On February 26, 2017, The Daily Mail reported about the murder of Helen Bailey, a successful children’s author. Her fiancé, Ian Stewart, murdered her for her fortune. Now that he was caught and sentenced, he will not inherit anything, regardless of the fact that she left him a substantial share in her will. This is because of a Slayer Statute. However, his son’s will still inherit.
Is the estate vicariously liable for damages, when the daughter of the decedent crashes the decedent’s car, if there is no personal representative appointed yet? What is Florida’s dangerous instrumentality doctrine? What should Palm Beach trust and estates litigators and probate lawyers know about this doctrine? What does it have to do with Florida probate litigation? A February 21, 2017 First District Court of Appeal opinion discusses this doctrine and a Milton, Florida estate.
In Florida probate court, familial relations matter. Who has standing to participate in a guardianship hearing? Does the next of kin of the Ward have standing to participate? A recent guardianship opinion from the Fourth District Court of Appeal discusses standing and a son’s participation in a guardianship hearing regarding attorney’s fees.
Has your mother or father recently passed away and left behind a house in Florida? Do you need help administering a Florida estate? How do you get your West Palm Beach inheritance that your father left you? What should you know beginning the probate process in Florida?
As John Pankauski, managing partner at Pankauski Hauser, always says….your family is going to fight over your wealth when you’re gone and, perhaps, even while you’re still alive. A recent article by the New York Post discusses a family dispute involving a mother, her child, and her child’s inheritance. Here, the daughter sues her own mother who allegedly used $13 million of the daughter’s inheritance to buy herself a mansion and other luxurious things.
In probate trials, witness testimony and video evidence can be very important. But what happens if the witness testimony contradicts what a video shows? Can a Florida probate judge choose to believe the witness over a video that literally shows opposite facts? What if a witness testifies that a decedent did not sign her own will, while a video shows that the decedent, in fact, DID sign her will? What if a Florida notary states that she witnessed the decedent signing a deed, when a video shows that the decedent’s sister forged the decedent’s signature on the deed? You may want to read a January 31, 2017 opinion from The Supreme Court of Florida, Wiggins v. Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Although this is not a Palm Beach probate or Florida trust case, it is a very important opinion, as probate litigators frequently rely on both witness testimony and video evidence.
On February 16, 2017, the Supreme Court of Florida reviewed the Fifth DCA’s opinion in LeDoux-Nottingham v. Downs, 163 So. 3d 560 (Fla. 5th DCA 2015). The Fifth DCA held that “under the Full Faith and Credit Clause [of the United States Constitution], trial courts in Florida are required, without discretion, to give recognition to final judgments of another state when applicable.” The Supreme Court of Florida upheld this decision.
On November 14, 2016, BBC News reported that dementia has now become a leading cause of death. The article states that, last year, more than 61,000 people died of dementia(11.6% of all recorded deaths). Dementia, unfortunately, is common, and probate lawyers are frequently facing inheritance and guardianship disputes involving it. How can having a valid estate plan prove beneficial to someone with dementia? Don’t estate plans only affect me when I die? What do Florida probate litigators know about dementia and undue influence? Can you create a valid will after your doctor tells you that you have Dementia or Alzheimer’s? Can you amend your Florida trust or will even though you have severe dementia and are being influenced by a family member?
What is common law marriage? What does your Florida probate lawyer need to know about common law marriage? Does Florida recognize common law marriage? Florida does not recognize common law marriages. However, in some circumstances, it does recognize common law marriages from other states and countries. What does this mean? If you have lived with your loved one for fifty years, yet never legally married him or her, will he or she inherit from your Florida estate if you die without a will?
In Florida probate litigation, who is an “interested person”?What can an interested person do? Can an interested person petition to reopen an estate?