Exhibit i(1)
Kirkpatrick & Lockhart llp 1800 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Second Floor
Washington, DC 20036-1800
202.778.9000
www.kl.com
June 16, 2000
Fidelity Fixed-Income Trust
82 Devonshire Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
Ladies and Gentlemen:
You have requested our opinion, as counsel to Fidelity Fixed-Income
Trust (the "Trust"), as to certain matters regarding the issuance of
Shares of the Trust. As used in this letter, the term "Shares" means
the shares of beneficial interest of Fidelity High Income Fund,
Fidelity Investment Grade Bond Fund, Fidelity Short-Term Bond Fund,
and Spartan Government Income Fund, each a series of the Trust.
As such counsel, we have examined certified or other copies, believed
by us to be genuine, of the Trust's Declaration of Trust and by-laws
and such resolutions and minutes of meetings of the Trust's Board of
Trustees as we have deemed relevant to our opinion, as set forth
herein. Our opinion is limited to the laws and facts in existence on
the date hereof, and it is further limited to the laws (other than the
conflict of law rules) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that in
our experience are normally applicable to the issuance of shares by
unincorporated voluntary associations and to the Securities Act of
1933 ("1933 Act"), the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act") and
the regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC")
thereunder. Furthermore, in giving this opinion with respect to
Fidelity Investment Grade Bond Fund and Spartan Government Income
Fund, we have relied upon an opinion, dated June 24, 1997, of Arthur
S. Loring, then general counsel to Fidelity Management & Research
Company.
Based on present laws and facts, with respect to Fidelity Investment
Grade Bond Fund and Spartan Government Income Fund, in reliance upon
the above-referenced opinion of Arthur S. Loring, we are of the
opinion that the issuance of the Shares has been duly authorized by
the Trust and that, when sold in accordance with the terms
contemplated by Post-Effective Amendment No. 84 to the Trust's
Registration Statement on Form N-1A and each subsequent Post-Effective
Amendment ("PEA") to said registration statement, including receipt by
the Trust of full payment for the Shares and compliance with the 1933
Act and the 1940 Act, the Shares will have been validly issued, fully
paid and non-assessable.
The Trust is an entity of the type commonly known as a "Massachusetts
business trust." Under Massachusetts law, shareholders could, under
certain circumstances, be held personally liable for the obligations
of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust states that all persons
extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim against the
Trust or the Trustees shall look only to the assets of the appropriate
series of the Trust for payment under such credit, contract or
Fidelity Fixed-Income Trust
June 16, 2000
Page 2
claim; and neither the shareholders nor the Trustees, nor any of their
agents, whether past, present or future, shall be personally liable
therefor. It also requires that every note, bond, contract or other
undertaking issued by or on behalf of the Trust or the Trustees
relating to the Trust shall include a recitation limiting the
obligation represented thereby to the Trust and its assets. The
Declaration of Trust further provides: (1) for indemnification from
the assets of the series of the Trust for all loss and expense of any
shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Trust by
virtue of ownership of shares of the Trust; and (2) for the series of
the Trust to assume the defense of any claim against the shareholder
for any act or obligation of the series of the Trust. Thus, the risk
of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder
liability is limited to circumstances in which the Trust or series
would be unable to meet its obligations.
We hereby consent to this opinion accompanying or being incorporated
by reference in the PEA when it is filed with the SEC.
Very truly yours,
/s/Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP
KIRKPATRICK & LOCKHART LLP
