SPECIAL EDITION: TFONC ISSUES PRESS RELEASE
Last night, we received good news. Once again, it is time to BE IN COURT; BE INVOLVED, AND BE INVESTED! This morning, we issued the following press release.
Louisiana Court of Appeal Ruling Supports Legal Efforts to Reopen Newcomb College
Judges’ Ruling Next Step in Battle to Protect Donor Intent in Louisiana
New Orleans – Two of the three 4th Circuit judges presiding over the appeal in the landmark ‘donor intent’ lawsuit, Susan Henderson Montgomery v. Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund (Montgomery v. Tulane), late Friday reversed an earlier decision by the trial court saying the will of Newcomb College’s founding benefactor did not contain conditions on how to use the money she donated to establish the historic women’s college.
Newcomb College was established by Josephine Louise LeMonnier Newcomb, who donated the funds to open and operate the college in perpetuity in memory of her daughter. Susan Henderson Montgomery, the plaintiff in the case, is Mrs. Newcomb’s great great great niece. She is challenging the Tulane Board’s 2005 decision to close Newcomb College and divert its funds to other purposes.
“This is a tremendous step forward in the legal effort to have Newcomb College reopened,” said Renee Seblatnigg, President of The Future of Newcomb College (TFoNC). “It is also a major victory in the fight to ensure donor intent is upheld in Louisiana.”
In accordance with Article V, Section 8B of the Louisiana Constitution, the appeal must now be heard by a panel of five judges. The section reads: “… in civil matters only, when a judgment of a district court is to be modified or reversed and one judge dissents, the case shall be reargued before a panel of at least five judges prior to rendition of judgment, and a majority must concur to render judgment.”
That hearing is scheduled for September 21, 2010 at 1 p.m.
“We have the utmost confidence that the majority of the five-judge panel also will agree that Mrs. Newcomb’s bequest to the Tulane Board of Administrators was clearly subject to the condition and obligation that her money be used to develop and maintain in perpetuity a coordinate women’s college at Tulane.”
BE IN COURT: Plan to attend the hearing. More information will be forthcoming.
BE INVOLVED: Spread the good news. Call your friends and let them know that Newcomb Lives! Let us hear from you at info@newcomblives.com.
BE INVESTED: Use your credit card and charge your donation by clicking the button to your right, or or send your check to:
TFoNC c/o Paige Gold
3909 Rust Hill Place
Fairfax, VA 22030
The Website of The Future of Newcomb College
