Supreme Court of Missouri / Mar 17, 2020
Samuel S. Knopik, Appellant, vs. Shelby Investments, LLC, Respondent.
Samuel S. Knopik, the sole beneficiary of a trust, sued the trustee, Shelby Investments, LLC, for breach of trust and removal after distributions ceased. The trustee counterclaimed, asserting Knopik's suit violated the trust's no-contest clause, thereby forfeiting his beneficial interest. The circuit court granted summary judgment for the trustee on its counterclaim. The Missouri Supreme Court affirmed, holding that Knopik's failure to utilize the statutory "safe harbor" under section 456.4-420 to challenge the no-contest clause meant his petition violated the clause as written.