In re Kornrich
Philip J. Shore, beneficiary of an inter vivos trust, through his guardian ad litem, sought the removal of trustee Georgina Vassiliou, Esq., for her failure to account as directed by a prior court order. Vassiliou, who drafted the trust instrument naming herself as grantor and trustee, argued that the trust terms exempted her from accounting during the beneficiary's lifetime. The court found that such a provision, attempting to render a fiduciary unaccountable, is void as against public policy, as expressed in EPTL 11-1.7, and applies equally to inter vivos trusts where beneficiaries cannot protect their interests. The court also denied Vassiliou's motion to dismiss the guardian's petition and her requests for reargument or renewal, finding them procedurally defective and lacking merit. Ultimately, the court granted the application for Vassiliou's removal as trustee and for permission to take and state her account, while denying all of Vassiliou's motions.