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Bo Schembechler’s Son Sues His Stepmom Over Trust

November 17, 2009

Glenn E. “Bo” Schembechler, Jr., is one of the most respected names in the history of college football.  And, no, I’m not saying that just because I graduated from the University of Michigan (twice).  He built one of the most successful football programs around, and it excelled for decades.
Coach Bo died of heart disease on November [...]

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Leona Helmsley Charity Battle Rages On

November 10, 2009

As I described in this article from February 2009, the trustees of the Leona Helmsley charitable trust asked the probate court in New York for permission to donate primarily to charities that helped people rather than dogs, despite some language in the trust that suggested she wanted her billions to benefits animal charities. 
Specifically, the trust had [...]

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FBI Investigated Anna Nicole Smith For Murder Of “Step-Son”

October 27, 2009

Probate disputes over whether a will or trust was valid, or instead was signed at at time when the person was mentally incompetent or subject to undue influence, are common.  They’re also very emotional and difficult for everyone involved.  The Anna Nicole Smith case – the Granddaddy of all probate disputes — illustrates this more than any other.
[...]

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Estate fight is resolved

October 20, 2009

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s three children have been fighting with each other in court over control of his estate and financial legacy.  Here are my prior articles about the Martin Luther King, Jr. estate fight.  Two of the three children had sued Dexter King, their brother, who had the legal authority to make decisions regarding [...]

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New Book To Help Avoid Celebrity Estate Planning Blunders

October 7, 2009

“Trial & Heirs: Famous Fortune Fights!” Explores High-Profile Cases & Offers Expert Advice

The highly publicized estate battles of several deceased celebrities have cast a bright spotlight on the importance of having the proper estate planning. Although mega-rich celebrities seem to be affected overwhelmingly by these brutal family squabbles, the new book
“Trial & Heirs: Famous [...]

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New book coming soon!

September 24, 2009

Announcing Trial & Heirs™: Famous Fortune Fights! — the forthcoming book from legacy expert attorneys Danielle & Andrew Mayoras.
Learn more ABOUT THE BOOK, or read ABOUT THE AUTHORS. If you’re a member of the press, please visit the PRESS & INTERVIEWS page. And don’t forget to sign-up for updates to the right.
Recent ‘Famous Fortune Fight’ [...]

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Ike Turner Estate Starts a Very Ugly Trial

September 21, 2009

Ike Turner is considered to be, by many, one of the fathers of rock and roll.  While he’s best known for his relationship and work with Tina Turner, his 50+ years in the music business has covered virtually every position and rock genre imaginable.
He died of a cocaine overdose at age 76 on December 12, 2007.  He left [...]

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MLK family fight heading to trial

September 21, 2009

A few months ago I blogged about the court battle between the three surviving children of Martin Luther King, Jr.  Well the case has only gotten uglier as it’s progressed.
Yesterday, the attorneys were in court because Dexter King — the one in control of the King Estate — filed a motion asking the judge to [...]

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Tolkien Estate settles lawsuit over movie proceeds

September 21, 2009

The Lord of The Rings creator can finally rest in peace!  Those in charge of J.R.R. Tolkien’s estate filed a lawsuit in February 2008 against New Line Cinema claiming that the estate was deprived of hundreds of millions of dollars.  It just been settled, to the delight of hobbits everywhere.
Why the lawsuit?  Apparently, the orc-like movie [...]

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Eliza Presley suing to prove Elvis is her brother and he’s alive

September 21, 2009

One of my first articles on this blog was about Eliza Presley’s lawsuit against the Estate of Vernon Presley (the father of Elvis) to prove she was a legitimate heir of Vernon and half-brother to Elvis.  She sued last year, but withdrew the claim because it was in the wrong court — probate court, instead of [...]

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