These days, my practice focuses almost exclusively on estate litigation, surrogate’s court practice, and adult guardianship. However, I used to do estate planning.
My office created a descent and distribution diagram to aide estate planning clients in visualizing the difference
New York Surrogate's Court Monitor
Reporting the secret and hidden rules of New York’s probate court
Latest from New York Surrogate's Court Monitor - Page 2
Westchester County Surrogate’s Court Changes Position on Allowing Reimbursement for FedEx Charges
The Westchester County Surrogate’s Court now permits reimbursement from the estate to counsel for executors and administrators for Federal Express charges incurred, a change to the court’s past practices, potentially setting off a broader trend reflecting technological changes in the…
The Easy Way for Attorneys Representing the Decedent’s Cousins to Get a Death Certificate in New York City
Retrieving an original copy of a death certificate in New York City usually isn’t a big challenge, but it can be if the client’s degree of kindred to the decedent is too remote, like a cousin.
In my practice, the…
Kings County Petitions for a Compulsory Accounting Cannot Include a Request for Additional Relief
The Kings County Surrogate’s Court prohibits petitioners from stating “any further relief requested” in the form JA-10 (1/2004) Petition for a Compulsory Accounting and Related Relief SCPA 2205.
The form JA-10, entitled “Petition for a Compulsory Accounting and Related…
Wills that Exercise a Power of Appointment May Cause Extra Work After Testator’s Death
Probating a will which exercises a power of appointment may mean more work than usual before jurisdiction is marked complete.
Pursuant to Uniform Rule 207.19(d):
In a probate proceeding where the will purports to exercise a power of appointment,…