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
November 11, 2024- Florida’s Office of Financial Regulation placed Alliance Credit Union of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, into conservatorship, and appointed the National Credit Union Administration as conservator....more
A conservator is an individual who manages the finances of an incapacitated individual, and a conservator cannot sell real estate owned by the incapacitated person without prior probate court approval. MCL 700.5423(3)....more
We all make important decisions and engage in regular financial transactions without giving a second thought about our capacity to do so. But what if you suddenly lost the ability? What would happen? While most of us don’t...more
The Michigan Court of Appeals recently issued an interesting ruling regarding the ability of a litigant in probate litigation to recover attorney fees from the trust in dispute, even if all parties agree to such payment. In...more
Because this writer is now of “that age” and the topic of senior mental infirmity seems to be a focal point of the 2024 Presidential race, I have been watching a podcast about powers of attorney and their cousins the...more
Saturday evening’s television line-up included a story about former NFL tackle Michael Oher. His story was a 2009 feature film called The Blind Side that earned more than $300 million. The sum of the story is that Oher was...more
Individuals with a disability or special needs (hereafter, the “individual”) frequently have a team of people providing them the care and assistance they require. For families managing this care team, there is an...more
In each instance where we write about the domestic problems of the rich and famous we try to note that their resources make their lives and their choices inherently different. Last year we covered the Costner divorce and the...more
On November 7, 2023, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed into law Michigan’s House Bill 4644, which enacts the Uniform Power of Attorney Act (UPOAA). This legislation will be effective on July 1, 2024, and is intended to:...more
I was driving to work on August 24, listening to Lady Gaga on my Pandora radio station, when suddenly, I had a strong urge to call my younger daughter, Hannah. We talk regularly, so it isn’t unusual that I call her on my way...more
I. SYNOPSIS- Ed was a vibrant and healthy 85-year-old. One day, he decided to sign an advance healthcare directive providing that if his physical condition ever declined, he wished to remain in his home as long as...more
From Britney Spears to Michael Oher, conservatorships have been a hot topic lately. There are many questions surrounding when a conservatorship or guardianship is appropriate and how that is determined. The words...more
Planning ahead for the unknown can be frightening and intimidating. However, our team is here to expel the spine-chilling misconceptions of advance directives, estate planning, and estate administration. Sally Brewer,...more
Michael Oher, retired NFL star, filed a petition in probate court on Monday asserting that he was tricked into consenting to a conservatorship (in Florida we refer to this as guardianship) which he believed was an adoption by...more
In the recent case of In re Conservatorship of DPV, Docket No 362139 (Mich Ct App July 27, 2023), the court explores when a court — here the probate court — can sanction a party for a “frivolous” filing....more
On March 10, 2023, the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation closed Silicon Valley Bank, Santa Clara, California (“SVB”) and subsequently appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) as...more
Independence Day invites reflection on another form of freedom. How do we respect the autonomy of California’s elders who experience progressive forms of dementia while protecting them from potential abuse and other harm?...more
I wanted to start this essay by reference to history and so I grabbed my bedside copy of Sir William Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England (1765) to show that guardianship had ancient traditions. In one sense the...more
People frequently assume that a person for whom a guardian/conservator is appointed automatically loses the right to engage in estate planning – in other words, a finding of a need for a guardian/conservator amounts to a...more
What do Glen Campbell, Rosa Parks, Gene Wilder, Aaron Spelling, Etta James, and Peter Falk have in common? They are all celebrities whose Alzheimer’s disease impacted their estate planning. Current and historic headlines are...more
What pea is in which pod? California probate disputes often involve questions of property ownership. Petitions filed under Probate Code section 850 allow judges to determine whether and to what extent an estate is the true...more
Congress instituted National Estate Planning Awareness week in 2008 to help Americans understand estate planning and its role in a person’s financial well-being. It’s a great reminder to organize, review and update your...more
What happens when someone who is responsible for an incapacitated family member or a minor child becomes no longer able to do so? For a Guardian serving under court ordered authority, the appointment process for a successor...more
Pennsylvania’s 2008 Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship Act, 68 P.S. §§ 1101 et seq. (the “Conservatorship Act”) is an anti-blight tool for restoring neglected properties to productive use and consequently...more