Mary's niece to find out what's in it but I live way, way to far away. Maybe one of your moronic brothers could do it. BTW is your name Earl?

[FluffHead]

which brother Darryl is the guy on The Walking Dead, older Darryl or younger Darryl?

[ICanSleepWhenI'mDead]

How the F* did your parents end up naming two of their kids Darryl? Insurance policy? I.e. if one Darryl fails they still have another? Must have been easy growing up; Darryl did it Mom, it was Darryl!

I see from your profile that you're located in the Netherlands, so it's understandable if there are some holes in your American cultural literacy - - lots of posters here don't have that excuse. Maybe this will help explain things:

 

 

 

[ny33]

You consider unfamiliarity with a specific episode of a 1980s sitcom to be "cultural illiteracy"?

[Just in Atlanta]

You consider unfamiliarity with a specific episode of a 1980s sitcom to be "cultural illiteracy"?

It's a classic show -- like I Love Lucy, All in the Family, Cheers, Seinfeld...Part of pop culture -- a famous line on par with "you have some splainin to do," Meathead, Nooorm!..., No soup for you.

[BuffaloBill]

You consider unfamiliarity with a specific episode of a 1980s sitcom to be "cultural illiteracy"?

 

True, he did leave out the whole emergence of MTV and the music video in the 80's.

[ICanSleepWhenI'mDead]

You consider unfamiliarity with a specific episode of a 1980s sitcom to be "cultural illiteracy"?

Telling someone there are "holes in their cultural literacy" is more like saying they have blind spots rather than accusing them of being totally culturally illiterate. That said, being unaware of a specific episode - - not a blind spot. Being unaware of a regular role in a popular series that ran for 8 years - - yes, I consider that a blind spot. I admit I found the show very funny, though, so I'm probably biased.

 

The Darryl brothers first appeared in the scene upthread from episode #2, and they became regular cast members starting in season #3:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newhart

 

William Sanderson, Tony Papenfuss, and John Voldstad as brothers Larry, Darryl, and Darryl. The three, whose last name is never mentioned, are backwoodsmen who live in a shack. They are seen infrequently in the first season, a bit more in the second, but at the start of season three, they become regulars and take over the Minuteman Cafe from Kirk Devane. The two Darryls never speak (until the final episode). Larry introduces the group the same way every time they make an appearance: "Hi, I'm Larry; this is my brother Darryl, and this is my other brother Darryl." Larry often makes strange claims, though some of the most outrageous things he says turn out to be true . . .

 

They also had a memorable scene in the Newhart series finale - - you can read about it in the above link in the unlikely event that you're interested.

Edited May 7, 2014 by ICanSleepWhenI'mDead