Probate & Estate Litigation

Published on: March 30, 2012

Court Determines Who Letters Testimentary Should Be Issued To

by Stephen Bilkis

On 14 December 2005, the decedent died leaving a will dated 13 September 2005 (the “2005 Will”) and a prior will dated 24 January 2003 (the “2003 Will”). She was survived by three (3) daughters. Under the 2003 will, two (2) of the decedent’s daughters are named as executor and successor executor. Under the 2005 will, one of the daughters named in the 2003 will is again named as executor.

To whom shall the letters testamentary be issued?

The rules state that the issuance of preliminary letters testamentary was to provide a form of letters to the named executor which would allow for the immediate administration of the estate (estate administration or estate litigation) when there may be a delay in probate (will contest). The purpose was to honor the testator’s preference regarding the appointment of a fiduciary, even on a temporary basis, and to reduce the possibility of frivolous pre-probate contests. Preliminary letters allow the estate administration to be expedited and proceed as close to normal as possible and prevent contests within a contest. Although a will may be offered for probate by persons other than the nominated executor, an application for preliminary letters may only be made by the executor named in the testator’s will. A person not named as an executor has no standing to seek preliminary letters. Moreover, where the application is made by one of several nominated executors, notice must be given to all persons who, pursuant to the terms of the will, have a right to letters testamentary equal to that of the petitioner. If any person has an equal right to letters, i.e., a named co-executor, such person may join in the application. Where process has issued, the issuance of preliminary letters is mandatory “upon due qualification”. If process has not yet issued, preliminary letters may issue in the discretion of the court upon due qualification.

Published on: March 29, 2012

Courts Decide Will Contest Regarding German vs. American Wills

by Stephen Bilkis

This proceeding is about the two last wills made in different states by a deceased woman. The petitioner in this appeal requests for the validation of the will executed in 1955 while the deceased was in New York County. The petitioner as the representative in administering the assets leaves the residuary estate to a New York charity. The deceased traveled to West Germany in 1965 and executed again a holographic will in 1967. The will provides that it revokes all prior wills. The woman died in Germany in 1968. The respondent cross-petitioner is the deceased’s post deceased brother and is the sole successor under the later will. The latter will was established in the court proceedings in West Germany in 1972. The respondent cross-petitioner moved for judgment without trial to dismiss the petition and to deny probate to the prior 1955 will. In addition, the respondent filed a petition for ancillary letters on the basis of the 1967 will.

The court rendered a temporary decision holding the motion for the judgment without proceeding in suspending a trial to allow a full opportunity for each part to present proof and cross-examine each other’s experts on German law. A New York Probate Lawyer said the facts of the case were set forth in that decision and will be presented when necessary. The trial was held upon the issues of whether the German courts issued a judgment or an administrative certificate, whether the document issued by the German court contains a final ruling under the law or merely a pronounced determination and whether a finding of German residency was essential to the establishment of the will in Germany.

The court found that the legal order was rendered by courts of record in Germany in the establishment of the 1967 holographic will of the deceased. In addition, the certificate of inheritance issued by the District Court in Germany constitutes a final decree and not merely a pronounce determination. Moreover, finding of German residency was necessary to the establishment of the 1967 will in Germany. On the basis of the recognized rules, the court gives full acknowledgment to the establishment of the 1967 will of the deceased in the German courts.

Published on: March 29, 2012

Court Decides if Petition for Preliminary Letters Shoud Be Granted

by Stephen Bilkis

On 28 October 2006, the decedent died leaving a will dated 27 April 2006. The will nominates two (2) executors. Thereafter, one of the executors renounced his appointment. The decedent was survived by his two adult children.

Under the will, the entire residuary estate is left to the decedent’s companion and the decedent’s children are disinherited. One of the named executors (petitioner) now petitions for preliminary letters testamentary.

The primordial issue (in the estate litigation) is whether or not the petition for preliminary letters should be granted.

Published on: March 28, 2012

probate

by Stephen Bilkis

A husband and wife were American citizens domiciled in Israel. The wife executed a will on January 12, 1987 and died on February 25, 1991 in Israel. The husband executed a will on January 14, 1988 died April 11, 1991 also in Israel.

The wife’s will provided that her entire estate will be left to her husband. She also provided that if her husband died before her, then her estate will be executed by her eldest daughter. The estate will then be equally shared by her eldest and middle daughter. Her youngest daughter will only receive $1.

The husband’s will made his wife and his eldest daughter his sole distributees. The husband’s will was probated in Israel in 1991.

Published on: March 28, 2012

Court Rules on Will Jurisdiction Issue

by Stephen Bilkis

An American citizen domiciled in France died leaving behind bank accounts in New York worth less than $1,000.00, real properties worth a few hundred thousand dollars in France and almost a million dollars worth of money and personal property in Switzerland. At the time of his death he was married to a French national and they had one minor child. Prior to his death in 1972, the decedent executed a will sometime in 1970 in New York and this same will was presented for probate by two persons who were not main parties to the case. The New York will stated that half of the entire estate of the decedent must go to the wife and the other half should be held in trust in favour of the minor child. The will specifically directed that the same should be probated in New York.

It was also learned that aside from the will executed in New York, the decedent also executed a deed of donation which will specifically take effect upon his death. This deed of donation was executed in 1972, or 25 days before the death of the testator/Donor and in front of a notary public in France. The deed directed that all the estate of the testator be disposed and transferred in favour of the surviving spouse with a proviso that the minor child’s legitime be protected under French law. The deed of donation then is contrary to what the 1970 New York will provides.

Upon the death of the decedent, a proceeding was instituted in the court of New York for the disposition of the properties of the decedent according to the will executed in New York and at the same time a litigation is also pending and awaiting trial in France disputing the validity of the deed of donation. A New York Probate Lawyer said the proponents of the New York proceedings argued that the New York will should be given preference and that New York law should be applied in distributing the properties of the decedent. They also brought to the attention of the court that there was a pre-nuptial agreement between the spouses limiting the share of the wife to $10,000.00 in case of the husband’s death and that there was agreement between them that the laws of New York should be applied in the distribution of his estate.

Published on: March 27, 2012

Daughter Brings Will Contest Action Against Estate

by Stephen Bilkis

This is a summary proceeding case involving the public administrator of New York versus the respondent who was one of the heirs of the decedent. The facts of the

case states that the decedent died in 1977 leaving a will. In that will, the house and lot was devised to one of the daughters and the other two children that includes the herein respondent were allotted legacies in the form of bank account of their testator-father. It turned out that there were no more deposits in the said bank accounts and the only property left by the decedent was the house and lot which was allotted to just one daughter. The two daughters that included the respondent in effect did not inherit anything.

The daughter who inherited the entire estate of the decedent died on September 2000 without leaving a will. The court issued letters of administration to the public administrator who is now the petitioner in the case, for the legal disposition of the daughter’s properties and assets which included the estate of her father. In 2008, the respondent filed objections to the probate of the will of her father alleging that the said will is a forgery and that there was an earlier true will that was made by her decedent father. Notwithstanding the objection of the respondent, a New York Probate Lawyer said the proceedings continued and the house and lot originally coming from the decedent father was sold in June 18, 2010. After the house and lot was sold, the public administrator filed a petition for the final accounting of the proceeds of the sale as well as the finalization of his duties in this particular issue.

Published on: March 27, 2012

Court Discusses Will Contest between Son and Stepmother

by Stephen Bilkis

In legal action arising out of a dispute between the individual plaintiff from New York and his stepmother from Florida with regard to the ownership of corporate stock in a New York corporation, the plaintiffs appeal from an order of the Supreme Court, New York County, and a judgment which granted four motion of the defendants to dismiss the action on the grounds of inconvenient forum. The stock in question had been owned by the father of the plaintiff from New York and the husband of the stepmother from Florida. The couple together had owned and managed the corporation for many years. In a will, the husband bestowed to his wife the corporate stock that had been bestowed to the son in a prior will. It was the offering of the August 1980 will for probate in a Florida court. Objections on the Florida validation had been interposed by the son on the grounds that his father had been incompetent and the subject of undue influence by his stepmother that led to the commencement of the lawsuit in January 1983. Although phrased alternatively, and in some respects inconsistently, the six causes of action set forth in the complaint all rest on the essential claim that at the time the father retired from the corporation, he had entered into an agreement with the son with regard to the disposition of his stock in exchange for the son’s promise alleged to have been fulfilled.

The said agreement states that the son would receive stipends for the rest of his life. Summarized briefly, the complaint alleges that the father had promised to sell and deliver his shares to the corporation and in fact did so, and that the corporation should be declared the lawful owner. That if it be found that the father had not delivered his shares in accordance with his agreement the plaintiffs are entitled to specific performance. That alternatively, the father had promised to bestow the shares to his son in a will, which he would not alter until his death, and he in fact made such a will, the revocation of which in the 1980 will constituted a breach of the agreement. That if at the validation proceedings the will is rejected and the father is deemed to have died without a valid will or under a will not containing endowment of the stock to the son, the plaintiffs are entitled to specific performance. That if declaratory or specific performance relief is not granted, damages should be awarded to the son from the stepmother in the amount that had been paid by the father under the stipend agreement because of her alleged tortious interference with the agreement between the father and his son.

Lastly, that the stepmother and several of the other individual defendants, joined together to cause the father to breach his agreement, activities in furtherance of this plan occurring both in New York and Florida, and that the plaintiffs are entitled to damages in the amount of the stipend payments that had been made to the father.

Published on: March 26, 2012

Estate Executor Brings Action for Lack of Payment

by Stephen Bilkis

This is not really estate litigation as it is a case involving the commission/fees of a person who was assigned to perform the accounting of the wealth of a decedent. It all started when a wealthy individual commissioned a lawyer-friend to write his will and named the said lawyer together with another close friend as executors of the properties and money left once he is gone. The rich man died at the age of 91 and survived by his wife. He had by that time amassed a huge amount of money and properties. The testator bequeathed to his widow their home and a $5M trust fund. When all the bequeaths for family and friends were satisfied, he instructed in the will to give the rest of his wealth to charity naming in particular a school, a hospital and a foundation.

In the will, there was a provision that the executors will be entitled to a payment of $400,000 each and this is meant to cover the work that is involved in carrying their duties as such. The executors entered in the performance of their duties by filing and requesting for letters testamentary from the court. A New York Probate Lawyer said the court granted the request and the executors started with their duties. One of the executor, a close friend of the testator realized that the job involved will require more than the usual. This is because of the vastness of the wealth left by the decedent which was around $250M and the complexities involved in process of estate accounting of the various bequeaths stated in the will as well as the grants given to various organizations.

In view of this, the said executor filed a summary proceeding in the court to request that his fees/commissions be increased from the originally stated $400,000 stated in the will, to the amount of $5M which is based on statutory provisions. He later on reduced his claim to a little over $2M. The beneficiaries timely opposed the motion and filed their opposition thereto arguing that since the will specifically stated the mounts that will be paid to the executors once the probate proceedings start, the same should be given effect. They further contended that since the executor did not question the provision of the will concerning the fees to be paid to them, that he is now estopped from questioning the same. Long Island Probate Lawyers said they also noted that there was even a proviso in the will that should the assigned executors find the task too difficult for them, that a company be made the executor to take their place.

Published on: March 26, 2012

Court Listens to Jurisdictional Challenge of Will

by Stephen Bilkis

An appeal on the ruling on the last will and testament of a deceased woman was filed in the Surrogates’ Court of Eric County. In the first appeal, the respondents appeal from a ruling admitting the last will and testament of the deceased who is a resident of Vermont to original validation and granting letters of administration and letters of trusteeship to the petitioner. In the second appeal, the respondents appeal from an order that dismissed their challenge to matter of jurisdiction of the Surrogate’s Court to the validation of the deceased woman’s will. In the third appeal, the respondents appeal from an order that denied their motion for leave to renew the jurisdictional challenge that was dismissed by the order in the second appeal. The order in the third appeal superseded the order in the second appeal therefore the second appeal must be dismissed. In the third appeal the Surrogate erred in denying the respondents’ motion for leave to renew and upon renewal, should have declined to exercise jurisdiction over the property of a nonresident and granted the respondents’ motion to dismiss the petition. The findings and order of the Vermont Probate Court accepting original jurisdiction over the property constitute new or additional facts that were unavailable at the time of the original challenge and that would change the prior determination.

Turning to the merits of the ruling in the first appeal and the order in the third appeal, it is firmly established in New York that jurisdiction over the property of a nonresident should not be transferred from the resident of the person who made the will unless it is required by some vital rule of law. Further, the Surrogate’s Court may exercise jurisdiction over a nonresident deceased person’s property when the deceased leaves the property in the state. A New York Probate Lawyer said that in determining whether to accept an application for original validation of a will of a nonresident which has not yet been admitted for validation in the deceased person’s residence, a court should examine the nature of New York’s contacts with the deceased and her property, including the location of the assets, the residence of the nominated executor and beneficiaries, the expense of proving the will in the residence of the deceased, the deceased person’s request, if any, for New York validation and the good faith of the proponents. The court should also consider what weight should be given to the fact that the residence of the deceased has already assumed jurisdiction over the property.

The petitioner contends that the Surrogate properly exercised jurisdiction over the property of the deceased based on the exercise in her will of certain limited powers of appointment over two trusts established by her predeceased husband for her benefit. Bronx Probate Lawyers said the property includes a trusts owned property situated in New York and ownership of three bank accounts allegedly located in New York. Contrary to the petitioner’s contention, the assets of the trusts were never the deceased woman’s property and thus are not for validation assets located in New York sufficient to grant jurisdiction in New York over the deceased woman’s property. It is well established that the property in a trust remains the property of the benefactor until it absolutely entrusted in some person or corporation and that a beneficiary with a power to appoint by will is a mere representative of the benefactor. Thus, when the deceased exercised the powers of appointment gave her by the terms of the trusts in favor of other trusts established in her will, she was not disposing of her own assets but, by authority bestowed upon her by her husband, she was disposing of property which never lost its identity as part of the trusts’ property.

Published on: March 25, 2012

Court Stays Estate Proceedings until Criminal Case is Resolved

by Stephen Bilkis

Three probate proceedings in the estate of the deceased woman moves for an order for a partial stay or a protective order directing that the surviving son’s obligations to respond to all discovery demands that have been served on him temporarily be stayed until related criminal charges pending against him are resolved. The Library and the Museum, two charitable beneficiaries under the wills of the deceased woman oppose the motion. The District Attorney moves for an order granting him the right to intervene in the proceedings and upon intervention, granting a stay of all proceedings pending the resolution of the criminal charges pending against the surviving son. The motion is opposed by the surviving son, the Library and the Museum. The Attorney General of the State moves for an order granting a stay of all proceedings or in the alternative, a stay of all discoveries except document discovery and setting a date for a conference.

A woman was survived by her only child. Three sets of paper writing claiming to be wills of the deceased woman were filed in court. The first paper writing is a will dated January 30, 2002, along with a first, second and third supplement. The second paper writing is a will dated February 2, 2001 with a sole supplement. The third paper is a will dated January 8, 1997, also with a sole supplement.

A New York Probate Lawyer said the trust bank filed a petition for the validation of the 1997 will. The surviving child of the deceased filed a petition for the validation of the 2002 will and the first two supplements only. He also filed a petition for the validation of the 1997 will.