On Independence Day, July 4, 2014, let’s not forget that much of our freedom continues to be upheld by our impartial judges and the lawyers who fight everday on behalf of clients. Giving clients the opportunity to be heard, and a fair and impartial trial or hearing, are what others across the globe desire and fight and die for.

I was in Hong Kong on the day that “Occupy Central” was just getting under way. 800,000 protestors converged a few blocks from our hotel to demand more freedoms, and free elections, from China.

One of America’s famous lawyers, Howard Baker, of Tennesse, is dead at 88. Howard Baker was a lawyer who succeeded in the related worlds of law and politics, practicing in Tennessee but also serving in Congress, as Chief of Staff to Pres. Reagan, and as an Ambassador.

A recent Barron’s Penta article discusses estate taxes, planning with artwork An interesting article on probate and artwork in the recent issue of Penta, published by Barron’s, www.barrons.com.

“A federal appeals court found Utah’s laws banning same-sex marriage unconstitutional Wednesday” according to the Wall Street Journal. As this Florida probate blog has commented on previously, the legal ability of same sex couples to marry is just the tip of the legal iceberg.

Anyone who is interested in learning about how $9 Trillion is passing from one generation to another will want to listen up.  But before you think it’s as easy as using an ATM, it’s not.  Retirement account law, inheritance law and estate law all converge over IRAs, SEPs and retirement accounts in general.  You need to know your 401(k)’s from your trust inheritance.

Suing a family member over a revocable trust, Palm Beach probate or a Florida estate? When your grandfather, or his lawyer, reviewed his or her will years, and decades, ago, do you think they envisioned that his grandchildren, as adults , would sue each other?

Don’t be a Palm Beach or Boca Raton beneficiary who is counting their inheritance before it arrives…..it may not ! It seems that throughout Florida’s probate circles, lots of adult children EXPECT an inheritance. But consider an interesting theme sweeping the uber-wealthy: “I’m not leaving an inheritance for you.” Q: What? What about all those multi-million dollar Palm Beach trusts? A: Welcome to a growing, and perhaps disconcerting theme sweeping American and British wealthy: inheritances are not valued. Wealth is not valued: UNLESS you earn it. Look at the recent article in today’s London Observer about Sting not leaving an inheritance and the billionaire whose daughter expects not to inherit. Would this fly in Palm Beach? Palm Beach probate litigators would say “no!” So, here’s the take away: Do what our probate law firm in Palm Beach has always advised…Talk to your folks about money. Most of you won’t. More than most don’t have the gall to talk/ask for an inheritance. But remember: other than a widow, a Florida family member does NOT have a right to an inheritance.

The London Observer reported on a French family who is struggling with a loved one they believe has no feeling, no awareness, certainly no consciousness, and who has no chance of recovery… at all.

Florida probate law says that a personal representative of a Florida estate SHALL “publish a notice to creditors” promptly.