In In re Alexander, a beneficiary filed suit against the trustee based on multiple allegations of breach of fiduciary duty, including an allegation that the trustee attempted to transfer the trustee position to successors in...more
10/25/2019
/ Attorney-Client Privilege ,
Beneficiaries ,
Breach of Duty ,
Confidential Communications ,
Discovery ,
Document Productions ,
Duty to Disclose ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Joint Clients ,
Trial Court Orders ,
Trusts ,
Work-Product Doctrine ,
Writ of Mandamus
In In re Topletz, the trial court ordered a party jailed for civil contempt for failing to comply with an order to produce documents from a family-run trust during post-judgment discovery in a suit against him individually...more
10/17/2019
/ Beneficiaries ,
Books & Records ,
Civil Contempt Orders ,
Document Productions ,
Duty of Confidentiality ,
Duty of Loyalty ,
Estate Planning ,
Family Businesses ,
Post Judgment Discovery ,
Protective Orders ,
Trusts
In Hoffpauir v. Cormier, parties sought to modify the terms of a trust agreement under Texas Property Code section 112.054(a) to extend the trust’s term. No. 09-18-00358-CV, 2019 Tex. App. LEXIS 8473 (Tex. App.—Beaumont...more
Areas of Discussion:
- In this Presentation, we will discuss the following:
- Duty of loyalty;
- Authority for trustee compensation;
- Factors for reasonable compensation;
- Other issues arising from trustee...more
9/27/2019
/ Asset Management ,
Attorney's Fees ,
Beneficiaries ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Duty of Loyalty ,
Duty to Disclose ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Reasonable Compensation ,
Settlors ,
Trustees ,
Trusts ,
TX Supreme Court
In In the Estate of Brazda, the trial court found an administrator guilty of neglecting to timely distribute the property and ordered the administrator to pay one of the heir’s damages for the neglect. No. 01-18-00324-CV,...more
In Waldron v. Susan R. Winking Trust, a daughter was a beneficiary of a trust set up by her parents. No. 12-18-00026-CV, 2019 Tex. App. LEXIS 5867 (Tex. App.—Tyler July 10, 2019, no pet. history)....more
In Sanders v. Hathaway, the decedent’s estate’s representative sued her sister for various claims arising from the decedent’s beneficiary designation changes, deed transfers, and accounts payable on death changes that...more
In In re Estate of Moore, a decedent executed a will that provided that the residuary of his estate would be held in trust for his mother, and such trust would terminate on her death with the assets then passing to certain...more
In the Estate of Gibbs, Bell transferred money to Gibbs for the purchase of real property and a trust agreement was executed that clarified that they owned the property equally. No. 02-18-00086-CV, 2019 Tex. App. LEXIS 4452...more
In In re Estate of Silverman, a trial court granted a will contestant’s summary judgment and denied a handwritten document’s admission to probate as the last will of the decedent. No. 14-18-00256-CV, 2019 Tex. App. LEXIS 4579...more
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
With rising drug abuse issues, it is not uncommon for a beneficiary of a trust to commit criminal activities on or with trust property. This webinar will provide suggestions for trustees in this situation and address several...more
6/17/2019
/ Asset Management ,
Beneficiaries ,
Continuing Legal Education ,
Drug & Alcohol Abuse ,
Duty of Loyalty ,
Evidence ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Illegal Drugs ,
Property Damage ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Trustees ,
Trusts ,
Webinars
In Marshall v. Ribosome L.P., a beneficiary of a trust sued a limited partnership of which the trustee was a partner. No. 01-18-00108-CV, 2019 Tex. App. LEXIS 3787 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] May 9, 2019, no pet. history)....more
In In re Estate of Daniels, after the decedent’s death, his wife and his other heirs filed competing applications for independent administration of his estate. No. 06-18-00049-CV, 2019 Tex. App. LEXIS 2905 (Tex....more
I. Introduction Historically, Texas courts could not resort to extrinsic evidence to construe an unambiguous will. San Antonio Area Foundation v. Lang, 35 S.W.3d 636 (Tex. 2000)....more
6/7/2019
/ Beneficiaries ,
Burden of Proof ,
Clerical Errors ,
Community Property ,
Estate Planning ,
Evidence ,
Extrinsic Evidence ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Four-Corners Rule ,
Intent ,
Modification ,
Personal Representatives ,
Plain Meaning ,
Reformation ,
Testators ,
Trustees ,
Wills
In In re Estate of Russey, the decedent was going through a divorce and signed a will. No. 12-18-00079-CV, 2019 Tex. App. LEXIS 1536 (Tex. App.—Tyler February 28, 2019, no pet. history). ...more
In Freeman v. Fid. Brokerage Servs., LLC, the mother of the plaintiffs executed a living trust agreement. No 3:18-CV-0947-G, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 34694 (N.D. Tex. March 5, 2019)....more
5/13/2019
/ Beneficiaries ,
Breach of Duty ,
Co-Trustees ,
Equitable Estoppel ,
Estate Planning ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Living Trust ,
Mandatory Arbitration Clauses ,
Motion to Compel ,
Non-Signatories ,
Trustees ,
Trusts ,
Unenforceable Contract Terms
In Goughnour v. Patterson, a beneficiary sued a trustee based on a failed real estate investment. No. 12-17-00234-CV, 2019 Tex. App. LEXIS 1665 (Tex. App.—Tyler March 5, 2019, no pet. history). In 2007, the trustee of four...more
5/6/2019
/ Affirmative Defenses ,
Appeals ,
Beneficiaries ,
Breach of Duty ,
Cause of Action Accrual ,
Dismissals ,
Estoppel ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Fraud ,
Real Estate Investments ,
Real Estate Transactions ,
Self-Dealing ,
Statute of Limitations ,
Trustees ,
Trusts
In Ferreira v. Butler, a husband and wife divorced, and the husband married a second wife. No. 17-0901, 2019 Tex. LEXIS 375 (Tex. April 12, 2019). The second wife died, and the husband never probated her will, which left...more
4/15/2019
/ Appeals ,
Asset Management ,
Beneficiaries ,
Default ,
Dismissals ,
Estate Planning ,
Former Spouse ,
Limitation Periods ,
Motion for Summary Judgment ,
Probate ,
Reversal ,
Surviving Spouse ,
Time-Barred Claims ,
TX Supreme Court ,
Vacated ,
Will Contest ,
Wills
In Estate of Keener, two heirs of a trust settlor filed an application to declare heirship. No. 13-18-00007-CV, 2019 Tex. App. LEXIS 1222 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi February 21, 2019, no pet. history)....more
In McDaniel v. Meador, parties sued for declaratory relief regarding whether a granddaughter was a beneficiary of a will. No. 01-18-00041-CV, 2019 Tex. App. LEXIS 1315 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] February 21, 2019, no pet....more
In Sullivan v. Hatchett, a husband executed a will giving his wife a life estate in his property. No. 07-17-00296-CV, 2019 Tex. App. LEXIS 980 (Tex. App.—Amarillo February 11, 2019, no pet. history)....more
In Fielding v. Tullos, an administrator of a decedent’s estate brought claims against the decedent’s housekeeper for undue influence and other related claims arising from the execution of new account beneficiary designations...more
In Thunder Patch II, LLC v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., plaintiffs filed suit against a trustee in state court seeking a declaration regarding the enforceability of a mineral lease, and the trustee removed the case to federal...more
12/31/2018
/ Beneficiaries ,
Breach of Duty ,
Diversity Jurisdiction ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
JPMorgan Chase ,
Jurisdiction ,
Mineral Leases ,
Remand ,
Removal ,
Trustees ,
Trusts
In American Bank, N.A. v. Moorehead Oil & Gas, Inc., plaintiffs (trustees and beneficiaries) filed suit to determine the value of ownership interests in corporate stock under section 10.361 of the Texas Business Organizations...more