It's been widely reported across various websites in the last couple days that Farrah Fawcett's will has been revealed and it "shockingly" disinherited her longtime ex-boyfriend Ryan O'Neal (father to her son, Redmond). These reports are wrong on several levels.
First, the document was her Trust, not her will. You can read it here, courtesy of Radaronline.com. This is an important distinction. Wills are public records and must always be filed in probate to be effective, which allows anyo... Read Full Story
Glenn E. "Bo" Schembechler, Jr., is one of the most respected names in the history of college football. And, no, I'm not saying that just because I graduated from the University of Michigan (twice). He built one of the most successful football programs around, and it excelled for decades.
Coach Bo died of heart disease on November 17, 2006, at age 77. He was survived by his second wife, Kathryn, his son, Glenn III, and two children of his beloved first wife, Millie, whom Bo had adopted (a... Read Full Story
The Michael Jackson Estate has been the subject of regular court hearings as Katherine Jackson battled for control over the last several months. She routinely objected to the decisions of the co-executors John Branca and John McClain. Recently, she hired a new attorney with the promise of taking the case in a new direction, as I discussed in this recent article about the Michael Jackson case.
Her case took a new direction, all right. She decided to drop her claim. That's right, she stopp... Read Full Story
Curious about how celebrity estate errors can help you protect yourself, your family, and your heirs? Watch this video:
Posted by: Author and probate attorney Andrew W. Mayoras, co-author of Trial & Heirs: Famous Fortune Fights! and co-founder and shareholder of The Center for Probate Litigation and The Center for Elder Law in metro-Detroit, Michigan, which concentrate in probate litigation, estate planning, and elder law. You can email him at awmayoras @ brmmlaw.com.
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As I described in this article from February 2009, the trustees of the Leona Helmsley charitable trust asked the probate court in New York for permission to donate primarily to charities that helped people rather than dogs, despite some language in the trust that suggested she wanted her billions to benefits animal charities.
Specifically, the trust had a Mission Statement that included, as its first purpose "the provision of the care for dogs". But it also gave the trustees discretion to... Read Full Story
As I described in this article from February 2009, the trustees of the Leona Helmsley charitable trust asked the probate court in New York for permission to donate primarily to charities that helped people rather than dogs, despite some language in the trust that suggested she wanted her billions to benefits animal charities.
Specifically, the trust had a Mission Statement that included, as its first purpose "the provision of the care for dogs". But it also gave the trustees discretion to... Read Full Story
Curious about how celebrity estate errors can help you protect yourself, your family, and your heirs? Watch this video:
Posted by: Author and probate attorney Andrew W. Mayoras, co-author of Trial & Heirs: Famous Fortune Fights! and co-founder and shareholder of The Center for Probate Litigation and The Center for Elder Law in metro-Detroit, Michigan, which concentrate in probate litigation, estate planning, and elder law. You can email him at awmayoras @ brmmlaw.com.
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Annual financial loss by victims of elder financial abuse is estimated to be at least $2.6 billion dollars according to a recent combined study from MetLife Mature Market Institute (MMI), The National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NCPEA), The Center for Gerontology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University report entitled, “Broken Trust: Elders, Family and Finances”. It is vitally important for attorneys and any persons who help the elderly with their finances whi... Read Full Story
The trial involving whether Rock 'n Roll pioneer & legend, Ike Turner, left a valid will has ended. As described in this prior article I wrote, the case pitted his six children (two of whom apparently are now questionable children of his) versus his ex-wife versus his friend and "sometime" attorney. I'm not exactly sure why someone would be a "sometime" attorney, but that's how he was described in this North County Times (California) article about the trial.
The children argued Ike ... Read Full Story
The trial involving whether Rock 'n Roll pioneer & legend, Ike Turner, left a valid will has ended. As described in this prior article I wrote, the case pitted his six children (two of whom apparently are now questionable children of his) versus his ex-wife versus his friend and "sometime" attorney. I'm not exactly sure why someone would be a "sometime" attorney, but that's how he was described in this North County Times (California) article about the trial.
The children argued Ike ... Read Full Story
