On August 19, 2016, Governor Cuomo signed into law an amendment to CPLR §4503(b) which creates another exception to the attorney-client privilege in the case of revocable trusts. The first such exception, initially enacted pursuant to the provisions of CPA 354 (the predecessor to CPLR §4503[b]), provides that the privilege will not apply “in any action involving the probate, validity or construction of a will” (see CPLR §4503[b]). The 2016 exception expands CPLR §4503(b) to now include actions, after the grantor’s death, involving revocable trusts.
The purpose of the attorney-client privilege is to promote the use of legal representation by assuring clients that they may freely confide in their counsel without concern that such confidences may be divulged to outsiders (see Matter of Colby, 187 Misc 2d 695 [Sur Ct, New York County 2001], citing Priest v Hennessey, 51 NY2d 62, 67-68 [1980]). Nevertheless, to the extent it shields evidence from disclosure, it obstructs the fact-finding process (see Matter of Colby, 187 Misc 2d 695, 697).
With this balanced approach in mind, the recent bill amending CPLR §4503(b) finds its justification in the pre-existing exception to the attorney-client privilege in the case of probate contests, and the fact that revocable trusts serve as the equivalent of wills. However, it should be noted that the exception only applies after the death of the grantor, in recognition of the fact that a party, other than the grantor, has no standing to challenge a revocable trust during the grantor’s lifetime (see N.Y.S. Assembly Memorandum in Support of Legislation, citing Matter of Davidson, 177 Misc 2d 928, 930 [Sur Ct, New York County 1998]).