An Executor’s Guide to Administering an Estate
Interview with Lisa Grayson - Digital Planning Podcast
Inheritance Data - Digital Planning Podcast
A recent appellate case serves as a valuable lesson for both estate planners and beneficiaries about adhering to formal procedures when making changes to a trust. The court found that the mere exchange of emails was...more
Intro. The Uniform Trust Code (UTC) is a mere aggregation of tweaks to the corner of equity jurisprudence that long ago gave birth to and currently stewards the trust relationship, hereinafter “the background trust law.”...more
The Michigan Court of Appeals recently answered these questions. In re Guardianship of AMS, No 372183, 2025 WL 452248 (Mich Ct App Feb 10, 2025) (unpublished). AMS was married to Thomas, and she had two daughters, Theresa...more
A lis pendens is a recorded document giving constructive notice that a lawsuit has been filed affecting title to or right of possession of the real property described in the notice. Any person later acquiring an interest in...more
The Cayman Islands offers many advantages to global families: the structures available are modern and flexible; the jurisdiction's legislation is continually updated in line with the market and evolving international rules;...more
The Michigan Court of Appeals recently issued a decision that considered the scope of the probate court’s ability to appoint a special fiduciary. In re Trueman Harrison and Modesta Harrison Trust, No 368031, 2025 WL 272281...more
Wendy Williams’ ongoing legal battle over her financial conservatorship has reignited public debate on the complexities of incapacity planning. Although she allegedly executed a power of attorney (POA) in favor of her son,...more
Yes, depending on the nature of the crime and if convicted. In re Donald F. Clark Trust, Court of Appeals January 16, 2025 (unpublished). This appeal involved the probate court's winddown of the Donald F. Clark Trust....more
Domestic partnerships are legal arrangements between two individuals that grant some of the same rights and benefits as marriage. While domestic partnerships are recognized in many states, inheritance rights can differ...more
Hey everybody – it’s January! How was your New Year’s Eve? How did you celebrate? Did you go to a party? Did you host a party? Were there games at your party? What kind of games? Charades? Jenga? Maybe you went crazy and...more
Assume the deceased settlor of a trust had intended that his niece be included in the beneficiary class, but his estate-planning attorney had negligently made no provision for her in the governing instrument. After settlor’s...more
A recent decision of the Michigan Court of Appeals illustrates how the presumption of undue influence operates in a will contest when there is no eyewitness evidence of undue influence. In re Jones Estate, 2024 WL 5198621...more
Planning for your own incapacity or death can be a stressful experience, not just for yourself, but for anyone who will be affected by the plan. Here are some considerations that may preserve the peace within your family, now...more
Newcomers to probate litigation are frequently surprised by how differently things work in probate court, as opposed to your more straightforward civil courts. (And how do those newcomers know how civil courts work? Law &...more
In In re Est. of Hartwell, a trial court granted summary judgment that the applicant to probate a will was not entitled to do so due to the statute of limitations. No. 06-23-00054-CV, 2024 Tex. App. LEXIS 166 (Tex....more
The Michigan Court of Appeals recently identified a situation in which the personal representative of an estate is not entitled to have attorney fees paid from estate assets. Braun Kendrick Finkbeiner, PLC, v. Estate of...more
There is much to commend in O’Brien, Proposing a Model Antilapse Clause, 48 ACTEC L. J. 257 (2023), particularly its flagging of the doctrinal and practical flaws in Uniform Probate Code §2-707, which would apply the...more
This update will address the following issues: whether a party has a right to jury trial in trust modification and other similar actions, what are the standards for pretrial receivership and injunctive relief in trust...more
This newsletter is intended to keep readers informed about developments in probate and fiduciary litigation in Massachusetts and New York. Our lawyers are at the forefront of this area of the law, shaping how it is handled in...more
Subject Matter Matters in Land Court - DiNicola v. Ely, et al., No. 23 MISC 000128 (2023), Berkshire County (Land Court May 25, 2023) - Does the Massachusetts Land Court have subject matter jurisdiction over claims...more
This newsletter is intended to keep readers informed about developments in probate and fiduciary litigation in Massachusetts and New York. ...more
Trust v. Code: What Trumps? Matter of the Leo Kahn Revocable Trust, 102 Mass. App. Ct. 38 (2022) - If the terms of a trust instrument are inconsistent with a provision of the Massachusetts Uniform Trust Code (“MUTC” or...more
Power of Attorney Did Not Provide Authority to Create a Trust on Behalf of the Elder Who Granted the Power of Attorney - Barbetti v. Stempniewicz, 490 Mass. 98 (Sup. Jud. Ct. June 28, 2022) Does a power of attorney...more