Faith Vredenburgh v. E. Russell Jones Et

BROWN, Vice Chancellor. This cause, as it came on to be heard, derives from the consolidation of three separate but overlapping actions arising from
the administration of the estate of Alexia duPont Ortiz deBie by her executor, E. Russell Jones. The initial action (O.C.
No. 1133-A) was initiated many years ago on behalf of Faith Vredenburgh and Alexis deBie, the two children of the decedent.
This action is in the form of exceptions taken to the first and subsequent annual accounts of the executor filed with the
Register of Wills for New Castle County. Subsequently, through separate counsel, Faith (C.A. No. 4037) and Alexis (C.A. No.
4153) brought suit against Jones, as executor, against the defendant Howard L. Williams, Esquire, as attorney for the estate,
against Arundel Mining Co., Inc., and others mentioned with more particularity hereafter. By third party complaint, Jones
and other individual defendants seek contribution or indemnity from Williams on account of alleged professional negligence
in representing the estate. The separate actions of Faith and Alexis primarily seek recovery against the executor and the
defendant Williams for certain specific property interests bequeathed to them by their mother which they surrendered to the
executor in return for cash, and which the executor, in turn, sold to himself and others closely affiliated with him. The
exceptions action deals with this aspect also, as well as with certain other claims of misconduct for which surcharge is demanded
against Jones in his capacity as executor. This is a decision after trial on the various issues presented as I have interpreted
them.