Tag Archives: wills

Will contests: surviving summary judgment

Surrogate Calvaruso of Monroe County issued a decision in Matter of Feller on January 4, 2010, worth reading for its succinct summary of some of the burdens of proof and presumptions that have to be overcome to survive summary judgment … Continue reading

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Article on Wills, Inheritance & Halacha in Community Magazine

An article I wrote on yerusha (Jewish Laws of Inheritance) and halachic estate planning was published in the October 2009 issue of Community Magazine. See The Top 10 Questions & Answers About Wills, Inheritance & Halacha.  If you’re concerned about … Continue reading

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Testamentary capacity and undue influence in criminal proceedings

Should the Brooke Astor case be a criminal proceeding, or is it better off as a routine will contest? Continue reading

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Dementia and the question of testamentary capacity

The issue is the mental state at the moment the will was signed, not the testator’s overall mental decline. A diagnosis of dementia may be an important indication, but it is not necessarily conclusive. Continue reading

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Estate planning during a recession

For an article on some estate planning considerations (and reconsiderations) during a recession, see Smaller Though It May Be, It’s Time to Look at the Estate, by Paul Sullivan, New York Times, 3/20/2009. Excerpts from the article: The biggest issue, … Continue reading

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