Adding gifts to land deal step too far

Trial Notebook

By Steven P. Garmisa

Hoey & Farina

Posted December 9, 2016 2:47 PM

In a fight between siblings about an alleged gift of a one-fifth interest in 320 acres of farmland in Stark County, 155 miles southwest of Chicago, the trial judge ruled Dean Jackson completed the gift to his daughter Cheryl Jackson in 1977 when he negotiated an installment contract to buy the real estate from Margaret J. Dixon for $1,334,000 and he had each of his children (Barry, Russell, Cheryl and Janet) co-sign the agreement.Dean and his sons Barry and Russell farmed the “Dixon 320” and other property. The …

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