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09.11.2019
In PA, a Name is Enough: No Need to Identify Corporate Assets To Make Valid Transfer to Trust
In re Passarelli Family Trust, 206 A.3d 1188 (PA Super 2019) The Superior Court of Pennsylvania reversed a decree entered in the Orphans’ Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas of Chester County granting the petition of Margaret Passarelli to terminate an irrevocable trust (the “Trust”). Joseph and Margaret Passarelli were married on November […]
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09.11.2019
No Attorneys’ Fees Awarded In Will Contest Where Case Had “Obvious Legal and Factual Weakness[es]”
In re the Estate of Connolly, No. A-3855-17T1, 2019 WL 1578804 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. Apr. 12, 2019). This case involves a purported will drafted by an attorney who never met the decedent. The attorney drafted the will based on a telephone conversation he had with the decedent, who was then ninety (90) years […]
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09.11.2019
Litigant “Entitled to Fair and Reasonable Opportunity to Litigate”
De Paul vs. Estate of De Paul, A-0887-16t2, 2019 WL 1831554 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. April 25, 2019). This action considered the reach of the entire controversy doctrine. The dispute stemmed from the disposition of a residential property in Mays Landing owned by the decedent, Catherine De Paul (“Catherine”). Catherine died testate in December […]
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09.11.2019
Another Celebrity Will Contest: Tom Petty’s Estate in Litigation
Tom Petty died of an accidental drug overdose at age 66, on October 2, 2017. Despite having an estate plan, his widow and his daughters from a previous marriage are now in a battle over the implementation of that plan. Petty established the Thomas Early Petty Living Trust, which appointed his wife Dana York Petty […]
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Frank Demmerly
Frank R. Demmerly, Jr. is a Stockholder in the law firm of Archer & Greiner, P.C. He provides estate planning, estate administration and estate and gift tax advice. Taking into account client’s personal and tax objective, he provides Wills, Trusts, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (“ILIT”S”), Power-of-Attorney, Healthcare Proxies, Living Wills, planning and implementation of simple and complex gifting programs (which may use GRAT’S, QPRT’S and other complex techniques), Charitable Remainder trusts, Charitable Foundations, and other estate planning services. He assists clients with the complexities of administration of estates including probate, the preparation and filing of estate tax returns and estate and trust funding and distributions .