Secret Trust Estate Dispute

Summary

A secret trust involves a will referencing separate instructions not disclosed in the will itself. For a fully secret trust, the trustee must prove the trusts existence and terms, as the will does not mention them. In contrast, a half-secret trust is mentioned in the will but lacks detailed terms, requiring external evidence for validation. In this case, Robert must demonstrate that Ned communicated his intentions before death and that Robert accepted the trust obligations. Legal advice may be necessary to support the trusts validity in court, especially when contested by other beneficiaries like Catelyn, the residuary beneficiary.