Suffolk County

Published on: March 18, 2012

Court Reviews Probate of Divorced Couple

by Stephen Bilkis

A man had separated from his wife and died on November 19, 1983 in Pennsylvania where he was admittedly residing. He was survived by his wife and two adult sons.

On December 5, 1983, a petition for probate of the deceased man’s last will and its supplement was filed by the friend of the deceased and his attorney who were his nominated executors. Jurisdiction of the New York County Surrogate’s court was invoked on the basis that the personal property of the deceased which includes shares of a corporation in America, had come into the county of New York after his death. The beneficiaries under the will namely, the deceased man’s two sons, his father, his brother and two sisters, all consented for validation in New York County.

No provision was made for deceased man’s wife in the will. A New York Probate Lawyer said she was cited and filed an answer to petition with jury demand. Among her allegations, the wife contends that the New York County Court lacks jurisdiction over the estate because the subject jurisdictional assets and the shares of the corporation were fraudulently brought into the county. Subsequently, despite her contention that the court lacks jurisdiction, she moved for the issuance of temporary letters to any person other than the nominated executors under the will. The proponent’s cross-moved for the issuance of preliminary letters.

Published on: March 17, 2012

Court Determines Formula for Calculating Endowments in a Will

by Stephen Bilkis

In paragraph third of a will, a deceased woman made twenty-seven gifts to individuals and charitable institutions thereto. Each of the endowments was described as consisting of a fixed percentage of her property. The parties are in dispute as to whether the language of gift requires that the legacies be measured in terms of a percentage of the gross or of the net property and, if the latter, as to the formula for determination of its dimensions. The court construes the direction of the woman as requiring division of the property upon its net rather than upon its gross value.

A New York Probate Lawyer said that it is conceded that as a general rule, in the absence of some provision to the contrary, debts and administration expenses are deducted in computing the value of a property when a fraction thereof has been bestowed.

There is nothing to be found anywhere in the will to suggest that the deceased woman entertained any notion of making her endowments in terms of percentages of the gross property and as a consequence, the court cannot concur in the proposition that such was her intention.

Published on: March 16, 2012

Probate of Will Presents Jurisdiction Issue

by Stephen Bilkis

This is a case involving the estate of a decedent who was a national of British Honduras and left properties located in New York and other countries. The decedent left no legitimate heirs and part of the properties he left involved certificates of stocks from 50 corporations and other banks as well as brokerage accounts all found in New York. An action was filed in the Court of New York for the escheat of the said stock certificates and other accounts since there were no legitimate heirs available to lay claim to the said properties. British Honduras, through its representatives also laid claim on the said certificates and other accounts in the name of the State arguing that since the latter died with no heirs, that the State of British Honduras can therefore claim said properties as by law they already belong to the State.

The facts state that the decedent executed a will way back in 1918. This will was admitted to probate by the Supreme Court of British Honduras. Later on, a second will surfaced in 1955 and an action was brought to have the 1918 will revoked because of the existence of a later will. Suffolk County Probate Lawyers said petitions were filed to declare the 1918 will as destroyed or revoked which was timely opposed by the concerned parties. Delays were incurred due to the legal battle and before the Court of British Honduras can finally decide the issue, the Surrogate Court of New York assumed jurisdiction to have the 1955 will probated and appointed to that effect a special guardian for possible infant legatees who are still possibly living in British Honduras.

The government of British Honduras protested the jurisdiction assumed by the Surrogate Court of New York and filed a case in intervention arguing that since the case is still pending in their country, the New York Court has no right to assume jurisdiction. A New York Probate Lawyer said they argued further that since there was effectively only one estate of the decedent and this pertains to all kinds of properties wherever they may be found, and arguing further that the decedent is a citizen of their country, that all other probate or estate administration must originate from the country where the decedent is domiciled and all other proceedings later filled must be treated as only ancillary to the proceedings of the court that first took cognizance of the case.

Published on: March 15, 2012

Supreme Court Decides 5 Will Contest Cases

by Stephen Bilkis

This is a decision of the Supreme Court deciding jointly five cases where despite the existence of will that can be admitted into probate, the parties who could be beneficiaries under these wills decided to ask instead for letters of administration. The surrogate courts, in its discretion, thinking it wiser to distribute the estate in accordance with the rules of intestacy, denied the probate of the will and issued letters of administration to the beneficiaries of the estate who applied for the letters of administration.

Letters of administration are requested for when a deceased person left no valid will. It is issued only in cases of intestacy or when a will requested to be admitted into probate is found to be invalid. In each of these cases, there is a will but the requests for letters of administration were granted just the same.

The Court has ruled that in these five cases, the Surrogate Courts did not abuse their discretion. A New York Probate Lawyer said that in all of these cases, none of the beneficiaries, legatees or distributees were willing to proceed to probate seeing as the estates to be disposed of under the probated will were all small. Probate proceedings will so diminish the value of the estates that there will be nothing to distribute after probate. So the Court upheld the Surrogate Courts’ decision to issue letters of administration.

Published on: March 14, 2012

Brother Files Will Contest Against Sisters

by Stephen Bilkis

A man had a son and two daughters. In 1995, the father and the son had a falling out. In December 1996, the father made a will leaving all of his real and personal properties to his two daughters in equal shares. The son was left out of the will entirely. Five months later, the father was hospitalized where he was diagnosed with senile dementia. He was declared to be mentally incompetent.

On the same day he was diagnosed with senile dementia, he signed a deed transferring to his daughter the ownership of his home in Kingspark, New York. He also executed a general power of attorney giving power to his two daughters. In September, the father died.

Two years after the death of the father, in September 2000, the son petitioned the Surrogate’s Court to be appointed as administrator of his father’s estate. Among his father’s properties, he listed his father’s house in Kingspark, New York.

Published on: March 9, 2012

Court Decides Will Jurisdiction Issue

by Stephen Bilkis

An 89-year old woman had retired and had been living in Florida. But, she executed a will in New York in front of witnesses who were from New York. Seven months after executing her will, she died in New York and was buried in New York.

The will contained about 50 legacies and the establishment of several trusts. Although the will was executed in New York, it was drafted by a lawyer from Florida. The will named four executors: one of her sons who lives in Arizona, her accountant who lives in Florida, a niece by marriage who lives in New York and the son of the niece who lives in New Hampshire. A New York Probate Lawyer said the will did not specifically include her desire to have her will probated or her estate administered in New York or under its laws.

The estate of the testator consisted of 100% ownership in a corporation in New York and her residence (house and lot) in Westchester County. Her estate is valued at $28,000,000.

Published on: March 7, 2012

Court Decide Status of Guarden ad Litem

by Stephen Bilkis

The probate courts have reviewed an agreement between parties regarding settlement of estates, which was skillfully done by a highly trained court appointee to take care the personal and property interest of one of decedent’s sister who was sick.

Decedent had written a will. In his will, he named his heirs and also named his properties to be freely disposed. He had four siblings still leaving that will receive his bounty and become his beneficiaries to enjoy the continues use, possession and enjoyment of his estate.

The instrument has given all of decedent’s property to his sisters in three equal shares, two of which pass to decedent’s sisters. The will directed that the third equal share be paid over to decedent’s niece. The sick sister rejected this, because as decedent’s sister she had to her share from her brother’s estate. A New York Probate Lawyer said when the formal application was presented to institute an appeal regarding the share of decedent’s surviving sick sister, the court have taken its course.

Published on: March 6, 2012

Court Rules on Will Contest between Brothers

by Stephen Bilkis

A testator in her lifetime made a will. Her husband and three children outlived her. The will was brought to a probate court for legal procedure. Named in the instrument were the three adult children as co-executor with full power over the estate of the decedent. Not mentioned in the will was the name of her living disabled husband. After a thorough study of the contested will, the court found that the interest of the physically impaired husband needed to be taken care of. Thereby the court appointed a guardian ad litem to make necessary action to protect the interest of the ward.

The court appointee filed his report wherein he indicated that he had no objection to the will subject of probate proceeding. He mentioned in his report the unfriendly action of the three adult children of the decedent. He was hopeful that the best interest of the estate would be served by an appointment of an independent part to administer the estate under litigation.

One of the adult children did not object the contents of the recommendation. Suffolk County Probate Lawyers said the mentioned beneficiary son had been living in the decedent’s residence since the time of the testator’s death. He maintained the tear and wear of the dwelling place even if heat and electricity were brought to an untimely end. He believed that his action toward the care of the decedent’s dwelling should be recognized by the probate court and assigned him a letter testamentary as the suited fiduciary of his mother’s bounty.

Published on: March 4, 2012

Court Hears Complex Estate Litigation Matter

by Stephen Bilkis

Surrogate’s Court, entered and admitted the document to probate as the last will and testament of testator.

The decedent, a physician, married his first wife who died before probate of the will.

Testator’s daughters from his first wife petition the court for probate the will testators have written in their favor.

Published on: March 3, 2012

Court Addresses Executor Fee Dispute

by Stephen Bilkis

A man from New York City executed a Will and its appendices and named a German Catholic Church his principal beneficiary in his last will and testament. The Will was challenged by the executors of a prior will executed in 1972. The appellant firm that represented the deceased man appealed an order from the Court that denied the appellant firm’s motion to dismiss the answer of the executor respondents of a prior Will. The executors of the prior Will were a bank and its legal firm. After an extensive litigation, the parties entered into a broad settlement agreement, pursuant to which the church received $3,000,000 together with a half-interest in a trust comprising the residuary property. The terms were incorporated into a decree.

The dispute arises out of the appellant firm’s application to fix its fee for legal services rendered to the preliminary executors of the Will. The executors of the prior will opposed the award of any fees on the grounds that the appellant firm knowingly presented an invalid Will and consequently committed other alleged wrongdoing. The appellant firm sought to dismiss the answer, asserting theories of inconsistency, bringing out matters already resolved and affirmative defense. The appellant firm further relied on the pronouncement in the court’s decree, to the effect that it appeared to the court that legitimate issues have been raised as to which of the Wills should be admitted for probate and that the compromise is made in good faith in the context of a legitimate will contest. The pronouncement is fair to the deceased in light of the circumstances and avoids any further litigation and unnecessary expense.

The court rejected the appellant firm’s arguments, reasoning that the question of bad faith on the part of the counsel, asserted in the answer, had not been litigated in the course of the proceedings and the quoted preamble did not constitute a finding of fact and that issues bearing on the award of fees were expressly reserved in both the settlement agreement and the decree until the instant application.