Trust litigation battles can not only be expensive and time-consuming; they may also lead to lasting damage in relationships between family and friends and expose private family problems to the public. In general, it’s preferable to find a way to resolve...
Trust Beneficiaries are broken into two large categories, income beneficiaries and contingent beneficiaries. Frequently the interests of these two groups of individuals will differ early and often. Much is the case with a phone call I received recently. A potential...
Each week, The Houston Chronicle runs a column entitled “State Your Case,” where local attorney Ron Lipman answers 4 or 5 questions from readers regarding various legal subjects. Recently, Lipman devoted the entire week’s column to estate planning and probate...
In the Wall Street Journal’s issue on November 12, 2009, Journal writer Jane Hodges offers a “Cranky Consumer” article in which she compares and contrasts various online programs to create a do-it-yourself Will. The article, entitled “Before It’s Too Late: A Test of...
An article concerning the probate of the Estate of local oil pioneer provides an interesting glimpse into the mind of potential jurors. I recently ran across a Houston Chronicle article concerning the Estate of Alfred C. Glassell. It seems the daughter of the oil...