Mary Goodblood grew up believing that she was Cash Goodblood’s only daughter. Twenty-five years after he died, her dad’s brother Uncle Trusty sold the Goodblood family business for a tidy sum. After report of the lucrative sale was plastered on the front page of the local newspaper, Mary received a Facebook message from a stranger Désirée saying “Hi, I think your Dad is also my Dad. Do you want to exchange DNA?” In talking to her Uncle Trusty Mary learned that Désirée’s mom, Candy Onenight, had a brief relationship with Cash long before Cash and Mary’s mom got married. When Uncle Trusty, the trustee of Cash’s trust that specifically names Mary and nowhere mentions Désirée, is presented with Désirée’s claim for a share of Cash’s estate, what should Uncle Trusty do?Continue Reading “Hi, I Think Your Dad is Also My Dad”: Illegitimate Heirs – Fiduciaries
Following the untimely death last year of his father Big Daddy Bux due to COVID-19, brother Hustler Bux was appointed independent executor of Big Daddy’s Will. When Hustler asked for a judicial discharge, sister Kathy “Kitten” – who had cared for both parents and still lived in the family home – objected complaining that Hustler failed to disclose important facts related to the estate. Kitten’s mistrust was intensified by altercations between them at the family home, and then confirmed by Hustler’s late inventory and accounting revealing his uneven distribution of Big Daddy’s $5 million estate. Without telling Kitten, Hustler (i) deeded the family home to Kitten and deducted his determination of its value from her share, (ii) deeded a ranch in Goliad to himself and their two brothers – but not her, (iii) reserved $150,000 of estate funds to cover his attorneys’ fees to defend any lawsuit. Kitten asked for explanations. Hustler refused. Even worse, Hustler intimated that, by just asking for the estate information, Kitten violated the will’s “no-contest” clause. Can Hustler refuse to tell Kitten about Big Daddy’s estate and his assets? What’s a “no-contest clause?” What is a judicial discharge?
Ernest “Big Daddy” Bux’s great Auntie Heidi Loper moved to a retirement community when her husband Sam retired years go. A short time later, Sam died. Over the years Heidi’s handyman Don Meetdirts and his wife Ada befriended Heidi. They persuaded her to leave them millions of dollars in cash and other items. Prior Wills would have left Heidi’s property to her family of whom she was very proud – both of the Bux family name and of the assets she and Sam had acquired. When the Wills were changed, Heidi had failing eyesight, deteriorating health and a delicate mental condition. When Big Daddy and the Bux family learned at Auntie Loper’s death that the Meetdirts were the only beneficiaries under the last Will, they asked their favorite attorney if they have a claim of undue influence to deny the Meetdirts any inheritance. Do they?
Last month, Jim Duncey, the majority owner and face of Duncey’s Caps, Inc., was involved in a car accident and arrested for DWI. Facing a PR crisis Duncey’s board of directors called an emergency meeting. The board implemented its crisis plan, issued a statement condemning driving while intoxicated, suspended Duncey, ordered him to attend rehabilitation, and made a $100,000 donation to MADD. 
Seeing the bottom line awash with red ink yet again, Susie Sears reluctantly decided to shut down her family-owned Widgets-R-Us. Pressured by thinning margins, a weakening labor pool and increasing competition from foreign markets, Widgets-R-Us is leveraged to the hilt and profits are insufficient to pay even her secured debt. With no viable assets or business, there’s nothing to mortgage or to sell. How can Susie and her fellow company officers walk away without becoming personally liable?
Board of directors member Y.I. Gnough, who is also president of Algae Company, is in a pickle. Although denying any knowledge of sexual harassment and misconduct by the company founder and deal-maker Iam Algae, three co-board members resigned fearing for their reputational and financial survival. Employees are fueling the rumors of women who complained of unwanted touching, sexual harassment and other over-the-line behavior. Even 
Ima Knowitall, owner of All My Business Ideas (AMBI), just read the Wall Street Journal article on new