On January 3,2017, USA Today wrote about a contract that contained a “no cheating” provision. John Scott and Tina Hemingway, a couple living in Indiana, had been dating for eight years when Scott decided to add Hemingway’s name to property that he inherited. However, before adding her name to the property, Hemingway signed a contract that stated that cheating could not occur. If Hemingway cheated on Scott, she would lose her rights to the property. A few months after the contract was signed, Hemingway cheated on Scott. In fact, she became pregnant with another man’s child! The contract was handwritten and signed. Is a condition like this one allowed in a contract? Can you include conditional clauses in Florida trusts and wills?

It is estimated that George Michael’s estate is worth $125 million.The media reports that his estate will most likely continue to make millions due to the popularity of his music. Probate lawyers and trust litigators know that when dealing with such a large estate, complications and family disputes can arise. Who will inherit his fortune? Who are his heirs? Did he have a will?

The Daily Mail and the New York Post report that Carrie Fisher, at the time of her death, had a three film-contract with Disney. Fisher was best known for her role in the original Star Wars as Princess Leia and had recently been contracted by Disney to complete more Star Wars episodes. Although one movie was completed, she had not fulfilled her contract with Disney in its’ entirety before she died.  

In late 2016, the world was rocked and saddened by the passing of not only one screen icon, Carrie Fisher, but also her mother, actress Debbie Reynolds. What can you learn from these “quick” deaths as you plan your own estate?Yes, family can “go” quickly after the loss of a loved one, estate planning attorneys reveal. But, often, this is most common with long, close marriages of spouses who are in advanced years. When one spouse passes, it is not surprising that, many times, but not all the time, the surviving spouse or widow, passes within a year or so. In the case of the Star Wars princess, Fisher, and her mother, Debbie Reynolds, however, this was mother-daughter, not spouses.  This quick succession of death in a family can cause people who are planning  their estates to take pause.After all, this was not a case of two long-married spouses.  And this was not the case of the surviving spouse passing away in the following  year. This was mother-daughter and days.

CNN reports that Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher’s mom, passed away just one day after Carrie Fisher. Reynolds had complained of breathing problems and was struggling from the loss of her daughter. This has presumably been a tragic week for their family, especially for Billie Lourd, Fisher’s daughter. Will Lourd inherit everything from her mother’s estate? What will she inherit from her grandmother’s estate?

A September 7, 2016 4th DCA legal malpractice case reminds us of what a “mandatory forum selection clause” is.  http://www.4dca.org/opinions/Sept.%202016/09-07-16/4D15-369.op.pdf.  Does your law firm’s legal services contract pre-select the venue, county and court, should there be a fee dispute, or any other type of litigation between your firm  and your clients–  such as being sued for professional negligence?  If you provide estate planning services for, say, a Connecticut resident, or other services, say, regarding non-Florida real estate, do you want to be sued in that non-Florida state?  Can you avoid this, and have any attorney-client disputes heard here, in Florida? 

Carrie Fisher, best known for playing the role of Princess Leia on Star Wars, has passed away at only 60 years old. She suffered a cardiac emergency while in an airplane traveling. Although she was transported to a hospital once the plane landed, the incident lead to her death. Who will inherit from her estate which is estimated to be worth anywhere from $5 million to $25 million? Did she have a will? In 2014, Forbes magazine reported that, surprisingly, 51% of Americans between age 55 and 64 do NOT have a will. An April 27,2016 Forbes article states that ,”according to a 2015 Rocket Lawyer survey, 64% of Americans in general don’t have a will.” However, considering her wealth and fame, hopefully, she had at least a simple estate plan.

Matthew Seth Jacobs was a survivor of the tragic 2010 Gulf of Mexico Explosion, which killed 11 people. He was part of a class action suit which ended in a multi-million dollar settlement. After, Jacobs was killed in a car crash last year, Donna Herring allegedly decided to create a fake will for Jacobs so that her daughter would inherit his wealth. What happens if you are caught committing probate fraud? Will the probate lawyers for Jacob’s estate be able to prove that the will is invalid? Although this case is not in a Florida probate court, West Palm Beach attorneys frequently handle cases with similar fact patterns.

Super Lawyer’s 2016 Annual Directory (Business Edition) includes Pankauski Hauser PLLC partner and appellate specialist Robert J. Hauser. This directory consists of the nation’s top attorneys in business practice areas from the Super Lawyers list. Mr.Hauser is recognized as a “Super Lawyer” in Appellate Practice. He has been practicing in West Palm Beach since 1997, and has been board certified by the Florida Bar in appellate practice since 2009.

An inheritance/estate battle in France has been reported about by many media sources. Sandrine Devillard, the widow of Marcel Amphoux, challenged a will that was written on an envelope. This will said that she would not inherit from her wealthy husband’s estate. The Daily Mail reports that Amphoux was a French hermit who lived in a hut with no electricity and no teeth. When beautiful Devillard from Paris, who was 25 years younger than Amphoux, married him, rumors stirred questioning whether it was legitimate or whether Devillard was after his wealth. When the will appeared ,which kept Amphoux’s fortune from his widow, Devillard tried to argue that it wasn’t her husbands hand writing. However, the court decided that it WAS valid. Although this inheritance dispute was not a Florida probate matter, Palm Beach trust and estates lawyers frequently encounter similar cases. What makes a will valid? In Florida, would this will have been a valid will?