The Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe, N.M., and St. Bernard's Catholic Church of Fairfield filed suit against an estate trustee claiming they have been effectively cut out of proceeds from the will and testament of a deceased Freestone county woman.

Filed in Freestone county 87th district court, the suit names Kevin O. Butler of Midland, trustee of the estate of the late Lucille Christie Blakely, and Mrs. Blakely's son, I.David Porras, as defendants.

Involving an estate valued at just over $1 million, the plaintiffs argue that Butler failed to act for the benefit of all beneficiaries in dispensing funds.

Under terms of the trust, Porras was to receive proceeds deemed proper for his "benefit, comfort and happiness," and that on his death the archdiocese and Fairfield church were to receive the balance of the estate.

Porras is a former Freestone county businessman and property owner. In the early 1980s, he owned Pyramid Ranch north of Fairfield, and Ford automobile dealerships in Fairfield and Corsicana.

The dealerships were closed more than 20 years ago and the ranch was siezed for payment of back taxes and sold.

Butler, the lawsuit states, authorized payment of more than $675,000 from Mrs. Blakely's estate toward a federal tax liability of Porras, and distributed the remainder of the estate to Porras.

The former Freestone county businessman owes an estimated $45 million in deliquent income taxes, court documents note.

The archdiocese and church successfully sued and won a summary judgement in U.S. District Courth in Midland declaring that they have a right to object to the IRS/Porras settlement from estate funds.

In the lawsuit filed in Freestone county, the plaintiffs seek removal of Butler as estate trustee and an injunction halting the IRS settlement and distribution to Porras.

Mrs. Blakely died in 2005.