News & Analysis as of

Fiduciary Duty Appellate Courts

Carey Olsen

Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal delivers key ruling concerning directors' duties and creditor protection in the British Virgin...

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In the recent decision of Byers & Richardson v Chen Ningning (BVIHCMAP2024/0009) ("Byers"), the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal ("COA") considered the scope of the director’s duty to creditors when a company is insolvent or...more

Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard,...

Environmental Assessment/Third-Party Beneficiary: Minnesota Appellate Court Addressing Negligence Claim

The Minnesota Court of Appeals (“App. Ct.”) addressed in a January 1, 2025, Opinion an issue arising out of an environmental assessment performed on a laundromat pursuant to a property transaction. See Michelin Properties,...more

Verrill

Preparing for “Untoward Practical Results”—Implications and Action Items for ERISA Attorneys Following Cunningham v. Cornell...

Verrill on

The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision Cunningham v. Cornell University, 145 S.Ct. 1020 (2025) significantly lowers the pleading standard for prohibited transaction claims under Section 406(a) of the Employee Retirement...more

Winstead PC

Texas Supreme Court Holds That Executor Who Is Also The Sole Beneficiary Of The Estate Can Represent The Estate Pro Se

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In Suday v. Suday, the executor was also the sole beneficiary of her mother’s estate. No. 24-1009, __ Tex. LEXIS __ (Tex. June 27, 2025) (per curiam). She engaged in substantial litigation seeking to challenge her parents’...more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

A Tardy Plaintiff’s Best Friend: The Open Repudiation Doctrine

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Pre-answer motions to dismiss for untimeliness are exceptionally common in business divorce litigation. Statute of limitations analysis can be deceptively simple in theory, but elusively difficult in practice, even for...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Sixth Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Excessive Fee Case Against DENSO International

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The Sixth Circuit recently granted an employer win in an ERISA excessive fee case when it affirmed the dismissal of a proposed class action brought by current and former employees of DENSO International America, Inc., a...more

Winstead PC

Court Affirms A Trial Court’s Order Granting A Receiver’s Request To Sell Real Property

Winstead PC on

In Estate of Richards, a probate court entered an order appointing a receiver of estate property. No. 11-23-00031-CV, 2024 Tex. App. LEXIS 8626 (Tex. App.—Eastland December 12, 2024, no pet. history)....more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Lengthy Opinion Delivered Regarding In Terrorem Clause

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It is a rare day that the Court of Appeals, New York’s highest Court, deals with trust and estate matters, let alone something as granular as the validity of an in terrorem clause.  But speaketh they did, on April 17, 2025,...more

Epstein Becker & Green

To Some, It’s About ERISA—to Everyone, It’s About Not Having to Plead Affirmative Defenses - SCOTUS Today

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Notwithstanding its mounting backlog, the U.S. Supreme Court resolved only one case today, an unsurprising unanimous decision in Cunningham v. Cornell University....more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Premature or Untimely? Both at the Same Time? When to Sue as a General Partner

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

Under ancient (some would argue vestigial) common-law rules of general partnerships, partners can find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place deciding when to pull the trigger on a lawsuit....more

Winstead PC

Texas Supreme Court Holds That Unsworn Testimony By Attorney Regarding A Lost Will Should Have Been Considered By The Appellate...

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In In re Estate of Brown, a charity offered a copy of will to probate. No. 23-0258, 2024 Tex. LEXIS 684 (Tex. August 30, 2024). An attorney offered unsworn testimony regarding the reason for the nonproduction of the original...more

The Estate Lawyers

The Importance of Formal Communications When Amending Trusts

The Estate Lawyers on

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

Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP

A Plan Win in an ESG Case … For the Most Part

A New York Appellate court affirmed a dismissal of a fiduciary breach claim against the New York City Employees’ Retirement System, Teachers’ Retirement System of the City of New York, and Board of Education Retirement System...more

Warner Norcross + Judd

When Can a Probate Court Remove and Replace the Legal Guardian for an Adult?

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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

Patton Sullivan Brodehl LLP

Lis Pendens Upheld in Claim Against Sham Trustee Who Transferred Trust Property

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

Warner Norcross + Judd

What is a Special Fiduciary and When Can the Probate Court Appoint One?

Warner Norcross + Judd on

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

Warner Norcross + Judd

Slayer Statute — Does a Crime Committed Against the Decedent Impact Inheriting from the Decedent under Michigan Law?

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

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP

The Barton Doctrine: Suit Against Receiver Did Not Require Court Permission

The Barton doctrine provides that a court-appointed receiver cannot be sued absent “leave of court by which he was appointed.” Barton v. Barbour, 104 U.S. 126, 127 (1881). “An action against a receiver without court...more

Downey Brand LLP

So What is a Trust, Really? Newell v. Superior Court and the Worst Party Game Ever

Downey Brand LLP on

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

Warner Norcross + Judd

Can Undue Influence be Proven Without a Direct Eyewitness?

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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

Winstead PC

Court Holds That Contingent Remainder Beneficiary Has Standing To Sue Trustee For Breach Of Fiduciary Duty

Winstead PC on

In In re Est., the court of appeals dealt with whether a contingent beneficiary can file claims against a trustee. No. 02-23-00104-CV, 2024 Tex. App. LEXIS 1878 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth March 14, 2024, no pet.)....more

Hinshaw & Culbertson - Lawyers for the...

Do Illinois Attorneys Have a Duty to Assess Their Client's Mental Competence?

In a legal malpractice action arising out of revisions to a client's estate plan, the appellate court considered whether an attorney has a duty to evaluate a client's mental capacity and, if so, whether the plaintiff alleged...more

Warner Norcross + Judd

A Reminder of a Fiduciary’s Duty to Use Forms Approved by the State Court Administrative Office- UPDATED 12-23-2024

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This week, the Michigan Court of Appeals released its decision in In re Estate of Joel Solomon Weingrad, Docket No 360247, 2023 WL 3397437 (Mich Ct App May 11 2023) (unpublished), which stands for three principles in estate...more

A&O Shearman

New York Court Of Appeals Clarifies Application Of Internal Affairs Doctrine But Reverses Dismissal Of Fiduciary Duty Breach...

A&O Shearman on

On May 23, 2024, the New York Court of Appeals reversed the dismissal of breach of fiduciary duty claims brought by former shareholders of a fantasy sports company (the “Company”) against its directors and other defendants...more

Warner Norcross + Judd

Michigan Court of Appeals Agrees that Personal Representative Could Not Pay Legal Fees from Estate Assets

Warner Norcross + Judd on

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

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