A Virginia judge has ruled that human embryos are not chattel goods, or personal property subject to division. Jason and Honeyhline Heidemann were a married couple who began in vitro fertilization (IVF) in 2015. At that time, they entered into an agreement on embryo ownership...
Antonia and Johanna Bennett have sued their brother, Danny, who has served as trustee of the Tony Bennett Family Trust, for mismanagement. Tony’s daughters claim Danny made “multiple gifts to himself totaling over $200,000 from the trust, $2.6 million in commissions for acting as Tony’s...
Little Richard’s Brother Says “Good Golly, Miss Molly” After Being Removed as Co-executor and Losing Share of Estate The Tennessee Court of Appeals has ruled that Little Richard’s brother lose a share of the publicity rights to Little Richard’s estate after thwarting a proposed sale of...
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that, notwithstanding a provision in the decedent’s Will that her daughter was intentionally omitted and disinherited, the daughter could inherit the entirety of her mother’s estate. Linda Giguere prepared a Will in 2012 that if her husband, William, predeceased...
On December 3, 2024, a federal judge from the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Texas issued a nationwide injunction which temporarily delays the enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) and its reporting requirements on Beneficial Owner Information (“BOI”). The Department of...
The late weight savant Richard Simmons once said, “I don’t talk about my personal life, and I don’t talk about death.” However, the recent lawsuit by Richard Simmons' housekeeper/manager, Teresa Reveles, to be reinstated as co-trustee (after she had signed a document to decline such...
A Texas Court of Appeals recently ruled that JP Morgan Chase Bank should not be liable for permitting a withdrawal of funds to one “heir” as determined by an Order Approving a Small Estates Affidavit. Cubie Beatrice Redus died in 2006. One of her daughters, Mable,...
Billionaire media mogul, Rupert Murdoch, is in a family feud with 3 of his children over control (after his death) of his mega media business which includes Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post and many other newspapers and television stations. Murdoch has...
Casey Kasem, known for radio’s “Top 40 Countdown”, died in 2014, but the war over where he should be buried between the children of his first marriage and his widow is ongoing. After years of legal battles over elder abuse, wrongful death, guardianship and end of...
Identity theft is real. The brazen attempt of foreign fraudsters to foreclose on Graceland, the former home of the late iconic singer, Elvis Presley, illustrates the need to be vigilant in the protection of your assets – and so should the representatives of your estate...
Carmen Thomas, 26, who found out through a DNA sample sent to 23andMe that she was the daughter of Joseph Brown, has sued Brown’s estate for failing to include her as a part of the wrongful death settlement with a hospital and 2 doctors. The...
The Estate of George Carlin (the Estate) is suing an alleged state-of-the-art entertainment AI (artificial intelligence) company called Dudesy, LLC and its comedians, Will Sasso and Chad Kultgen, and others for the use of Carlin’s voice and sense of humor using AI without the consent...
Client created a basic estate plan including a will, financial power of attorney, medical power of attorney, directive to physicians a/k/a living will, HIPPA authorization and declaration of guardian in the event of later incompetence. The client gave extra powers to the agent in the...
As of September 1, 2023, Texas law permits (although not mandatory) a court to approve a convicted felon to serve as an executor of an estate. Prior to that date, the only way a felon could serve as an executor (the one who: (1) gathers...
The ownership of a series of sketches (worth many millions of dollars) entitled “So you want to see the President” by famed American artist Norman Rockwell, that was originally published in the Saturday Evening Post, has resulted in an estate battle approximately 75-80 years after...
Oregon was the first state to permit physician-assisted suicide in 1997, but this past month Vermont became the first state to have a law that does not require residency in the state to participate. Vermont previously permitted physician-assisted suicide, but it changed its law to...
A child often relies on his or her parents until adulthood is reached. So, does the child have a duty to support his or her parents if they are no longer able to provide for themselves? The answer may depend on where the child and...
Last month a lawsuit was filed against Jerry Jones to determine if Jones is the father of a child (Alexandra Davis) who was not born of Jones’ marriage to his wife. Last year a will contest was filed against the Estate of Charley Pride by a...
Do you want to analyze a case like an elder law attorney? Here is a recent case and the thoughts that come to mind. Client, 77, who is single but who has had a partner for decades, is about to receive an inheritance that would result...
Although conditional bequests in a will or trust are normally upheld to give freedom that your assets pass the way you want at your death, sometimes conditional provisions are held to be either unconstitutional or void against public policy. The request for a new trial of a death row...
