You have probably heard about the Massachusetts texting suicide case that has recently been heavily covered by the national media. Here, Michelle Carter was accused of persuading her boyfriend, via text, to kill himself. On June 16,2017, Fox News reported that Michelle Carter was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for her actions that led to her boyfriend’s death.
What is Florida’s Slayer Statute? What does it have to do with Florida probate litigation? If I murder my spouse, can I still inherit from him or her? If I murder my girlfriend in Palm Beach, will I inherit her millions of dollars? What do Florida inheritance laws have to do with murder? If Dalia Dippolito had actually murdered her husband, would she have been able to inherit from her husband’s estate as she allegedly intended?
What happens to a West Palm Beach probate attorney who ignores a court order? Should a Florida estate lawyer ignore orders requiring their personal attendance? Should a trust and estates lawyer fail to appear to a court ordered conference because he believes it is unnecessary based on the case’s posture?
What is e-filing? Does the Palm Beach probate court require claims to be e-filed? What should lawyers know about e-filing Florida claims? What if your civil litigator forgets to e-file by the deadline but manually submits the claim? You may want to read United Bank v. Estate of Edward Frazee.
Probate and guardianship lawyers know that financial exploitation of the elderly is, unfortunately, happening throughout South Florida. There are both civil and criminal remedies for Financial Exploitation in Florida. Financial Exploitation is taken very seriously. It is important to be aware of financial exploitation so that it doesn’t happen to you, or a loved one who may be suffering from Alzheimer’s or Dementia. Many times, the elderly are exploited by someone who is close to them and that they trust. That person may have a fiduciary duty with the victim or even be a family member. What is a fiduciary duty? Does a probate lawyer have a fiduciary duty to his client? You may want to read about a Las Vegas lawyer who may have financially exploited his clients.
Does a surviving spouse have rights when it comes to inheritance? Can my wife give her house to someone else in her Florida will? Can my husband leave me and our minor children nothing? What are spousal rights in Palm Beach probate litigation? Can my spouse of twenty years leave all of his money to his children from a prior marriage? If I am a surviving spouse, should I hire a Florida probate litigation lawyer? What am I entitled to? Chester Bennington, the lead singer for Linkin Park, recently passed away in California. Although his estate is not a Florida estate, Bennington’s wife may still be entitled to certain inheritance rights as the surviving spouse.
On July 20, 2017, CNBC reported that Chester Bennington, the renowned singer for Linkin Park, has allegedly committed suicide. He was found dead in his house in Los Angeles, California. Bennington leaves behind a wife and six children. Did he have an estate plan in place? Who will inherit his wealth? Who will inherit rights to his beloved music? Did he have a will? If he did not have a will, who will inherit his fortune? What are intestacy laws? What should probate lawyers know about dying intestate?
It is shocking what some people will do for money. As John Pankauski, managing partner at Pankauski Hauser PLLC, states in Pankauski Probate Litigation Guide: Top 10 Probate Mistakes Revealed, “your family is going to fight over your wealth: when you’re gone and – perhaps – while you’re still alive.” On July, 17, 2017, ABC News reports that a Nathan Carman, a man who made the news for being rescued at sea after seven days, may have murdered his grandfather. Furthermore, there are allegations that he may have been involved with his mom’s death. Can he still inherit from his grandfather if he is found guilty of murdering him?
In Florida, can a murderer inherit from his or her murder victim? What is Florida’s Slayer Statute? What does it have to do with Florida probate litigation or Palm Beach trust litigation? If I murder my spouse, can I still inherit from him or her? If I murder my family member in Palm Beach, will I inherit his or her millions of dollars? What do Florida inheritance laws have to do with murder?
The New York Times reported on July 31,2017 that Sam Shepard had passed away. He was an actor and Pulitzer-winning playwright best known for his “hallucinatory” plays and his roles in Days of Heaven” (1978), “The Right Stuff” (1983) and “Baby Boom” (1987). This amazing playwright probably left more than just bank accounts and real estate. He possibly left very valuable intellectual property, like Prince did.