Court Decides Complex Estate Matter

According to reports from a surrogate’s court, a decedent was survived by his wife, and two children from a previous marriage. In his last will and testament, he had chosen his wife to act estate administrator. Upon his death, the will was submitted to probate court. The court named the wife as the estate administrator in the letter of testamentary.

Before the decedent’s death and months after the wife was accorded as estate administrator, she exercised her functions. It was asserted to be true that she made several transactions which resulted to lessen the funds of the contested estate. The wife has made repeated fund transfers from an allege joint account to her own account; paid her personal bills and expenses thru multiple on-line transfers from decedent’s personal accounts in a certain bank; and checks payable to her decedent’s husband were signed, endorsed and deposited to her account.

The decedent’s children, with the help of their probate lawyers filed a case contesting the earlier decision of the court in naming the wife as the appointed executor. They reasoned out that she was unfit to carry out the terms of the contested will by virtue of dishonesty, by not providing their needs, by shallow understanding of good will and by thoughtlessly or carelessly expending of their funds. Their counsel asked the court to appoint the decedent son as the executor instead of the wife. Said party submitted to the court a written document of the decedent’s therapist. A New York Probate Lawyer said that the therapist testified under oath and sustained the allegations of the decedent’s children. Their estate litigation lawyers further make clear that the case under litigation was not a subject for time consuming dispute. Children’s funds were at stake. The wife was guilty of a series of acts-any one of which, the court has the authority to give an order to remove the wife as executor in the earliest time.

In deciding the case the court was certain that the wife mix the money of her husband with her funds. The money involved was held in trust fund for the children. The probate court firmly resolved that the lavish withdrawals, combined with repeated dishonesty and self-serving statements were comprised actions. Such actions will cause danger or risk to the children’s funds. Her conduct was enough ground and justification for her immediate removal from the office without a hearing and the preliminary letters issued to her be cancelled and be without effect.

Suffolk County Probate Lawyers said that the wife, being lawyer entered for herself a motion of reargument to the court to prove the allegations against her to be false and erroneous by stating that; first, the court’s determination of her conduct endangered the safety of the estate was characterized by error; second, the children’s claim that the estate in litigation was in danger of risk was without valid basis; third, the bringing in of the decedent’s money to her own account, the repeated on-line withdrawals and dishonest statements were of no merits. The reasons behind her actions were to continue the decedent’s previous practice to deposit his money to the estate bank. They have not opened a joint account, but instead opened an individual and separate bank account. The decedent’s money was for his two children to inherit upon his death. Some withdrawals from the decedent’s account were made to pay his hospital expenses, household bills, and compensation of her household errands while her husband was in the hospital.

The children with their Estate lawyers opposed the arguing over again, of a motion made in court by the wife. They were satisfied with the court’s decision in their favor. Probate court correctly and intelligently interpreted the contested will. Staten Island Probate Lawyers said their decision was based on undisputed facts and of general importance. The lawyers argued that the acts admitted by the wife as just and proper were grave in manner and extent. It will tremendously destroy the lives of decedent’s children.Losing the funds in trust under the control of an executor involved in a lawsuit for her wrongful and deceitful action will make tremendous negative impact on the decedent’s children. Legal counsel will stand by you and help see you through your case.

Stephen Bilkis & Associates with its legal team, have convenient offices throughout the New York Metropolitan area. Our lawyers can provide you with advice to guide you through situations where estate is dissipated because of another’s intentional deceit. Without legal counsel you may lose your rights which may cost you a significant amount of money.