Estate of John L. Baird - Page 21




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          accurately predict that partition will be necessary.  It is                 
          possible that the remaining family members may be open to                   
          dividing or managing the property in accord with a new owner’s              
          wishes.  Conversely, it is also possible that the remaining                 
          family members will be adverse to a new owner’s wishes.                     
               Here, the estates have shown that, under Louisiana law,                
          there are uncertainties and disabilities associated with an                 
          undivided minority interest in property.  That is especially true           
          here where the property is held in trust and where the family               
          members have previously experienced difficulties and have allowed           
          one family member to manage the properties without holding him to           
          a high standard.  It has also been shown that the family members            
          placed the property into trust in order to keep the property in             
          their family.  The circumstances that would have been perceived             
          by a willing buyer indicate that the remaining family members               
          would be resistant to and make it difficult for an outside buyer.           
          We reach this conclusion, in part, on the basis of the family’s             
          propensity to allow poor management of the timberland to their              
          own financial detriment.  Accordingly, some additional discount             
          is appropriate on the basis of the record in this case.                     
               The evidence, experts’ reports, and other testimony reflect            
          that the market for partial interests was extremely limited.  One           
          of petitioners’ experts, Mr. Steele, was the buyer of many such             
          properties.  His experiences reflected that partition under the             






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