One of the three men convicted in a Tsawwassen double murder  more than two decades ago is up for parole again next week. Derik Lord, who is now in his early 40s, was one of three teens convicted in the slayings of his friend’s mother and grandmother in a murder-for-hire inheritance plot in October of 1990. Although they get their attention from the criminal court, these cases also effect Florida Probate. Learn the different ways a homicide (criminal, intention murder) can change a Florida Probate.

If you die without a will and your married in Florida your spouse  gets everything  (assuming you had no children from other marriages). Even if you have a will you probably leave your spousea sizeable piece of your estate. In fact, if you do not leave your spouse anything (even if you do) they have a right to an “elective share” of 1/3 of your estate! That issometimes a lot of money. What happens if you tempt fate and murder your spouse? Is the marital property yours? In a strange decision the Florida Third District Court of Appeal says at least some of it is (I don’t know how fun that nice sports car or chateau will be from behind bars though.)

I write often about trusts in Florida and the Florida Trust Code.   These are a great way to protect your assets both while your alive and dead. As a history buff I found it interesting to see thatmany of the ancient uses for trusts are still actually relevant today! Here is my crash course in the history of the law of trusts and how they are still relevant today.

I write often about trusts in Florida and the Florida Trust Code.   These are a great way to protect your assets both while your alive and dead. As a history buff I found it interesting to see thatmany of the ancient uses for trusts are still actually relevant today! Here is my crash course in the history of the law of trusts and how they are still relevant today.

A lot of people could be interested in challenging your will that is probated in   West Palm Beach. The question is who can challenge a will? Just because your rich uncle disinherited you in his last will does not mean you are not allowed to contest the will in a probate court. The question of who can challenge a will is answered by the Florida Probate Code.

You cannot always get what you want but when it comes to probate   sometimes you can have a second chance at what you want through an appeal. An appeal is a request for a higher courtto review the findings of a lower court and much like probate generally, appeals can be very tricky. If you are considering appealing a probate decision your regular probate lawyer may not be experienced and you may need to retain fresh counsel for the appeal to get the results that you want

Trusts are a great way to protect assets for the future and should be a part   of any estate plan where necessary. Butwhat is required to establish a trust? Few people realize that Florida is one of the last states that allow for oral trusts. Although these are highly unflavored and I do not recommend them the fact of the matter remains that in Florida Probate Law, an oral trust may be valid under Fla. Stat. 736.0407.

The 4th Annual Pankauski Pour Wine Tasting, www.pankauskipour.com, was held  Friday, February 20th, 2015, outside the West Palm Beach Probate Litigation Law Firm, the Pankauski Law Firm PLLC,www.pankauskilawfirm.com.   100% of all ticket sales went to the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County,http://www.legalaidpbc.org/, which provides legal services in Palm Beach.         Amazing cuisine was provided by Del Frisco’s Grille Palm Beach and Capital Grille of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.  

Out in the street, and shutting down the block, just below his West Palm Beach probate law firm, John Pankauski, senior trial attorney at thePankauski Law Firm PLLC, once again held his annual wine tasting to benefit Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Inc.   http://www.legalaidpbc.org/ Sipping wine under the stars through the early evening, hundreds of attendees sampled wines which Pankauski had personally selected from his previous year’s trips throughout Europe and California.       Cuisine was prepared and served by Capital Grille Palm Beach Gardens, and Del Frisco’s Grille, Palm Beach.         The event is sponsored each year by the Pankauski Law Firm PLLC which handles estateand commercial disputes, trials and appeals: limited to litigation and administration ofbusiness, partnership, estate, trust and guardianship disputes and lawsuits.  

The 4th Annual Pankauski Pour wine tasting benefitting Legal Aid Society of  Palm Beach County, http://www.legalaidpbc.org/, was held February 20th, 2015. Hundreds of attendees sipped wine under the stars, out in the street, as the block was shut down beneath Pankauski Law Firm’s top floor probateoffice in the historic Guaranty Building in West Palm Beach.       Pankauski, a senior probate litigator in Palm Beach, personally selected 50 wines for attendees to enjoy, all the product of his prior year’s travels throughout Europe and California.       Pankauski’s passion for law and wine has seen this event approach it’s 5th Annual PankauskiPour scheduled for next year, 2016.