I have it on good authority that as you read this, summer has arrived. Whether you are in the mountains or on the beach, or neither, to keep the mental gears turning lest they seize up in a surrender to enjoyment, we present some interesting cases involving: a complaint being determined to state a claim … Continued

A discovery proceeding pursuant to SCPA 21031 may be commenced by any legal representative of an estate, including a preliminary executor or a temporary administrator. An estate fiduciary has a duty to collect and preserve estate assets for the benefit of the beneficiaries of an estate. To this extent, when the fiduciary knows, or has reason to … Continued

I. Removal It is well-settled that a testator’s choice of a fiduciary is entitled to great deference;1 however, a fiduciary may be removed when the grounds set forth in the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (SCPA) have been clearly established.2 Additionally, a hearing on removal is not necessary when undisputed facts or concessions are within the … Continued

The TELS Section is back live (almost) The spring meeting was held in a hybrid format this year. We had an in-person Executive Committee meeting in the morning, an in-person lunch, and a CLE that was available live at the site or on Zoom. In the evening, we had a live reception for the attendees … Continued

DECISIONS OF INTEREST Absent Evidence of Contrary Intent, Title Taken by Married Couple in Home Is Taken as Tenants by the Entirety The Third District Court of Appeal reversed a final order granting summary administration of the estate of Eleida Ramos. The facts are as follows: Eleida Ramos (wife) and Pedro Ramos (husband) were married … Continued

Since the 1980s, nearly all aspects of our lives, from socializing to financial transactions, have increasingly become digitized—so too, now, has our art. One form of digital art in particular, Non-Fungible Tokens, commonly referred to as NFTs, has been around since approximately 2014, but its growth in popularity—as well as in value—over the past year … Continued

Common Law Marriage Before the Surrogate’s Court, Orange County, in Matter of Rogers, was a proceeding for letters of administration in which the threshold issue was whether the petitioner was the decedent’s common law spouse. Objections were filed by the decedent’s only child, who filed a cross-petition in which he claimed to be the decedent’s sole distributee. The … Continued