Wyoming Supreme Court Interprets Deed to Be Ambiguous, Allowing Extrinsic Evidence of Parties' Intent

摘要

Whitney Holding Corp. v. Terry, 270 P.3d 662 (Wyo. 2012), is a case in which the Wyoming Supreme Court went to great lengths to arrive at a desired result notwithstanding the tortuous deed interpretation.The case involved the 1980 purchase by Whitney Holding Corporation (Whitney) of ranch property owned by Clarence and Peggy Terry (Terrys), through an exchange in which the Terrysacquired a property (Ranchester property) purchased by Whitney. The Ranchester property was sold by the Kaufmanns to Whitney, who traded it to the Terrys for their property. It was the reservations in the Kaufrnann/Whitney/Terry chain that caused the problem resulting in the case.