A will by which a mother left her estate to two of her three children was not a product of influence when the third child failed to produce clear and convincing evidence of weakened intellect, a confidential relationship, and a … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Undue influence
It was not an abuse of discretion for the Orphans’ Court to sustain objections to a notice of intention to issue a subpoena when the subpoena would be issued after the deadline for discovery had passed, and it was not … Continue reading
The alleged incapacitated person was adjudicated incapacitated in 2024, but was found to have had testamentary capacity in 2018 when she revoked her revocable trust, based mainly on the testimony of her counsel who met with her and prepared the … Continue reading
The credible testimony of a reputable attorney who had known the decedent for many years created a presumption of the absence of undue influence. Conflicting testimony as to the health and mental state of the decedent was insufficient to establishe … Continue reading
Although the decedent’s daughter denied acting as agent for her father under the power of attorney for which she had signed an agent’s acknowledgement, she was found to have acted as agent, and to have fiduciary duties to her father, … Continue reading
On remand from the Supreme Court, the Superior Court has held that, even if the settlor and beneficiaries could modify an irrevocable trust to allow the beneficiaries to remove and replace trustees, the modification might still be void for undue … Continue reading
The testimony of two doctors who diagnosed the decedent as suffering from dementia before and after she executed a “gifting agreement” transferring valuable coins to her son was sufficient to establish weakened intellect, and the testimony of the son showed … Continue reading
Claim of undue influence was properly rejected when Orphans’ Court found that the decedent did not suffer from a weakened intellect and the alleged influencer did not have a confidential relationship with the decedent. Summary judgment on lack of testamentary … Continue reading
Although the decedent’s business advisor received no direct benefit from the decedent’s will (which named him as the executor and testamentary trustee), he received a collateral benefit from being named the trustee of a discretionary charitable trust, and so a … Continue reading
Challenges to the validity of a revocable trust must be made by a petition to the Orphans’ Court, and not by an appeal from the probate of the will of which the trust is a beneficiary, and so the appeal … Continue reading