PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE

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The Matter of the Estate of Ray F. Morningstar, N.Y.S. 2D 674(A.D. 4 Dept 2005) , a recently reported case , concerned a dispute between alleged nonmarital children of the decedent and the decedent’s marital children who were the estate’s administrators. In its decision denying the petition of the alleged nonmarital children for the removal of the marital children as administrators, New York’s Appellate Division speaks at length to the reasons when a fiduciary may be removed.
Continue Reading Hostility, in and of Itself Will not Justify the Removal of Fiduciaries of an Estate

In the Matter of Zirinsky 2005 NY Slip Op 25454, Nassau County New York Surrogate John Riordan ruled that the fiduciary of a deceased fiduciary must apply to the Court under SCPA 2207(7) in order to obtain all of the rights and powers of the deceased fiduciary. In the absence of such a determination, the power of the fiduciary is limited to that property of the estate coming within his or her possession at the death of the origninal fiduciary.
Continue Reading A Fiduciary Cannot Account to Him or Herself

In order for a will to be successfully contested, the first step is the examination of its witnesses and attorney-draftsman as to the facts and circumstances surrounding the instrument’s execution. This proceeding gives the first glimpse into whether or not the law was properly followed in executing the will and whether or not the testator was mentally competent or subject to duress at the time. Section 1404 of the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (SCPA)provides objectant’s counsel with this important tool.
Continue Reading Examination of Witnesses to a Will

A decision of New York’s Court of Appeals handed down on October 27,2005 and published in the October 28 issue of the New York Law Journal in Estate of Mildred B Murphy, Deceased 4 No. 137 resolved issues raised in an unusual situation where a birth mother outlived a son who had been adopted-out but was also named in her will as a beneficiary. The question was whether or not the bequests set out in the will lapsed or passed to his issue pursuant to New York’s anti-lapse statute (EPTL 3-3.3)
Continue Reading ‘Adopted-Out’ child Ruled Issue of Birth Parent if Named as Beneficiary in Will

Suffolk County N.Y. police determined that Julie-Ann Low had been slain by her boyfriend Guilio Romano who had then gone on to take his own life. Ms. Low’s will provided that Romano was to inherit her home in Westhampton N.Y. together with its contents. The petitioners moved by summary judgment to disqualify Romano’s estate on the grounds that he had killed Ms. Low before committing suicide.

Suffolk County Surrogate John Czygier ruled that the petitioners had made a prima facia showing that Romano had murdered Ms. Low and granted summary judgment as a matter of law disqualifying the estate
Continue Reading Murder-Suicide Disqualifies Killer’s Estate

In a decision handed down on July 11,2005, New York’s Appellate Division made some important distinctions between joint and mutual wills. Schloss v. Koslow, 800 N.Y.S.2d 715(A.D.2 Dept 2005) found that there was insufficient basis to infer that a promise by a testator never to alter or revoke his will gave rise to a binding contract which might be enforced by a third party beneficiary.
Continue Reading Mutual Will Held to be Revocable

Undue influence and duress often form the basis for an estate contest but may be extremely difficult to prove. It is necessary to establish that the influence exercised amounted to a moral coercion which restrained independant action and which forced the testator to do that which was against his or her free will and desire.
Continue Reading Undue Influence and Duress