Sagtikos Manor Historical Society, Inc. v. Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, Inc.

Robert Gardiner owned Sagtikos Manor, a 10-acre property with a historic manor house. In 1964, Gardiner allowed the Sagtikos Manor Historical Society (society) (plaintiff) to begin giving tours of the house and maintain the property. In 1985, Gardiner conveyed the manor to a newly created charitable trust known as the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation (foundation) (defendant). The foundation’s charter documents stated that the trust’s purpose included educating the public about the area’s history and sponsoring existing and future historical societies sharing the area’s traditions and heritage. In 2002, the foundation sold the manor to Suffolk County. The society then entered an agreement with the county to maintain and preserve the manor. When Gardiner died in 2004, his will stated that his residuary estate was to be held in trust for his widow, Eunice Gardiner, for life and then be distributed to the foundation. When Eunice died in 2011, the trust contained approximately $81 million. The society contacted the foundation, seeking an accounting of the charitable remainder of Gardiner’s estate. The foundation refused to give an accounting on the basis that the society was not a named beneficiary under any will or trust. The society then sued the foundation, seeking a declaration regarding Gardiner’s intent for the foundation and its charitable purposes and beneficiaries. The foundation moved to dismiss the suit. The trial court rejected the motion to dismiss, and the foundation appealed.