How to Contest a Will in California
Key Takeaways Understanding Will Contests A will contest is the legal process of challenging the validity of the legal document stating how a person, known as the testator, wants their assets distributed after death. This process can be emotionally taxing since the person or people contesting the will are likely still grieving the loss of […]
“She didn’t fall off that balcony; she was pushed!” Probate Slayer Statute Lessons from Taylor Swift’s Anti-Hero
If Swift’s children, Preston and Chad, are able to successfully challenge the Will, leaving her estate to her cats, the distribution would return to either an older version of the estate plan, or the estate would be distributed by intestate succession. There was one element we did not really discuss and that’s the allegation that Kimber Swift, Preston’s wife, killed Taylor by pushing her off her balcony.
Who Will Inherit Your Digital Footprint?
The laws surrounding the question remain surprisingly unclear. Have you thought about who will inherit access to your digital footprint, from emails to bank and social media accounts and everything in between, after you pass away? It’s worth considering, given the laws governing post-death digital assets access remain surprisingly limited and murky. Digital assets – […]
“She’s Laughing Up at Us from Hell:” What Lessons About Estate Planning We Can Take from Taylor Swift’s Anti-Hero
In 2006, Taylor Swift burst onto the music scene with her breakout country single, Tim McGraw. Nearly 20 years, 10 albums, and 51 million record sales later[1], she has become a household name. Taylor Swift is also no stranger to the legal field. From her sexual assault countersuit against D.J. David Mueller in which she […]
The Abuse of Anti-SLAPP Motions in Probate and Civil Matters
Litigants are still finding new applications for California’s powerful (and sometimes infamous) anti-SLAPP statute in civil matters, and as evidenced by the recently resolved Starr v. Ashbrook, probate courts are no exception. The case revolved around a contentious estate battle between the children of a 90-year-old Laguna Beach man and his girlfriend and trustee. The […]
Does A Prenuptial Agreement Override A Will
Premarital agreements increasingly have become commonplace in modern marriages. A 2022 poll by Harris Insights & Analytics found that 15 percent of married respondents reported having a premarital agreement, up from 3 percent in 2010.