The saga of the Harold Dwight Look estate continues with transfer of estate ownership.

On Oct. 6 the Superior Court of Guam entertained an amended petition for registration of title to land. The transfer is not related to the famed and highly disputed Estate 278.

Estate 278 was deeded to Look on Sept. 26 1961 by Francisco Baza Leon Guerrero a historic figure in Guam’s quest for a political relationship with the U.S. Leon Guerrero is known by many as the father of the Organic Act of Guam. The basis of the case filed against Look by Pedro B. Leon Guerrero [brother of F.B. Leon Guerrero] claimed 120 hectares of the estate was not clearly delineated by the informal markers and amounted to less than what was agreed upon (See “The Saga of Estate 278 ” in the July 2000 issue of Guam Business magazine.). Settlement of ownership of the land remained in the Guam court system for more than 25 years and involved about 3 200 hectares of land in Yona. Miyama Development Inc. bought a portion of Estate 278 on March 15 1989 at $27 million for the construction of the LeoPalace Resort. Look donated 1 000 more acres to his alma mater Texas A & M University. On Jan. 7 1993 Look also donated 27 acres of property to the government of Guam to build a memorial for the survivors of World War II atrocities at the Manenggon prison camp.

On Sept. 23 2003 a judgment in favor of Pedro B. Leon Guerrero was officially entered.

Look filed a final appeal on Feb. 10 2004. (See “Longest running court case on its last leg ” in the March 22 2004 edition of the Journal.) On Jan. 4 the Supreme Court of Guam affirmed the judgment of the trial court the Superior Court of Guam (See “Estate 278 lawsuit concludes 31 years later” in the Jan. 10 edition of the Journal.).

The property that went before the court in October is recorded at the Department of Land Management as Lot No.177-5. The size of the location is measured at about 2.5 million square meters.

According to documents filed by Jacques G. Bronze attorney and partner in the Law Office of Bronze & Tang on behalf of Look and his wife Wanda “On July 25 2002 Petitioner Dwight Look Filed his petition for Registration of Land. On Sept.25 2002 Dwight Look died in Washington County Texas.”

The petition also reads “On Aug. 4 2004 the Probate Court issued the Decree Settling Final Account of the Administrator and Final Distribution transferring Lot 177-5 which is the subject of this action to Wanda Look as sole trustee of the Dwight Look and Wanda Look Revocable Trust dated Oct. 9 1989.”

According to the documents “Dwight Look acquired his interest in Lot 177-5 by virtue of a Quitclaim Deed which was recorded on Oct.11 1961 as Instrument No. 42820.” MBJ