Trusts, Summary Judgment, Estate Planning

Court Reversed Summary Judgment And Held That There Was A Fact Question On Whether A Trust Was Void Due To Forgery Or Fraud

Winstead PC on 6/26/2025

In In re Est. of Prieto, the contestant’s mother executed a will in 2008 leaving her property to a trust. No. 04-22-00038-CV, 2024 Tex. App. LEXIS 6336 (Tex. App.—San Antonio August 28, 2024, no pet.)....more

Lengthy Opinion Delivered Regarding In Terrorem Clause

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on 4/23/2025

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

Court Reversed A Summary Judgment On Whether A Power Of Attorney Agent For A Settlor Had The Authority To Change The Designation...

Winstead PC on 10/11/2024

In Bass v. Bogle, settlors, husband and wife, created a trust that owned the majority interest in a closely-held business, and they had two children. No. 03-23-00319-CV, 2024 Tex. App. LEXIS 5034 (Tex. App.—Austin July 18,...more

Court Reverses Summary Judgments On The Alleged Exercise Of A Power Of Appointment, Disclaimer, And The Statute Of Limitations

Winstead PC on 1/29/2024

In In re Estate of Wells, No. 12-23-00066-CV, 2023 Tex. App. LEXIS 8475 (Tex. App.—Tyler November 8, 2023, no pet. history). The testator left a will that created a trust for his wife and descendants, named his wife as the...more

Court Reversed Summary Judgment Against Trustee Where Beneficiary’s Affidavit Evidence Was Conclusory

Winstead PC on 2/14/2022

In McEndree v. Volke, a beneficiary sued a trustee, her former step father, for breaching fiduciary duties. No. 11-19-00351-CV, 2021 Tex. App. LEXIS 7856 (Tex. App.—Eastland September 23, 2021, no pet. history). ...more

Wife’s Fraudulent Transfer Claim Against Husband For Transferring Business Interests To Trust Failed Due To The Statute Of Repose

Winstead PC on 6/30/2021

In Austin v. Mitchell, a wife filed suit alleging her ex-husband fraudulently transferred a portion of his limited partnership interest in a family limited partnership to a trust for the benefit of his children. No....more

Court Holds That A Trustee Had The Power To Sell Trust Property To An Affiliate, Though Such An Act May Be In Breach Of A Duty

Winstead PC on 12/7/2020

In Pense v. Bennett, the ward in a guardianship proceeding sued to invalidate the sale of real property from a trust created for his benefit to an affiliate of the trustee. No. 06-20-00030-CV, 2020 Tex. App. LEXIS 8002 (Tex....more

In A Suit To Reform A Trust, A Texas Court Holds That There Was A Fact Issue On The Settlors’ Intent And Remanded For A Fact...

Winstead PC on 7/25/2019

In In re Ignacio G. & Myra A. Gonzales Trust, a couple formed a trust and named their daughter as the trustee. No. 06-19-00014-CV, 2019 Tex. App. LEXIS 4648 (Tex. App.—Texarkana June 6, 2019, no pet. history)....more

Court Reversed A Summary Judgment For Trustee And Found That A Contingent Remainder Beneficiary Had Standing And Potentially Had A...

Winstead PC on 10/15/2018

In In the Interest of K.K.W., an ex-wife sued an ex-husband and the trustee of a trust that they created for breaches of fiduciary duty and sought to remove the trustee, among other claims, arising out of the trustee’s...more

November Trust and Estates Litigation Advisory

Goulston & Storrs PC on 11/22/2017

Since our last newsletter, there has been one significant development in the Probate and Family Court, and one decision of note. First, effective as of November 20, 2017, the Probate and Family Court issued Standing...more

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