Minonk State Bank v. Grassman

Property was conveyed to Agnes, Gustav, Ida, and Frieda Grassman as joint tenants; after Gustav and Frieda died, Ida (defendant) conveyed her own interest to herself specifically to destroy the right of survivorship created by the original conveyance. When Agnes later died, Minonk State Bank (plaintiff), as administrator of Agnes's estate, sought a declaratory judgment on the estate's interest in the property and to force its sale. The trial court held Ida was the sole surviving joint tenant and thus sole owner, but the appellate court reversed, finding Ida's self-conveyance had already terminated the joint tenancy and left her only a one-half interest; Ida appealed.