Chapter 19 - The sanctions hearing
Trust court calculated costs.
Neutral forensic experts:
$148,000.
Additional trust counsel expenses directly tied to false amendment:
$286,000.
My branch legal fees attributable to authenticity fight:
Substantial.
Felix branch? Genevieve’s branch had its own.
Court did not make Genevieve pay every lawyer in the family.
Order:
Genevieve personally responsible for:
$245,000 in trust-side forensic/legal costs caused by knowingly presenting false instrument.
Additional $90,000 contribution toward my branch’s reasonable fees.
Why not millions?
Proportionality.
Then trust distributions to Genevieve.
Could trustee simply offset?
Trust terms allowed certain judgment/surcharge offsets subject court approval.
Court permitted structured offset against future discretionary distributions plus direct payment from Genevieve’s liquid assets.
No taking Felix’s trust.
No touching Felix.
Again.
Then family council.
Permanent removal from voting role for seven years, with future eligibility subject independent review.
Could she remain beneficiary?
Yes.
Could she attend family events?
Not trust court’s problem.
Could she inherit from Dominic under original trust?
Yes.
Wrongdoing did not erase bloodline.
That infuriated cousins.
I said:
May you like
“Dad did not write a morality clause.”
True.
