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Last Will And
Testament Of Elvis A. Presley, Deceased Filed August 22, 1977
Last Will And
Testament of Elvis Presley
I, Elvis A.
Presley, a resident and citizen of Shelby County, Tennessee, being
of sound mind and disposing memory, do hereby make, publish and
declare this instrument to be my last will and testament, hereby
revoking any and all wills and codicils by me at any time heretofore
made.
Item I
Debts, Expenses and Taxes
I direct my
Executor, hereinafter named, to pay all of my matured debts and
my funeral expenses, as well as the costs and expenses of the administration
of my estate, as soon after my death as practicable. I further direct
that all estate, inheritance, transfer and succession taxes which
are payable by reason under this will, be paid out of my residuary
estate; and I hereby waive on behalf of my estate any right to recover
from any person any part of such taxes so paid. My Executor, in
his sole discretion, may pay from my domiciliary estate all or any
portion of the costs of ancillary administration and similar proceedings
in other jurisdictions.
Item II
Instruction
Concerning Personal Property: Enjoyment in Specie
I anticipate
that included as a part of my property and estate at the time of
my death will be tangible personal property of various kinds, characters
and values, including trophies and other items accumulated by me
during my professional career. I hereby specifically instruct all
concerned that my Executor, herein appointed, shall have complete
freedom and discretion as to disposal of any and all such property
so long as he shall act in good faith and in the best interest of
my estate and my beneficiaries, and his discretion so exercised
shall not be subject to question by anyone whomsoever.
I hereby expressly
authorize my Executor and my Trustee, respectively and successively,
to permit any beneficiary of any and all trusts created hereunder
to enjoy in specie the use or benefit of any household goods, chattels,
or other tangible personal property (exclusive of choses in action,
cash, stocks, bonds or other securities) which either my Executor
or my Trustees may receive in kind, and my Executor and my Trustees
shall not be liable for any consumption, damage, injury to or loss
of any tangible property so used, nor shall the beneficiaries of
any trusts hereunder or their executors of administrators be liable
for any consumption, damage, injury to or loss of any tangible personal
property so used.
Item III
Real Estate
If I am the
owner of any real estate at the time of my death, I instruct and
empower my Executor and my Trustee (as the case may be) to hold
such real estate for investment, or to sell same, or any portion
therof, as my Executor or my Trustee (as the case may be) shall
in his sole judgment determine to be for the best interest of my
estate and the beneficiaries thereof.
Item IV
Residuary Trust
After payment
of all debts, expenses and taxes as directed under Item I hereof,
I give, devise, and bequeath all the rest, residue, and remainder
of my estate, including all lapsed legacies and devices, and any
property over which I have a power of appointment, to my Trustee,
hereinafter named, in trust for the following purposes:
(a) The Trustees
is directed to take, hold, manage, invest and reinvent the corpus
of the trust and to collect the income therefrom in accordance with
the rights, powers, duties, authority and discretion hereinafter
set forth. The Trustee is directed to pay all the expenses, taxes
and costs incurred in the management of the trust estate out of
the income thereof.
(b) After payment
of all expenses, taxes and costs incurred in the management of the
expenses, taxes and costs incurred in the management of the trust
estate, the Trustee is authorizes to accumulate the net income or
to pay or apply so much of the net income and such portion of the
principal at any time and from time to time to time for health,
education, support, comfortable maintenance and welfare of: (1)
My daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, and any other lawful issue I might
have, (2) my grandmother, Minnie Mae Presley, (3) my father, Vernon
E. Presley, and (4) such other relatives of mine living at the time
of my death who in the absolute discretion of my Trustees are in
need of emergency assistance for any of the above mentioned purposes
and the Trustee is able to make such distribution without affecting
the ability of the trust to meet the present needs of the first
three numbered categories of beneficiaries herein mentioned or to
meet the reasonably expected future needs of the first three classes
of beneficiaries herein mentioned. Any decision of the Trustee as
to whether or not distribution, to any of the persons described
hereunder shall be final and conclusive and not subject to question
by any legatee or beneficiary hereunder.
(c) Upon the
death of my Father, Vernon E. Presley, the Trustee is instructed
to make no further distributions to the fourth category of beneficiaries
and such beneficiaries shall cease to have any interest whatsoever
in this trust.
(d) Upon the
death of both my said father and my said grandmother, the Trustee
is directed to divide the Residuary Trust into separate and equal
trusts, creating one such equal trust for each of my lawful children
then surviving and one such equal trust for the living issue collectively,
if any, of any deceased child of mine. The share, if any, for the
issue of any such deceased child, shall immediately vest in such
issue in equal shares but shall be subject to the provisions of
Item V herein. Separate books and records shall be kept for each
trust, but it shall not be necessary that a physical division of
the assets be made as to each trust.
The Trustee
may from time to time distribute the whole or any part of the net
income or principal from each of the aforesaid trusts as the Trustee,
in its uncontrolled discretion, considers necessary or desirable
to provide for the comfortable support, education, maintenance,
benefit and general welfare of each of my children. Such distributions
may be made directly to such beneficiary or to the guardian of the
person of such beneficiary and without repsonsibilty on my Trustee
to see to the application of nay such distributions and in making
such distributions, the Trustee shall take into account all other
sources of funds known by the Trustee to be available for each respective
beneficiary for such purpose.
(e) As each
of my respective children attains the age of twenty-five (25) years
and provided that both my father and my grandmother are deceased,
the trust created hereunder for such child care terminate, and all
the remainder of the assets then contained in said trust shall be
distributed to such child so attaining the age of twenty-five (25)
years outright and free of further trust.
(f) If any of
my children for whose benefit a trust has been created hereunder
should die before attaining the age of twenty- five (25) years,
then the trust created for such a child shall terminate on his death,
and all remaining assets then contained in said trust shall be distributed
outright and free of further trust and in equal shares to the surviving
issue of such deceased child but subject to the provisions of Item
V herein; but if there be no such surviving issue, then to the brothers
and sisters of such deceased child in equal shares, the issue of
any other deceased child being entitled collectively to their deceased
parent's share. Nevertheless, if any distribution otherwise becomes
payable outright and free of trust under the provisions of this
paragraph (f) of the Item IV of my will to a beneficiary for whom
the Trustee is then administering a trust for the benefit of such
beneficiary under provisions of this last will and testament, such
distribution shall not be paid outright to such beneficiary but
shall be added to and become a part of the trust so being administered
for such beneficiary by the Trustee.
Item V
Distribution
to Minor Children
If any share
of corpus of any trust established under this will become distributable
outright and free of trust to any beneficiary before said beneficiary
has attained the age of eighteen (18) years, then said share shall
immediately vest in said beneficiary, but the Trustee shall retain
possession of such share during the period in which such beneficiary
is under the age of eighteen (18) years, and, in the meantime, shall
use and expend so much of the income and principal for the care,
support, and education of such beneficiary, and any income not so
expended with respect to each share so retained all the power and
discretion had with respect to such trust generally.
Item VI
Alternate Distributees
In the event
that all of my descendants should be deceased at any time prior
to the time for the termination of the trusts provided for herein,
then in such event all of my estate and all the assets of every
trust to be created hereunder (as the case may be) shall then distributed
outright in equal shares to my heirs at law per stripes.
Item VII
Unenforceable
Provisions
If any provisions
of this will are unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall,
nevertheless, be carried into effect.
Item VIII
Life Insurance
If my estate
is the beneficiary of any life insurance on my life at the time
of my death, I direct that the proceeds therefrom will be used by
my Executor in payment of the debts , expenses and taxes listed
in Item I of this will, to the extent deemed advisable by the Executor.
All such proceeds not so used are to be used by my Executor for
the purpose of satisfying the devises and bequests contained in
Item IV herein.
Item IX
Spendthrift
Provision
I direct that
the interest of any beneficiary in principal or income of any trust
created hereunder shall not be subject to claims of creditors or
others, nor to legal process, and may not be voluntarily or involuntarily
alienated or encumbered except as herein provided. Any bequests
contained herein for any female shall be for her sole and separate
use, free from the debts, contracts and control of any husband she
may ever have.
Item X
Proceeds From
Personal Services
All sums paid
after my death (either to my estate or to any of the trusts created
hereunder) and resulting from personal services rendered by me during
my lifetime, including, but not limited to, royalties of all nature,
concerts, motion picture contracts, and personal appearances shall
be considered to be income, notwithstanding the provisions of estate
and trust law to the contrary.
Item XI
Executor and
Trustee
I appoint as
executor of this, my last will and testament, and as Trustee of
every trust required to be created hereunder, my said father.
I hereby direct
that my said father shall be entitled by his last will ant testament,
duly probated, to appoint a successor Executor of my estate, as
well as a successor Trustee or successor Trustees of all the trusts
to be created under my last will and testament.
If, for any
reason, my said father be unable to serve or to continue to serve
as Executor and/or as Trustee, or if he be deceased and shall not
have appointed a successor Executor or Trustee, by virtue of his
last will and testament as stated -above, then I appoint National
Bank of Commerce, Memphis, Tennessee, or its successor or the institution
with which it may merge, as successor Executor and/or as successor
Trustee of all trusts required to be established hereunder.
None of the
appointees named hereunder,including any appointment made by virtue
of the last will and testament of my said father, shall be required
to furnish any bond or security for performance of the respective
fiduciary duties required hereunder, notwithstanding any rule of
law to the contrary.
Item XII
Powers, Duties,
Privileges and Immunities of the Trustee
Except as otherwise
stated expressly to the contrary herein, I give and grant to the
said Trustee (and to the duly appointed successor Trustee when acting
as such) the power to do everything he deems advisable with respect
to the administration of each trust required to be established under
this, my last will and Testament, even though such powers would
not be authorized or appropriate for the Trustee under statutory
or other rules of law. By way of illustration and not in limitation
of the generality of the foregoing grant of power and authority
of the Trustee, I give and grant to him plenary power as follows:
(a) To exercise
all those powers authorized to fiduciaries under the provisions
of the Tennessee Code Annotated, Sections 35-616 to 35-618, inclusive,
including any amendments thereto in effect at the time of my death,
and the same are expressly referred to and incorporated herein by
reference.
(b) Plenary
power is granted to the Trustee, not only to relieve him from seeking
judicial instruction, but to the extent that the Trustee deems it
to be prudent, to encourage determinations freely to be made in
favor of persons who are the current income beneficiaries. In such
instances the rights of all subsequent beneficiaries are subordinate,
and the Trustee shall not be answerable to any subsequent beneficiary
for anything done or omitted in favor of a current income beneficiary
may compel any such favorable or preferential treatment. Without
in anywise minimizing or impairing the scope of this declaration
of intent, it includes investment policy, exercise of discretionary
power to pay or apply principal and income, and determination principal
and income questions;
(c) It shall
be lawful for the Trustee to apply any sum that is payable to or
for the benefit of a minor (or any other person who in the Judgment
of the Trustee, is incapable of making proper disposition thereof)
by payments in discharge of the costs and expenses of educating,
maintaining and supporting said beneficiary, or to make payment
to anyone with whom said beneficiary resides or who has the care
or custody of the beneficiary, temporarily or permanently, all without
intervention of any guardian or like fiduciary. The receipt of anyone
to whom payment is so authorized to be made shall be a complete
discharge of the Trustees without obligation on his part to see
to the further application hereto, and without regard to other resource
that the beneficiary may have, or the duty of any other person to
support the beneficiary;
(d) In Dealing
with the Trustee, no grantee, pledge, vendee, mortgage, lessee or
other transference of the trust properties, or any part therof,
shall be bound to inquire with respect to the purpose or necessity
of any such disposition or to see to the application of any consideration
therefore paid to the Trustee.
Item XIII
Concerning the
Trustee and the Executor
(a) If at any
time the Trustee shall have reasonable doubt as to his power, authority
or duty in the administration of any trust herein created, it shall
be lawful for the Trustee to obtain the advice and counsel of reputable
legal counsel without resorting to the courts for instructions;
and the Trustee shall be fully absolved from all liability and damage
or detriment to the various trust estates of any beneficiary thereunder
by reason of anything done, suffered or omitted pursuant to advice
of said counsel given and obtained in good faith, provided that
nothing contained herein shall be construed to prohibit or prevent
the Trustee in all proper cases from applying to a court of competent
jurisdiction for instructions in the administration of the trust
assets in lieu of obtaining advice of counsel.
(b) In managing,
investing, and controlling the various trust estates, the Trustee
shall exercise the judgment and care under the circumstances then
prevailing, which men of prudence discretion and judgment exercise
in the management of their own affairs, not in regard to speculation,
but in regard to the permanent disposition of their funds, considering
the probable income as well as the probable safety of their capital,
and, in addition, the purchasing power of income distribution to
beneficiaries.
(c) My Trustee
(as well as my Executor) shall be entitled to reasonable and adequate
and adequate compensation for the fiduciary services rendered by
him.
(d) My Executor
and his successor Executor and his successor Executor shall have
the same rights, privileges, powers and immunities herein granted
to my Trustee wherever appropriate.
(e) In referring
to any fiduciary hereunder, for purposes of construction, masculine
pronouns may include a corporate fiduciary and neutral pronouns
may include an individual fiduciary.
Item XIV
Law Against
Perpetuities
(a) Having in
mind the rule against perpetuities, I direct that (notwithstanding
anything contained to the contrary in this last will and testament)
each trust created under this will (except such trust created under
this will (except such trusts as have heretofore vested in compliance
with such rule or law) shall end, unless sooner terminated under
other provisions of this will, twenty-one (21) years after the death
of the last survivor of such of the beneficiaries hereunder as are
living at the time of my death; and thereupon that the property
held in trust shall be distributed free of all trust to the persons
then entitled to receive the income and/or principal therefrom,
in the proportion in proportion in which they are then entitled
to receive such income.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything else contained in this will to the contrary, I direct that
if any distribution under this will become payable to a person for
whom the Trustee is then administering a trust created hereunder
for the benefit of such person, such distribution shall be made
to such trust and not to the beneficiary outright, and the funds
so passing to such trust shall become a part thereof as corpus and
be administered and distributed to the same extent and purpose as
if such funds had been a part of such a trust at its inception.
Item XV
Payment of Estate
and Inheritance Taxes
Notwithstanding
the provisions of Item X herein, I authorize my Executor to use
such sums received by my estate after my death and resulting from
my personal services as identified in Item X as he deem necessary
and advisable in order to pay the taxes referred to in Item I of
my said will.
In WITNESS WHEREOF,
I, the said ELVIS A. PRESLEY, do hereunto set my hand and seal in
the presence of two (2) competent witnesses, and in their presence
do publish and declare this instrument to be my Last Will and Testament,
this 3 day of March, 1977.
[Signed by Elvis
A. Presley]
ELVIS A. PRESLEY
The foregoing
instrument, consisting of this and eleven (11) preceding typewritten
pages, was signed, sealed, published and declared by ELVIS A.PRESLEY,
the Testator, to be his Last Will and Testament, in our presence,
and we, at his request and in his presence and in the presence of
each other, have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses, this
3 day of March, 1977, at Memphis, Tennessee.
[Signed by Ginger
Alden]
Ginger Alden residing at 4152 Royal Crest Place
[Signed by Charles
F. Hodge]
Charles F. Hodge residing at 3764 Elvis Presley Blvd.
[Signed by Ann
Dewey Smith]
Ann Dewey Smith residing at 2237 Court Avenue.
State of Tennessee
County of Shelby
Ginger Alden,
Charles F. Hodge, and Ann Dewey Smith, after being first duly sworn,
make oath or affirm that the foregoing Last Will and Testament,
in the sight and presence of us, the undersigned, who at his request
and in his sight and presence, and in the sight and presence of
each other, have subscribed our names as attesting witnesses on
the 3 day of March, 1977, and we further make oath or affirm that
the Testator was of sound mind and disposing memory and not acting
under fraud, menace or undue influence of any person, and was more
than eighteen (18) years of age; and that each of the attesting
witnesses is more than eighteen (18) years of age.
[Signed by Ginger
Alden]
Ginger Alden
[Signed by Charles
F. Hodge]
Charles F. Hodge
[Signed by Ann
Dewey Smith]
Ann Dewey Smith
Sworn To And
Subscribed before me this 3 day of March, 1977.
Drayton Beecker
Smith II Notary Public
My commission
expires:
August 8, 1979
Admitted to
probate and Ordered Recorded August 22, 1977
Joseph W. Evans,
Judge
Recorded August
22, 1977
B.J. Dunavant,
Clerk
By: Jan Scott,
D.C. |