New York Probate and Estate Administration Lawyer Blog
This case is being heard in the Surrogates Court of Westchester County. The matter before the court deals with the estate of Leonard M. Greene, deceased. A New York Probate Lawyer said this is an incident that deals with the contested probate proceeding where the guardian ad litem for the infant distributes is seeking authorization to retain a medical expert to be paid from the estate.
Case History
Leonard Greene, the decedent, passed away on the first of December, 2006. He was 88 years old at the time he passed away. Survivors include seven children and two grandchildren. There is an issue of a predeceased child that was a passenger on United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11th, 2001.
Charles Groppe, Esq. was appointed as the guardian ad litem for the infant grandchildren. There have been separate objections filed by the children of the decedents and the guardian on behalf of his wards. The estate in question is estimated to have a worth of somewhere between $26 million and $35 million. The estate consists mainly of silver holdings, farmland in Montana, a yacht, and real property in Connecticut and New York. There has been extensive discovery conducted by the parties on the estate.
Will of the Decedent
The propounded will is dated the 8th on November, 2006. The will was executed three weeks before the decedent passed away from lung cancer. The attorney who is also the drafter of the will has offered it for probate. In the will the decedent made preresiduary bequests of specific property as well as some of the interest in a company to some of the children. The real property in Montana was provided to one child and monetary bequests were made to his caretakers. The residuary estate was provided to the Institute for SocioEconomic Studies Inc., which is a charitable foundation that was established by the decedent in 1974.
A Long Island Probate Lawyer said this propounded will departs from four prior wills that were written previously by the decedent. In the past wills the decedent made bequests to his caretakers and the estate was disposed of to both his children and grandchildren.
Objectants
The objectants state that they had maintained a quality relationship with the decedent and do not understand why he would have changed the will. They contend that at the time the will was made he lacked the capacity to make a will. They further state that the decedent suffered from delusions that were exacerbated by his use of steroids.
Court Decision
Based on the information that has been provided to the court, the application to hire an expert in the medical field is granted. A Staten Island Probate Lawyer said the guardian is given the authorization to retain an expert for the purpose of examining the medical records of the decedent. The expert will discuss the findings with the guardian. An estimate will be obtained from the expert and the order of payment will be settled from the account of the estate.
For those that find themselves in probate, contact Stephen Bilkis & Associates to speak with an expert probate lawyer from New York. One of our probate lawyers is happy to discuss your case with you and help you determine the best course of action. Our offices are located in New York City. Contact us at any time to set up an appointment for a free consultation.