Suffolk County

Published on: January 8, 2016

Two Children Seek to Have Status Changed Pursuant to Statute EPTL 5-3-2

by Stephen Bilkis

In this probate proceeding, two non-marital children have moved to have their status as children entitled to benefits under the after-born statute (EPTL 5-3.2) determined. In a prior decision (Dec. No. 80, Feb. 7, 2008), the court ruled that any question regarding a party’s status in a probate proceeding should be determined as a preliminary matter and stayed all other proceedings. Rather than question any of the underlying facts, such as proof of paternity, the parties have consented to have the motion submitted assuming the truth of the movant’s allegations for a determination of whether as a matter of law those allegations state a cause of action entitling the claimants to after-born status.

The decedent died on January 13, 2007, survived by eleven children; three from a first marriage, four from a second marriage and four alleged non-marital children. The will offered for probate benefits only one child from the first marriage, the petitioner and named executrix, who inherits the entire estate valued at several million dollars.

EPTL 5-3.2 creates a rule of presumed intent for a testator who may have inadvertently omitted a child born after he executed his will. If he gave something to existing children and the after-born is neither provided for nor mentioned in the will and unprovoked for by some settlement, the after-born shares in the gift to existing children. Case law has granted non-marital after-born children the same rights as marital after-born children if they can establish their inheritance rights under EPTL 4-1.2. Since the Wilkins case was decided, the after-born statute has been amended to address the rights of after-born non-marital children (L. 2007 ch. 423, eff. Aug 1, 2007). The amendment provides: “For purposes of this section, a non-marital child, born after the execution of a last will shall be considered an after-born child of his or her father where paternity is established pursuant to section 4-1.2 of this chapter.”

Published on: November 5, 2015

Petitioner Files Action Regarding Will Construction

by Stephen Bilkis

A probate proceeding in which HW, a/k/a JW, petitioned pursuant to SCPA 1421, inter alia, to determine the validity and effect of an election pursuant to EPTL 5-1.1-A asserted by her against the estate of the decedent IB, the co-executors of the decedent’s estate, JB and HB, appeal, as limited by their brief, from (1) so much of an order of the Surrogate’s Court, Kings County dated July 3, 2008, as granted the petitioner’s motion for summary judgment on the petition and directed dismissal of their counterclaims, without prejudice, and (2) so much of a decree of the same court dated August 5, 2008, as, upon the order, in effect, is in favor of the petitioner and against them granting the petition, declaring that the election was valid, and dismissing their counterclaims, without prejudice, and the petitioner cross-appeals from (1) so much of the order as, upon directing the dismissal of the counterclaims asserted by JB and HB, did so without prejudice, and (2) so much of the decree, as, upon the order, and upon dismissing the counterclaims, did so without prejudice.

The appeal from the intermediate order must be dismissed because the right of direct appeal therefrom terminated with the entry of the decree. The issues raised on the appeal from the order are brought up for review and have been considered on the appeal from the decree.

In 1982 IB (hereinafter the decedent), an extremely successful businessman who founded the Berk Trade and Business School (hereinafter the School), executed a will. In his will, the decedent named his two sons, JB and HB, as the co-executors of his estate.

Published on: November 5, 2015

Petitioner Brings Case Over Lost Will

by Stephen Bilkis

The two case hereunder is about probate proceedings.

The first case is the proceeding to establish a lost will pursuant to Surrogate’s Court Act, § 143. The testimony of the two subscribing witnesses establishes that decedent executed a will on or about February 27, 1948, in full compliance with the provisions of Decedent Estate Law, § 21 and that at that time he was of sound mind and under no restraint.

The attorney-draftsman, who was also one of the subscribing witnesses, testified that the will was turned over to decedent’s son for safekeeping immediately upon its execution. He further testified that he made an exact carbon copy of the original will which he conformed and kept in his files. The said carbon counterpart has been offered for probate by petitioner as decedent’s will.

Published on: October 12, 2015

Petitioner Brings Action for Proceeding to Establish Lost Will

by Stephen Bilkis

The two case hereunder is about probate proceedings.

The first case is the proceeding to establish a lost will pursuant to Surrogate’s Court Act, § 143. The testimony of the two subscribing witnesses establishes that decedent executed a will on or about February 27, 1948, in full compliance with the provisions of Decedent Estate Law, § 21 and that at that time he was of sound mind and under no restraint.

The attorney-draftsman, who was also one of the subscribing witnesses, testified that the will was turned over to decedent’s son for safekeeping immediately upon its execution. He further testified that he made an exact carbon copy of the original will which he conformed and kept in his files. The said carbon counterpart has been offered for probate by petitioner as decedent’s will.

Published on: October 6, 2015

Widow Appeals Refusal of Court to Admit Will Into Probate

by Stephen Bilkis

In a probate proceeding, the decedent’s widow, appeals from stated portions of a decree of the Surrogate’s Court, Kings County, dated February 13, 1991, which, inter alia, upon refusing to admit a will to probate, impressed a constructive trust upon the entire estate for the benefit of the beneficiaries named in the will, and directed disposition of the decedent’s estate.

The decedent and his wife, the appellant, executed mutual wills that were mirror images of each other. The couple was childless and wanted their assets to be shared equally by their respective relatives. Accordingly, simultaneous with the execution of the wills, they executed a written contract which prohibited either party from revoking or changing the wills in any way, without the written consent of the other, and they further provided that any attempt to do so would be ineffective as against the claims of the legatees of the mirror wills. The wife survived the decedent, whose will is the subject matter of this appeal. His will provide a portion of his estate would be placed in trust with the income therefrom to the appellant for life, and the remainder to their relatives, who were enumerated in the will. The decedent bequeathed the rest of his estate to the appellant outright.

After the decedent’s death, the appellant wife, alleging that she could not find the decedent’s will, applied for and obtained letters of administration. As the sole distributee, she received the entire net estate. The petitioner (hereinafter the proponent), a co-executor and co-trustee under the will, commenced the instant proceeding against her to revoke the letters of administration that were issued to her, and to admit to probate a conformed copy of the decedent’s will or, alternatively, for specific performance of the aforementioned agreement.

Published on: September 19, 2015

Catholic Church Brings Suit to Clarify Will Terms

by Stephen Bilkis

In this miscellaneous proceeding, the petitioner, Catholic Child Care Society of the Diocese of Brooklyn (hereinafter Catholic Child Care Society) seeks to modify the decedent’s will to designate St. John’s Residence for Boys as a beneficiary of a testamentary trust (hereinafter Dowdall Testamentary Trust) established under the decedent’s will in lieu of Catholic Child Care Society pursuant to EPTL 8-1.1.

The decedent E.M. Dowdall died on April 13, 1968. Her will was admitted to probate in this court on January 16, 1969. Article Fourth of the will sets forth various charitable beneficiaries which include The Carmelite Sisters of the Aged and Infirmed, The Catholic Foreign Missionary Society of America (Maryknoll Fathers), The Nursing Sisters of the Sick Poor, The Monastery of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, and The Confraternity of the Precious Blood. Each of these organizations receives a specific bequest of $5,000.

Article Fifth of the will for which relief under EPTL 8-1.1 is sought bequeaths the entire residuary estate to a trust for the benefit of Catholic Child Care Society. Article Fifth further provides for the invasion of the principal of the trust annually until the trust and corpus is exhausted. The Dowdall Testamentary Trust has a remaining principal of approximately $90,000.

Published on: August 1, 2015

Court Discusses Power of Attorney Document

by Stephen Bilkis

The issue on this appeal is (1) whether a power of attorney which conferred limited realty management powers upon JSF was one relating to an interest in a decedent’s estate and was therefore ineffective under EPTL 13-2.3 for failure to record it in the Surrogate’s Court, and (2) whether plaintiff LC Corporation, a corporation dissolved by proclamation of the Secretary of State for nonpayment of franchise taxes in 1978, had capacity to bring this action to enforce obligations arising out of prohibited new business conducted five years after dissolution. We conclude that the power of attorney was not ineffective for failure to record in the Surrogate’s Court, and that the plaintiff lacked the capacity to institute this action.

In this foreclosure action, instituted in September 1983 by service by publication upon the named defendants MM (deceased) and GG, the appellant JSF sought to vacate a default judgment of foreclosure and sale dated February 24, 1984, and an order of possession dated September 18, 1984, and to dismiss the action. His motion was denied without reaching the merits upon the ground that he lacked standing as a tenant to challenge the foreclosure. Further, a power of attorney, authorizing him to act in a limited capacity for a foreign citizen who alleged ownership of the subject premises through intestate succession, was declared void for failure to record it in the Surrogate’s Court.

Appellant JSF was a long-time friend of the deceased defendant MM, and has resided at 1110 Lincoln Place in Brooklyn, the subject premises, since 1978. He is the attorney in fact for FA, a citizen and resident of Haiti, who asserts an ownership interest in the subject premises by operation of law through intestate succession.

Published on: July 18, 2015

Court Hears Motion by Executrix Requesting Surrogate to Fix Estate Tax

by Stephen Bilkis

This is a motion by the executrix requesting the Surrogate to fix the New York estate tax (Tax Law § 249–w).

The papers allege that the executrix made a motion to fix the tax returnable on March 16, 1972. Although the State Tax Commission (Commission) was duly served, no order fixing the tax has, 2 years and 9 months later, been submitted to the Surrogate. The executrix requests the Surrogate to act in his judicial, rather than administrative capacity, and to fix the tax (Tax Law § 249–w).

The Commission has appeared but has made no response, formal or informal, to the relief requested by the taxpayer. For the nature of the Commission’s objections, the Court must rely on the information imparted to it by the moving papers. It is there stated that the taxpayer was informed by the Commission that its decision in this and other cases is awaiting determination of pending appeals on related issues.

Published on: July 15, 2015

Probate Court Discusses Recent Bequests of Stock

by Stephen Bilkis

This is the first New York decision to consider the effect of the recent AT & T divestiture on a bequest of AT & T stock. This is a proceeding brought by GB, co-administratrix c.t.a., for a construction of article “SECOND” of the testatrix’s last will and testament. The testatrix died on September 13, 1985 at the approximate age of 89. The last will and testament of the testatrix, dated February 6, 1982 and a codicil thereto, dated September 27, 1984, were admitted to probate by this court on December 2, 1986. Letters of administration c.t.a. were issued to the petitioner and LP, the respondent.

Under the aforementioned codicil, the testatrix deleted CD as a residuary legatee, she having died, and in her place named LP, the respondent who was a friend of the testatrix. This replacement was the only change made, and in all other respects, the will was approved, ratified and confirmed.

The value of the testatrix’s gross estate is approximately $600,000 comprised primarily of stocks, valued at approximately $350,000.00, a house and property, valued between $175,000 to $225,000, jewelry and miscellaneous items, valued at approximately $9,500.00 and two bank accounts, in the amount of approximately $15,000. The testatrix’s closest relatives are four first cousins, once removed, of which only one receives a bequest under the will.

Published on: July 10, 2015

Probate Court Rules on Property Dispute

by Stephen Bilkis

This is an application by the Public Administrator of the County of Kings for a construction of testatrix’ will and other relief.

The testatrix died on December 27, 1919 leaving a will dated February 11, 1905 which was duly admitted to probate in this Court on June 18, 1920. Except for the printed portions of the form used, the instrument was entirely written by pen and ink. After providing for the payment of her lawful debts, testatrix devised all her property, real and personal, to her friend, Mr. BNFCRY, who was also named sole executrix with the further proviso as follows: ‘after BNFCRY Death the Balance what is left go to my Brothers or their heirs (naming them) To be Equally divided Between my Brothers or heirs of my Brothers’ (italics, capitalization and spelling as in original).

It appears that upon testatrix’s death Mr. BNFCRY took possession of real and personal property of testatrix and by conveyances, transfers, assignments, sales, and alienations, by said BNFCRY, individually and as executrix, the assets of the estate were disposed of among the several persons named in the petition herein. The question posed is whether by testatrix’ will BNFCRY took a fee or a life estate with or without power of alienation or disposition.