Mamma Mia!: Common Estate Planning Issues for Blended Families
An Executor’s Guide to Administering an Estate
Interview with Lisa Grayson - Digital Planning Podcast
Inheritance Data - Digital Planning Podcast
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
In In re Estate of Carr, the court of appeals dismissed an appeal from a probate court order due to a lack of jurisdiction. No. 04-23-00287-CV, 2024 Tex. App. LEXIS 7827 (Tex. App.—San Antonio November 6, 2024, no pet....more
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
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 In re Sherrod Estate, No 369863, 2025 WL 855275 (Mich Ct App Mar 18, 2025) (unpublished) and In re Estate of...more
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
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 In re Guardianship of AMS, No 372183, 2025 WL 452248 (Mich Ct App Feb 10, 2025) (unpublished).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
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
U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals - Horton v. Gilchrist - prisoner, amending pleadings - USA v. Archie - search and seizure...more
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
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 In re Donald F. Clark Trust, Court of Appeals January 16, 2025 (unpublished).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
A prior post — A Receiver For Your LLC? — covered the basics of court-appointed receivers acting on behalf of an LLC. It is always worth keeping in mind that a receiver appointed to handle the affairs of an LLC is a “general...more
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
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
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
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
The Michigan Court of Appeals recently issued a decision that addresses how much evidence is necessary for a will or trust contestant to carry burden of proof. In this case, the decedent, Matthew, entered an assisted living...more
On December 22, 2022, the Michigan Court of Appeals issued a fascinating opinion which dealt with protection of the rights of a charitable beneficiary under the decedent’s trust. Estate of Evelyn R Ragsdale v. Bishop, Docket...more