The UCLA Foundation v. Cognein CA2/3

BACKGROUND

This case involves a dispute over a residential, ocean-view property in “Santa Monica Canyon” (the property) previously owned by Guy Cognein (Guy). In December 2002, Guy—who at the time was 74 years old, unmarried, and childless—agreed to grant the property to the Foundation in exchange for a life estate in the property and payment of an annual annuity of just over $100,000 each year until his death. The parties executed agreements to this effect in December 2002. Guy signed—as a “ ‘single man’ ”—the grant deed, recorded on March 3, 2003, granting his entire interest in the property to the Foundation, but reserving a life estate for himself. The Foundation alleged that, sometime after the agreements were signed, Cognein became Guy’s live-in caretaker. In 2019, when he was 90 years old, Guy married Cognein, who was then 51 years old.2 Guy died on October 10, 2020. The Foundation became the sole owner of the property on Guy’s death. On December 23, 2020, the Foundation notified Cognein in writing that it owned the property and gave her until January 13, 2021 to leave. The Foundation had Cognein served with a 60-day notice to quit on January 11, 2021. Cognein

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