The settling of a decedent’s estate in New York may be relatively straight forward or frought with problems. As has been discussed in the many articles appearing in the New York Probate Lawyer Blog, the initial steps after a decedent’s death concern whether there was Last Will and Testament to…
Articles Posted in Estate Litigation
Removal of a Fiduciary Requires Specific Facts
There are numerous occasions where the Surrogate’s Court appoints a fiduciary to oversee an estate or a trust. With regard to an estate, the Court may need to appoint an executor or a preliminary executor in the case of a probate proceeding. If a decedent dies intestate, it may be…
Oral Communications with a Decedent May Be Allowed to Prove an Oral Contract
Estate settlement may involve complex issues regarding a decedent. Many of the articles appearing in the New York Probate Lawyer Blog discuss issues concerning the probate of a Last Will and Testament or the appointment of an administrator of an intestate estate. Probate and administration proceedings can take many months…
Turnover Proceedings in the Surrogate’s Court May Be Dismissed if Untimely
The process of administering an estate in the Surrogate’s Court may involve numerous proceedings. Initially, it may appear that only two main proceedings exist when a person dies. One type of proceeding is called probate. This situation arises when a person leaves a Last Will and Testament. A Will must…
New York Jurisdiction is Needed to Obtain Estate Turnover of Assets
The settlement of a New York estate may involve many different proceedings and issues. Initially, a proceeding needs to be commenced in the Surrogate’s Court to have an executor or administrator appointed to handle estate affairs. This includes the identification and collection of assets and the payment of claims and…
Recovery of Insurance Proceeds May Not Be Determined in Surrogate’s Court – The Issue of Jurisdiction is Paramount
After the death of an individual, a process of ascertaining and collecting assets needs to commence. Of course, the appointment of an estate fiduciary, whether executor or administrator, is essential to the asset collection process. In the event a delay is expected with regard to probating a Last Will or…
New York Estate Litigation Involves Many Different Legal Concepts – Here, a Power of Attorney Involves the Creation of a Contract
New York estate litigation encompasses many different aspects of trust and estate law. Controversies may arise in many types of proceedings. In the case of a probate proceeding, the most obvious area of dispute concerns the validity of a Last Will and Testament. This type of controversy is known as…
New York Estate Litigation – An Unhappy Place
Following a person’s death, the settlement of an estate, and any testamentary trusts which may be involved, typically occurs through proceedings in the Surrogate’s Court. The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has published numerous articles concerning the probate and administration of estates. As can be seen from a review of…
Transfers of Real Estate Prior to Death Require Proof of the Validity of the Gift
A very common issue that arises in estate litigation concerns pre-death transfers of assets. When a person prepares a Last Will and Testament, this document only controls assets which are owned by a decedent at the time of death. If an asset is transferred or re-titled into the name of…
A Parent Can Be Disqualified to Receive a New York Inheritance
The estate laws in New York are comprised of a variety of statutes which set forth the right of individuals regarding estate inheritance. Some of these more well-known rules relate to a decedent’s surviving spouse. For example, as estate lawyers are aware, a surviving spouse cannot be completely disinherited. Estates,…