Suit Challenging Gifts To Legion of Christ Dismissed on Standing Grounds, But Judge Says Questions Remain

In Dauray v. Estate of Gabrielle D. Mee, (RI Super. Ct., Sept. 7, 2012), a Rhode Island Superior Court held that Mary Dauray, the niece of devout Catholic Gabrielle D. Mee, lacks standing in the three cases she filed to challenge Mee's extensive gifts to the scandal-ridden conservative Catholic order, Legion of Christ.  In the suits, Dauray claimed that Mee's will was executed under undue influence, fraud and mistake in the inducement; that Mee was fraudulently induced into giving $60 million in gifts during her lifetime to Legion of Christ; and that the Bank involved breached its duties as trustee of multiple trusts. The court went on to hold however that if plaintiff had standing, it would not have dismissed the undue influence, fraud and breach of fiduciary duty claims because genuine issues of material fact remain.  National Catholic Reporter reports on the decision.