HSC gets Pointed about Points of Error
In re Estate of Damon (HSC December 30, 2008) Background. Samuel M. Damon died in 1924. His will created a trust to administer over his property. By 1999, the trust assets included stock in publicly-traded companies and significant land holdings in Hawai'i and California. By 2003, the trust sold off nearly all of the assets and put the proceeds in a securities portfolio managed by Goldman, Sachs. The trustees filed a petition for approval of accounting in the probate court. The probate court appointed James Kawachika as a master for overseeing the accounting. Christopher Damon Haig objected to the appointment and filed a response. Haig contended that Kawachika could not be a master because of a conflict of interest. In his master's report, Kawachika concluded that there may be a conflict, but that he disclosed them. The probate court approved the income and principal accounts in the petition. Haig appealed. Points of Error not to be Tampered with. T...