New York Probate and Estate Administration Blog

According to a New York Estate Lawyer, this is a case about the estate of Bertha Weil Fitzgerald. Reports that reached his office said that the estate was left to a number of charitable institutions and couple of churches according to her will. These charities and churches are Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, including Manhattan and Staten Island, National Society for Prevention of Blindness, Inc., The Fresh Air Fund, First National City Bank as Committee of the Property of Paul S. Ames, Jr., Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Archbishopric of New York and for Terence Cardinal Cooke, The Salvation Army, Heart Fund, American Cancer Society Inc., and the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center.

According to the Will that was executed in 1970, all of these charities and churches shall receive each an amount of $50,000. The Fitzgerald Estate was valued at $2 million. The remainder of the estate shall be given to the Archbishopric of New York. However, Bertha Weil Fitzgerald had a 41 year old son who was, according to sources told a New York Probate attorney, legally entitled to the estate of his deceased mother. It was also said on the Will that Bertha did not intend to leave any amount r any part of her estate to her son, who was also invalid and incompetent. The son according to reports had been institutionalized since childhood and therefore was under no condition to care for himself much less to her mother’s estate. It was also noted that the grandmother, Bertha’s mother already left half a million dollars to her grandson when she passed away some years back.

This case was filed by the trust company of Bertha’s son claiming that the son, under their representation did not receive any notice about the Will of Bertha. They claim that the son was not able to file an objection to his mother’s last will and testament and that it was right to do so. It was also noted that by law an incompetent spouse or in this case a son can file for an objection if he or she was left with a sum leas than or not equal to the sum that were left to other beneficiaries in this churches and charitable institutions. It is also what is known as a case of excessive or too much charity.

Also, the New York Will Contest lawyer was also informed that the legal counsels of the charities and churches claimed that the objection of the son was not file in time and that it was already too late to file such an objection in court. It was however traced that the son was declared incompetent in 1971 a year after the Will was executed.

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With an Estate amounting to almost two million dollars, E. Louise Grupp died in September 25, 1992. The will that was given for probate was only dated two weeks before Mr. Grupp died. The will was dated September 11, 1992. The executors who wear named in the will were Joan E. Maloney, Esq., and Eleanor G. Dunn. There was an older will filed with the court that was dated July 9, 1992. Interested parties had examined the witnesses to the will.
The will dated September 11, 1992 sets up the $300,000 trust for Ms. Nitterauer and places another $150,000 in trust for her sons. Aside from that she gets personal effects and the testator’s house. From what a New York Estate Lawyer gathered, the remaining part of the estate of the deceased goes to the Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company as trustee for the Buffalo Foundation to be held as a perpetual charitable fund in memory of Mrs. Grupp and her late husband. Nine charities are assigned as income beneficiaries of fund assets in various percentages totaling 95% of net income, with the recipients of the remaining 5% to be selected by the Foundation. If the foundation fails to qualify as a charity or any of the other named organizations then the trustee will select from qualifying charities.
A terrorem clause was also in this will. That if anyone contests the probate or any part of the will, their interest will be forfeited, and it will be treated like that person died before the testator.
The court had said that they have to determine if that will dated September 11 will be treated as the will for Mrs. Grupp. According to a New York Probate Lawyer, it is the Surrogate court that determines the validity of a will. The will is not admitted if there is the lack of capacity, lack of due execution or undue influence. The courts typically refuse to address the ‘no contest’ clause before the probate. The court will interview the will witnesses and the lawyer. The Surrogate Court determined that is the will for Mrs. Grupp.
The terrorem clause was not very clear. This gives the petitioner an additional risk. It does not say specifically if all the people in the will be disinherited or only the person who opposed the will. New York Estate Administration Lawyers in The Bronx and Staten Island said that the court had good and compelling reason to deviate from the Davis rule. There were several differences with the Davies case. There were also concerns that the most-recent will is totally different from the planning goals of the testatrix who was to save on estate taxes to increase the legacies to certain individuals. The court was moving towards construction. In this way, they can ascertain the intent of the testator as to his will. It must be in the will itself.
Mrs. Grupp had intended for the charities to benefit as it is also showing on the prior will. As with the ‘no contest’ clause, they determined that if the deceased really wanted for all parties to be deprived, then she would have added words to that effect. The court is concerned about if Mrs. Grupp wanted even the charities to forfeit if the will is questioned. The court determined that the ‘no contest’ clause will not include the charities if in case the will was questioned as in previous will it has always been part and always first.

Continue reading "E. Louise Grupp died in September 25, 1992. " »