PRESENT: SCUDDER, P.J., SMITH, CENTRA, CARNI, AND LINDLEY, JJ.

DOCKET NOS. CA 11-01691, CA 11-01692, CA 11-01693, CA 11-00037, CA 11-00035, AND CA 11-00038

IN THE MATTER OF THE JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE INTERMEDIATE ACCOUNT OF HSBC BANK USA, N.A. AS TRUSTEE OF THE TRUST UNDER AGREEMENT DATED JANUARY 21, 1957, SEYMOUR H. KNOX, GRANTOR, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ISSUE OF SEYMOUR H. KNOX III FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 21, 1957 TO NOVEMBER 3, 2005. HSBC BANK USA, N.A., PETITIONER-APPELLANT, W.A. READ KNOX, SEYMOUR H. KNOX, IV, AVERY KNOX, HELEN KEILHOLTZ, AND DANIEL C. OLIVERIO, AS GUARDIAN AD LITEM FOR SEYMOUR KNOX V, JOHN CLAYTON KNOX, AND GEORGIA BROWN KNOX, OBJECTANTS-RESPONDENTS. (PROCEEDING NO. 1; APPEAL NO. 1.) IN THE MATTER OF THE JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE INTERMEDIATE ACCOUNT OF W.A. READ KNOX, SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE, JEAN R. KNOX AND HSBC BANK USA, N.A., AS TRUSTEES OF THE TRUST UNDER ARTICLE SEVENTH OF THE WILL OF SEYMOUR H. KNOX III, DECEASED, FOR THE BENEFIT OF JEAN R. KNOX (MARITAL TRUST) FOR THE PERIOD JUNE 3, 1996 TO NOVEMBER 3, 2005. HSBC BANK USA, N.A., PETITIONER-APPELLANT, JEAN R. KNOX, W.A. READ KNOX, SEYMOUR H. KNOX, IV, AVERY KNOX, HELEN KEILHOLTZ, OBJECTANTS-RESPONDENTS. (PROCEEDING NO. 2; APPEAL NO. 1.) ——————————————————————& mdash;—————————————————————&m dash;———————————- IN THE MATTER OF THE JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE INTERMEDIATE ACCOUNT OF HSBC BANK USA, N.A. AND SEYMOUR H. KNOX IV, AS TRUSTEES OF THE TRUST UNDER AGREEMENT DATED DECEMBER 23, 1975 AND RESTATED AUGUST 15, `990 FOR THE BENEFIT OF SEYMOUR H. KNOX IV, ET AL., SEYMOUR H. KNOX IV, GRANTOR FOR THE PERIOD DECEMBER 23, 1975 TO NOVEMBER 3, 2005 HSBC BANK USA, N.A., PETITIONER-APPELLANT, SEYMOUR H. KNOX, IV, OBJECTANT-RESPONDENT. (PROCEEDING NO. 3; APPEAL NO. 1.) ——————————————————————& mdash;—————————————————————&m dash;———————————- IN THE MATTER OF THE JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE INTERMEDIATE ACCOUNT OF HSBC BANK USA, N.A. AS TRUSTEE OF THE TRUST UNDER AGREEMENT DATED JANUARY 21, 1957, SEYMOUR H. KNOX, GRANTOR, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ISSUE OF SEYMOUR H. KNOX III FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 21, 1957 TO NOVEMBER 3, 2005. HSBC BANK USA, N.A., PETITIONER-APPELLANT, W.A. READ KNOX, SEYMOUR H. KNOX, IV, AVERY KNOX, HELEN KEILHOLTZ, AND DANIEL C. OLIVERIO, AS GUARDIAN AD LITEM FOR SEYMOUR KNOX V, JOHN CLAYTON KNOX, AND GEORGIA BROWN KNOX, OBJECTANTS-RESPONDENTS. (PROCEEDING NO. 1; APPEAL NO. 2.) ——————————————————————& mdash;—————————————————————&m dash;———————————- IN THE MATTER OF THE JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE INTERMEDIATE ACCOUNT OF HSBC BANK USA, N.A. AS TRUSTEE OF THE TRUST UNDER AGREEMENT DATED JANUARY 21, 1957, SEYMOUR H. KNOX, GRANTOR, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ISSUE OF SEYMOUR H. KNOX III FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 21, 1957 TO NOVEMBER 3, 2005. HSBC BANK USA, N.A., PETITIONER-APPELLANT, W.A. READ KNOX, SEYMOUR H. KNOX, IV, AVERY KNOX, HELEN KEILHOLTZ, AND DANIEL C. OLIVERIO, AS GUARDIAN AD LITEM FOR SEYMOUR KNOX V, JOHN CLAYTON KNOX, AND GEORGIA BROWN KNOX, OBJECTANTS-RESPONDENTS. (PROCEEDING NO. 1; APPEAL NO. 3.) ——————————————————————& mdash;—————————————————————&m dash;———————————- IN THE MATTER OF THE JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE INTERMEDIATE ACCOUNT OF HSBC BANK USA, N.A. AS TRUSTEE OF THE TRUST UNDER AGREEMENT DATED JANUARY 21, 1957, SEYMOUR H. KNOX, GRANTOR, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ISSUE OF SEYMOUR H. KNOX III FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 21, 1957 TO NOVEMBER 3, 2005. HSBC BANK USA, N.A., PETITIONER-APPELLANT, W.A. READ KNOX, SEYMOUR H. KNOX, IV, AVERY KNOX, HELEN KEILHOLTZ, AND DANIEL C. OLIVERIO, AS GUARDIAN AD LITEM FOR SEYMOUR KNOX V, JOHN CLAYTON KNOX, AND GEORGIA BROWN KNOX, OBJECTANTS-RESPONDENTS. (PROCEEDING NO. 1; APPEAL NO. 4.) ——————————————————————& mdash;—————————————————————&m dash;———————————— IN THE MATTER OF THE JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE INTERMEDIATE ACCOUNT OF W.A. READ KNOX, SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE, JEAN R. KNOX AND HSBC BANK USA, N.A., AS TRUSTEES OF THE TRUST UNDER ARTICLE SEVENTH OF THE WILL OF SEYMOUR H. KNOX III, DECEASED, FOR THE BENEFIT OF JEAN R. KNOX (MARITAL TRUST) FOR THE PERIOD JUNE 3, 1996 TO NOVEMBER 3, 2005. HSBC BANK USA, N.A., PETITIONER-APPELLANT, JEAN R. KNOX, W.A. READ KNOX, SEYMOUR H. KNOX, IV, AVERY KNOX, HELEN KEILHOLTZ, OBJECTANTS-RESPONDENTS. (PROCEEDING NO. 2; APPEAL NO. 5.) ——————————————————————& mdash;—————————————————————&m dash;———————————- IN THE MATTER OF THE JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE INTERMEDIATE ACCOUNT OF HSBC BANK USA, N.A. AND SEYMOUR H. KNOX IV, AS TRUSTEES OF THE TRUST UNDER AGREEMENT DATED DECEMBER 23, 1975 AND RESTATED AUGUST 15, `990 FOR THE BENEFIT OF SEYMOUR H. KNOX IV, ET AL., SEYMOUR H. KNOX IV, GRANTOR FOR THE PERIOD DECEMBER 23, 1975 TO NOVEMBER 3, 2005 HSBC BANK USA, N.A., PETITIONER-APPELLANT, SEYMOUR H. KNOX, IV, OBJECTANT-RESPONDENT. (PROCEEDING NO. 3; APPEAL NO. 6.)

Respondents on the appeals taken from an order, decree and statement for judgment of the Surrogate's Court, Erie County, entered in the Office of the Clerk of said court on March 11, 2011, May 18, 2011, and May 24, 2011, respectively (Appeal Nos. 1 through 3), having moved to limit the scope of those appeals to the issues of damages only, and for other relief, and appellants having cross-moved to vacate the dismissal of the appeals taken from orders of the Surrogate's Court, Erie County, entered in the Office of the Clerk of said court on February 24, 2010 (Appeal Nos. 4 through 6),

Now, upon reading and filing the affirmations of Dennis P. Cleary, Esq., dated August 17, 2011, and August 24, 2011, the affirmation of Dennis C. Oliverio, Esq., dated August 24, 2011, the notices of motion with proof of service thereof, the affirmations of Richard T. Sullivan, Esq., dated August 24, 2011, and August 26, 2011, the notices of cross motion with proof of service thereof, and the further affirmations of Dennis P. Cleary, Esq., dated August 26, 2011, and due deliberation having been had thereon,

It is hereby ORDERED that the motions of respondents are denied, and

It is further ORDERED that the cross motions of appellants are granted on the condition that the appeals from the orders entered February 24, 2010 (Appeal Nos. 4 through 6), are perfected on or before December 9, 2011.

Entered: September 9, 2011

Patricia L. Morgan, Clerk