Trial by Zoom
Prior to 2020, “Trial by Zoom” is a phrase that, for most of us, would have conjured to mind the classic dispute resolution method of youth: “I’ll race you for it.” However, starting on March 13, 2020, the Massachusetts Supreme …
Accessing the Courts During a Pandemic; a Probate Litigator’s Perspective
The last time I set foot inside of a Courthouse was on March 5, 2020, more than four months ago. This is the longest I have gone without a trip to Court since passing the bar, including the parental leaves …
Estate Planning During a Pandemic
As Tiffany mentioned in her introductory post, during the summer months we will be addressing our recent professional experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Private Client Group has remained busy during these unprecedented times. From the estate planning side, …
Beyond the Will – July/August 2020
It’s officially summertime here at Beyond the Will, and our editorial team is looking forward to sunshine, outdoor activity, and ongoing gradual progress toward the “new normal,” including expanded access to the Courts for estate administration and probate litigation matters. …
Blended Families and Intestacy Laws with Step-Children
Blended Families and Probate Litigation
Perhaps no family structure is more rife with the potential for probate litigation than a blended family. This is why careful planning is so important, as Patricia Malley so wisely advised earlier this month. Without careful planning and transparency …
Estate Planning for Blended Families
We have all heard the “fact” that 50% of marriages in the United States end in divorce. While that “fact” may be fiction, and the actual divorce rate is seemingly less, the reality is that more marriages do end in …
Beyond the Will – June 2020
What Happens When a Spouse Dies During the Divorce Process?
To wrap up our series on the impact of divorce on estate planning and probate litigation and to dovetail on Tiffany Bentley’s post discussing a former spouse’s death after divorce, this blog changes the timeline: death during a divorce. Divorce …
Reinstating an Ex-Spouse in Your Estate Plan
As previously discussed in Patricia Malley’s post “Estate Planning After Divorce”, the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code (“MUPC”) automatically removes a former spouse – and their relatives – as beneficiaries, nominated fiduciaries, or powers of appointment from any revocable estate …