Before the court is the motion of PLK, the nominated successor co-trustee of the trusts created under Paragraphs Second, Third and Sixth of the will of WM. Movant seeks summary judgment pursuant to CPLR 3213 granting his petition for appointment as successor co-trustee pursuant to SCPA 1502. In the alternative,…
New York Probate and Estate Administration Lawyer Blog
Court Discusses Power of Attorney Document
The issue on this appeal is (1) whether a power of attorney which conferred limited realty management powers upon JSF was one relating to an interest in a decedent’s estate and was therefore ineffective under EPTL 13-2.3 for failure to record it in the Surrogate’s Court, and (2) whether plaintiff…
Court Listens to Hearing For Bank to Recover Monies Via Default Judgment
In this action by plaintiff JP Bank, to recover monies based upon the default of defendants S.I. Wood Furniture Corp. (Wood), Ikram Said, and Amal Said, a/k/a Amal E. Said, defendants, under a commercial line of credit and a concurrently executed personal guaranty, JP Bank moves, pursuant to CPLR 3212,…
This Case Involves the Enforcement of a Sister State Divorce Judgement
This case involves the enforcement of a sister-state divorce judgment, with respect to arrears in alimony and support payments, pursuant to the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act (article 54 of the CPLR). In January 1973, the plaintiff-wife commenced an action for divorce in the Superior Court of the State…
Court Hears Motion by Executrix Requesting Surrogate to Fix Estate Tax
This is a motion by the executrix requesting the Surrogate to fix the New York estate tax (Tax Law § 249–w). The papers allege that the executrix made a motion to fix the tax returnable on March 16, 1972. Although the State Tax Commission (Commission) was duly served, no order…
Courts Discuss Notice of Pendency
Upon the foregoing papers, nonparty Geneva Alston, Administrator of the Estate of Mattie Dickens, moves by way of order to show cause for an order 1) cancelling the notice of pendency filed against the subject property on May 19, 2008 by plaintiff Citimortgage, Inc, successor in interest by merger to…
Probate Court Discusses Recent Bequests of Stock
This is the first New York decision to consider the effect of the recent AT & T divestiture on a bequest of AT & T stock. This is a proceeding brought by GB, co-administratrix c.t.a., for a construction of article “SECOND” of the testatrix’s last will and testament. The testatrix…
Estate Alleges Undue Influence in Will Signing
An RN (Decedent) died on January 22, 2008 survived by a son, EN, a daughter, CS, and six grandchildren. The Decedent’s Last Will and Testament, dated June 27, 2000 was admitted to probate, and Letters Testamentary were issued to his two children on March 3, 2008. The Will left each…
Law Firm Brings Action for Charging Liens
The law firm of RA and Moss (the RA Firm) and the Law Offices of CA PC (CA) (together, the Firms) seek to determine and enforce charging liens pursuant to section 475 of the Judiciary Law. The liens would secure fees claimed by the Firms for legal services to WK…
Court Listens to Construction Proceeding Regarding Tax Returns
The executors have instituted this construction proceeding, prior to the filing of Federal and New York estate tax returns, to determine the effect of a tax exoneration clause, paragraph second and request a reformation or interpretation of paragraph eleventh, which creates a pre 1969 residuary, multiple, split-income, charitable remainder trust…