Mamma Mia!: Common Estate Planning Issues for Blended Families
Episode 21 | Where There's A Will, There's A Way
An Executor’s Guide to Administering an Estate
Interview with Lisa Grayson - Digital Planning Podcast
Inheritance Data - Digital Planning Podcast
Executors play a crucial role in managing and distributing an estate according to the wishes outlined in a will. But what happens when an executor steps outside their duties or abuses their power?...more
What you need to know before appointing an executor under your Will - Appointing the right executor is one of the most important decisions when preparing a Will. Executors play a central role in the administration of an...more
The UAE has established a comprehensive system of laws and registries for the draft and execution of Wills. This has been done for the benefit of the large expatriate community in the UAE who own movable and immovable assets...more
Joint bank accounts are often viewed as a convenient way to manage finances or pass assets seamlessly upon death. However, in Pennsylvania estate disputes, joint accounts can become a major source of conflict among heirs and...more
Executors and administrators of estates in Virginia must swear an oath before the probate clerk that they will “faithfully perform the duties of [their] office to the best of [their] judgment.” These duties are called...more
It is a common misconception believed by many that having a will avoids probate. Not only is it false, it really could not be further from the truth. Rather, a will is a tool that is often used during the probate process and...more
The Purple Reign… in Chaos: Netflix, Secrets, and the Fight Over Prince's Legacy...more
Two recent Michigan Court of Appeals cases delve into what it takes to successfully pursue an undue influence claim. In re Sherrod Estate, No 369863, 2025 WL 855275 (Mich Ct App Mar 18, 2025) (unpublished) and In re Estate of...more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 In re Donald F. Clark Trust, Court of Appeals January 16, 2025 (unpublished).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
In November of 2023, I did a post on this blog titled The Intersection of Family Law, Estate Law and Federal Law, regarding the reported Appellate Division case In the Matter of Michael D. Jones, Deceased. That case dealt...more
The Chambliss estate planning team often helps families navigate the complexities of administering a loved one’s estate. Challenges can arise in addressing the personal property in the estate...more
Certain life events demand that estate planners work with client testators to adjust their estate plans. Divorce and remarriage are at the top of that list. When matrimony devolves into acrimony – setting the stage for...more
When a loved one dies, the last thing you want to deal with is a lawsuit, or have your heirs inherit a lawsuit. After the death of a maternal or paternal figure that keeps the family together, tensions flare between siblings...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
Does the phrase “if they survive me” demonstrate a testator’s intent to avoid the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code (“MUPC”) anti-lapse statute, Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 190B § 2-603? The Massachusetts Supreme...more
Trial attorney David Skidmore from Warner Norcross + Judd LLP’s Probate Litigation Practice Group, a subgroup of the firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Group, recently represented clients in a trial before the...more
While undue influence claims are commonly asserted in probate proceedings, especially with the increased prevalence of dementia and similar disabilities, two recent cases from New York’s Appellate Division illustrate how...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
In the Estate of Beverly Howe (Mich Ct App March 9, 2023) (unpublished), the Court of Appeals reviewed two tools employed at the probate court level to address a litigious beneficiary whose claims were causing the estate and...more
Losing a family member or friend is a difficult situation for everyone. In 1969, the Swiss-American psychiatrist Elizabeth Kübler-Ross wrote in her book “On Death and Dying,” that grief could be divided into five stages:...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
This newsletter is intended to keep readers informed about developments in probate and fiduciary litigation in Massachusetts and New York. Intentional Interference and Unjust Enrichment Claims in Connection with a Trust...more