Probate & Estate Litigation

Published on: May 28, 2014

Court Hears Petitioner’s Application for Certificate of Letters of Administration

by Stephen Bilkis

A New York Probate Lawyer said that, this is an application for a certificate of letters of administration, which involves a question as to the status of the county treasurer as administrator, on which question there appears neither direct statutory provision nor decision directly in point.

A Nassau Estate Lawyer said that, on June 23, 1960, the County Treasurer of Nassau County, was appointed administrator of this estate. On January 11, 1962, his term of office as county treasurer expired, and on February 5, 1962, the County treasurer, by his attorneys, requested a certificate of letters of administration in this estate.

A New York Probate Lawyer said that, on February 6, 1962, this court issued a decision in which it held that the present county treasurer, was interested in this matter, and directed that he be brought into this application. Subsequently, on February 9, 1962, the present county treasurer, by his attorney, filed a notice of appearance in which he opposed the issuance of the certificate of letters to the former treasurer and asserted that he, the present treasurer should be appointed successor administrator of this estate, and that he would petition for such appointment if the application of the former treasurer were denied. The application was submitted for determination, and both sides have submitted memoranda of law.

Published on: May 22, 2014

Court Discusses Disposition of Real Property in Probate Proceeding

by Stephen Bilkis

A New York Probate Lawyer said this action emanates from a foreclosure proceeding involving property located in New York. That property was owned by a woman who died intestate. Her brother administered her estate as voluntary administrator. It appears, although it is not entirely clear, that the brother was his sister’s sole distributee and that the subject property vested in him immediately upon his sister’s death. The brother then died estate. A cousin was appointed the voluntary administrator of the brothers’ estate. The court’s file contains the brothers’ original will which devises and bequeaths all of his property to his cousin. The cousin died and there was no deed executed from the estate of the woman to her brother, nor was there a deed from the estate of the brother to his cousin. Although the brother’s original will was filed in the court by his cousin incident to the voluntary estate administration of the brother, the will was never offered for, or admitted to, probate. The complainants are the non-marital children of the cousin, the administrators of his estate, and claim to be his only distributees.

A New York Will Lawyer said the real estate taxes at the subject property were delinquent and one woman purchased a tax lien from the County of Nassau. In April 2002, she commenced a tax lien foreclosure action on the tax lien. The notice required to be sent pursuant to Nassau County Administrative Code was sent to the person occupying the property and to the Public Administrator of Nassau County as the administrator of the estate of the woman, the Public Administrator having been appointed as such pursuant to a creditor’s petition filed by the woman.

The underlying action by the complainants is to vacate the tax lien foreclosure sale, the deed by which the current owners of record, the defendants obtained title, and the mortgage placed on the property by the defendant incident to the purchase of the property by the defendants. The complainants contend that as the fee owners of the subject property at the time the foreclosure action was commenced, they were entitled to notice of the proceeding and the failure of the woman to provide that notice requires the vacating of the judgment in the foreclosure action and all subsequent deeds and mortgages.

Published on: April 3, 2014

Petitioner Seeks to have Will Codicil Admitted into Probate

by Stephen Bilkis

A New York Probate Lawyer said that, this is an uncontested proceeding to probate a copy of the last will and testament of the decedent. The will is dated June 26, 2002, the original of which cannot be located. The petitioner is the nominated alternate executor, the decedent’s daughter. The nominated executor, the decedent’s husband, has filed a renunciation of his right to serve as executor. A waiver and consent has been filed by the decedent’s son, the decedent’s only other distributee, who was expressly disinherited both by the will offered for probate and by the revocable lifetime trust which is the residuary beneficiary under the will.

The issue in this case is whether the last will and testament of the decedent should be admitted for probate.

A New York Will Lawyer said in order to have a copy of the will admitted to probate, petitioner must satisfy the requirements of SCPA 1407 which provides: A lost or destroyed will may be admitted to probate only if: 1. It is established that the will has not been revoked, and 2. Execution of the will is proved in the manner required for the probate of an existing will, and 3. All of the provisions of the will are clearly and distinctly proved by each of at least two credible witnesses or by a copy or draft of the will proved to be true and complete.

Published on: April 1, 2014

Court Rules on Case Involving Lost Will

by Stephen Bilkis

A New York Probate Lawyer said in this Will Contest proceeding, a motion was filed for the allowance of an attorney from testifying at an examination before trial, and for a further order precluding the respondent for failure to file an adequate bill of particulars.

A New York Will Lawyer said that in August 1980, the decedent consulted another attorney, in connection with the preparation of a new will which because of her death shortly thereafter was never prepared or executed. The lawyer has been briefly examined, the examination was interrupted in order to obtain rulings from the court in regard to the attorney-client privilege.

While an attorney will generally not be compelled to testify as to matters revealed to him by his client within the course of his professional employment, there are, however, several exceptions, one of which permits an attorney “to disclose information as to the preparation, execution, or revocation of any will or other relevant instrument” in an action involving the probate, validity, or construction of a will. The proponent argues that this exception clearly applies in the instant proceeding.

Published on: March 29, 2014

Petitioner Brings Case to Probate Lost Will

by Stephen Bilkis

A New York Probate Lawyer said that a probate proceeding was brought by the Petitioner for the probate of a lost will purportedly executed by her decedent brother.

A New York Will Lawyer said that the decedent died in September 2005. A will executed on in 2003, which provided for his wife, and his three children was admitted to probate by this court in 2005. The petitioner in this proceeding seeks to admit a later instrument to probate as a lost will and revoke the earlier will’s probate decree. The allegations contained in the petition may be summarized as follows. Before he died, in 2005, decedent sought the services of his long-time attorney to change the 2003 Will in light of changing circumstances with his wife, specifically her commencement of divorce proceedings against the decedent. As a result of his discussions with the lawyer, the decedent had a new will prepared, the final version of which was completed and then executed by decedent in August 2005.

The terms of the 2005 will differ significantly from the terms of the 2003 Will. The 2005 Will reduced the wife’s share to her elective share, it left nothing to the decedent’s two children and the terms of an option to purchase the decedent’s businesses granted to decedent’s son which existed under the 2003 Will as well, were much less favorable to him under the 2005 Will. Also, the 2003 Will provides for a single executor, while the 2005 Will provides for three executors, and petitioner. The petitioner in this lost will proceeding is the decedent’s sister. Relevant to this motion is the nature of the relationship the decedent had with an individual.

Published on: March 29, 2014

Petitioner Requests Letters Testamentary

by Stephen Bilkis

A New York Probate Lawyer said this probate proceeding, two of the three preliminary executors move for an order disqualifying their former attorneys from representing the objectants; the motion is opposed.

A New York Will Lawyer said that the decedent died in November 2010, survived by a spouse and two adult children. The decedent executed a will in 1990, a first codicil in 2003, and a second codicil in 2010. In the first codicil, the decedent appointed his son, his attorney, and his accountant, as co-executors and co-trustees. Objections have been filed by decedent’s children only as to the second codicil, the only dispositive provision of which leaves the decedent’s residence in Sands Point, New York to the decedent’s spouse; the will had merely provided her with the right to occupy the decedent’s residence for up to eighteen months after the decedent’s death.

Nassau County Probate Lawyers said the lawyer and the accountant filed a petition for the probate of all three instruments and for the issuance of letters testamentary and preliminary letters testamentary to the two of them, to the exclusion of the son. As indicated above, the son and his sister objected to the probate of the second codicil, and also to the prayer for the issuance of preliminary letters solely to the lawyer and accountant. The dispute regarding the preliminary letters was resolved and preliminary letters testamentary issued to all three nominated executors in February 2011.

Published on: March 28, 2014

Court Decides Disposition of Family Business in Estate Case

by Stephen Bilkis

A New York Probate Lawyer said the decedent died a resident of Nassau County in December 2010, survived by his sister, the petitioner; and by his brothers, respondent and movant herein. The decedent’s last will and testament executed in May 2000 was offered for probate by the petitioner, who is named as the sole beneficiary of the decedent’s residuary estate, as well as the executrix in the propounded instrument. Preliminary letters testamentary issued to the petitioner by order of the court. The objectants have filed objections to probate of the will.

A Nassau County Estate lawyer said that the disputes presently before the court all relate to a supermarket, which was run by the decedent and his brother. The supermarket is comprised of three separate closely held corporations.

A New York Will Lawyer said the other respondents named in the proceedings brought by the sister are: the accountant for decedent, as well as for the brother and the various corporate entities involved in these disputes; and the replacement of the decedent replacement on the board of directors.

Published on: March 27, 2014

Court Rules in Will Dispute

by Stephen Bilkis

A New York Probate Lawyer said in this probate proceeding, petitioner, by motion, seeks an order vacating a stipulation of settlement and a renunciation and disclaimer purportedly executed to effectuate the settlement.

A Nassau County Probate attorney said that decedent was survived by his spouse (petitioner) and two children of a prior marriage (respondents).

A New York Will Lawyer said the petitioner filed a petition for probate of an instrument and preliminary letters issued to her. Decedent’s son appeared by counsel in the probate proceeding and settlement negotiations ensued. The negotiations resulted in a stipulation of settlement which was “so ordered”. The settlement provided that the assets be divided into three equal parts: 1/3 to the spouse, 1/3 to the respondent, respectively, in trust.

Published on: March 22, 2014

Court Analyzes Will Due to Allegations of Undue Influence

by Stephen Bilkis

A New York Probate Lawyer said that the complainant moves to dismiss the objections filed contending that they are not legally cognizable. A deceased woman’s last will and testament nominated the accountant, her brother, as administrator of her estate and made him the beneficiary of the residuary that comprised 49% of the estate. The deceased’s son, who received a 35% share of the estate in trust, contested the will which was denied after the jury found the proponent had exercised undue influence. Preliminary letters then issued to the complainant were subsequently revoked.

A New York Will Lawyer said sources revealed that the first objection interposed to the account must be dismissed as legally insufficient. Further, no statute compels a fiduciary, prior to judicial settlement of his account, to make application to charge the estate with counsel fees acquired in offering the will for probate with the exception of an attorney-fiduciary who does not have at least one co-fiduciary who is not rendering legal services. Furthermore, an affidavit of services having been filed, the opponent’s claim that no documentation of the services rendered was presented lacks merit.

Queens Probate Attorneys said the center of the controversy revolves about the second objection which asserts the preliminary administrator has no right to recover commissions, or to charge the estate with counsel fees he incurred as the unsuccessful proponent.

Published on: March 21, 2014

Petitioner Alleges Undue Influence Regarding Will Execution

by Stephen Bilkis

A New York Probate Lawyer said that, in this contested probate proceeding, the proponent, the daughter of the decedent, moves for an order pursuant to CPLR 3212 granting summary judgment dismissing the objections and admitting the propounded instrument dated June 25, 2007 to probate. The objectant, who is the son of the decedent, cross-moves for summary judgment denying probate to the propounded will dated June 25, 2007.

A New York Will Lawyer said the decedent, died on August 2, 2008, survived by four children. The decedent’s wife, predeceased the decedent, as did his daughter. The will offered for probate provides a $25,000.00 bequest to his son; the remaining amount of a private mortgage held by decedent for property located at 225 Hillside Avenue, Douglaston, New York is to be divided evenly among his daughters and the residuary is to be divided evenly among them. The will nominates the proponent as executor.

A Westchester County Probate Lawyers said that, the objectant has interposed the following objections to the propounded instrument: “1. the instrument propounded is not the last will and testament of the decedent. 2. The instrument is not the last will and testament of the decedent in that the signature affixed thereto, alleged to be the signature of decedent, is not, in fact, decedent’s signature. 3. The instrument offered for probate was not duly executed by the decedent in that he did not affix his signature at the end thereof, nor was such signature made by the decedent in the presence of each of the attesting witnesses, or acknowledged by him to have been made, to each of the attesting witnesses, nor did the decedent declare the instrument to be his last will, nor did at least two attesting witnesses each sign their names to said instrument as a witness at the end thereof at the request of the decedent and in his presence. 4. The instrument offered for probate was not duly executed by the decedent in that he did not publish the same as her will in the presence of the witnesses whose names are subscribed thereto and that the said alleged witnesses did not sign as witnesses in his presence or in the presence of each other. 5. The instrument offered for probate was not freely and voluntarily made by the decedent. Upon information and belief, the instrument, and the signature thereto, was obtained and procured by fraud, duress and/or undue influence practiced upon the decedent by the proponent or by other persons acting in concert or privity with her whose names are presently unknown to respondent. 6. That on the 25th day of June, 2007, the said decedent, was not of sound mind or memory and was not mentally capable of making a will. 7. Said instrument purported to be the last will and testament of the decedent, was revoked, because decedent executed a second original will on the same day he executed the instrument being offered in this probate proceeding, and only said instrument has been produced and offered for probate.”