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Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 2009-2010), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The 2010 Session of the General Assembly enacted wills, trusts, and estates legislation (i) adopting the Uniform Power of Attorney Act, (ii) passing emergency legislation for the construction of tax-oriented wills and trusts of persons who die during 2010 with documents drafted prior thereto, (iii) revising the small-estate statutes, and (iv) clarifying the burial power of attorney. In addition, there were six other enactments, and seven opinions from the Supreme Court of Virginia during the one-year period ending June 1, 2010 that present issues of interest in this area. This article reports on all of these legislative and judicial developments, …

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia) Law, 2008-2009, J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The 2009 Session of the General Assembly enacted wills, trusts, and estates legislation (1) preventing, in cases where persons die aft.er June 30, 2009, application of a regrettable 2008 Supreme Court of Virginia decision dealing with the rights of illegitimate heirs in intestate succession, and (2) amending Virginia's version of the Uniform Principal and Income Act to provide for taxpayer benefit and clarity in matters relating to total return unitrusts, the marital deduction, and the income taxation of trusts. In addition, there were several other enactments along with four opinions from the Supreme Court of Virginia during the one-year period …

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 2006-2008), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The 2007 Session of the General Assembly enacted substantially more wills, trusts, and estates legislation than one typically expects, some of which was of a particularly significant nature, such as that (1) providing for the probate of wills not executed with the required statutory formalities; (2) preventing any future application of an unfortunate augmented estate decision of the Supreme Court of Virginia; (3) avoiding the impact of federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA") preemption in certain insurance revocation and slayer statute cases; and (4) mandating notice to the public when modification or termination of a charitable trust, …

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 2005-2006), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The General Assembly enacted legislation dealing with wills, trusts, and estates that added or amended a number of sections of the Virginia Code in its 2006 Session. In addition, there were six opinions from the Supreme Court of Virginia during the period covered by this review that presented issues of interest to the general practitioner as well as the specialist in wills, trusts, and estates. This article reports on all of these legislative and judicial developments.

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 2004-05), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The General Assembly enacted legislation dealing with wills, trusts, and estates that added or amended a number of sections of the Virginia Code in its 2005 Session. In addition, there were two opinions from the Supreme Court of Virginia that presented issues of interest to the general practitioner as well as to the specialist in wills, trusts, and estates during the period covered by this review. This article reports on all of these legislative and judicial developments.

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 2003-2004), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The General Assembly enacted legislation dealing with wills, trusts, and estates that added or amended a number of sections of the Virginia Code in its 2004 Session. In addition, there were four opinions from the Supreme Court of Virginia that raised issues of interest to the general practitioner as well as the specialist in wills, trusts, and estates during the period covered by this review. This article reports on all of these legislative and judicial developments.

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 2002-2003), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The General Assembly of Virginia enacted legislation dealing with wills, trusts, and estates that added or amended a number of sections of the Virginia Code in its 2003 Session. In addition, there were three opinions and one order from the Supreme Court of Virginia, and one Virginia Circuit Court opinion, that raised issues of interest to the general practitioner as well as the specialist in wills, trusts, and estates during the period covered by this review. This article reports on all of these legislative and judicial developments.

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 2001-2002), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The General Assembly enacted legislation dealing with wills, trusts, and estates that added or amended a number of sections of the Virginia Code in its 2002 Session. In addition, there were ten Supreme Court of Virginia opinions and two United States District Court opinions raising issues of interest to the general practitioner as well as the specialist in wills, trusts, and estates during the period covered by this review. This article reports on all of these legislative and judicial developments.

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 2000-2001), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The General Assembly enacted legislation dealing with wills, trusts, and estates that added or amended a number of sections of the Virginia Code in its 2001 Session. In addition, one Supreme Court of Virginia opinion and three Virginia Circuit Court opinions raised issues of interest to the general practitioner as well as the specialist in wills, trusts, and estates during the period covered by this review. This article reports on all of these legislative and judicial developments.

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 1999-2000), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

In its 2000 Session, the General Assembly enacted legislation dealing with wills, trusts, and estates that added, amended, or repealed a number of sections of the Virginia Code. It also carried over one significant bill to the 2001 Session. In addition, there were nine Supreme Court of Virginia opinions, one United States District Court opinion, two Virginia Circuit Court opinions, and one Attorney General's opinion raising issues of interest to the general practitioner as well as the specialist in wills, trusts, and estates during the period covered by this review. This article reports on all of these legislative and judicial …

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 1998-99), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

In its 1999 Session, the General Assembly enacted legislation dealing with wills, trusts, and estates that added, amended, or repealed a number of sections of the Code of Virginia in its 1999 Session. In addition, there were eleven Supreme Court of Virginia opinions and one Bankruptcy Court opinion in the period covered by this review that involved issues of interest to the general practitioner as well as the specialist in wills, trusts, and estates. This article reports on all of these legislative and judicial developments.

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 1995-97), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The General Assembly enacted legislation dealing with wills, trusts, and estates that added, amended, or repealed a number of sections of the Code of Virginia in the 1996 and 1997 sessions. In addition, there were eleven Supreme Court of Virginia opinions in the two-year period ending April 18, 1997, that involved issues of interest to the general practitioner as well as the specialist in wills, trusts, and estates. This article reports on all of these legislative and judicial developments.

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 1994-95), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The 1995 Session of the General Assembly enacted legislation dealing with wills, trusts, and estates that added, amended, or repealed a number of sections of the Code of Virginia. In addition to this legislation, there were five Supreme Court of Virginia opinions and one Fourth Circuit opinion in the year ending June 1, 1995 that involved issues of interest to both the general practitioner and the specialist in wills, trusts, and estates. This article analyzes each of these legislative and judicial developments.

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 1990-91), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The 1991 session of the General Assembly enacted legislation dealing with wills, trusts, and estates that added, amended, or repealed a number of sections of the Code of Virginia ("Code"). In addition to this legislation, there were six cases from the Supreme Court of Virginia and one from the Virginia Court of Appeals, in the year ending June 1, 1991, which involve issues of interest to both the general practitioner and the specialist in wills, trusts, and estates. This article analyzes each of these legislative and judicial developments.

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 1989-90), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The 1990 session of the General Assembly enacted legislation dealing with wills, trusts, and estates that added, amended, or repealed a number of sections of the Code of Virginia (the "Code"). In addition to this legislation, there were fifteen cases from the Supreme Court of Virginia, in the year ending June 1, 1990, which involved issues of interest to both the general practitioner and the specialist in wills, trusts, and estates. This article analyzes each of these legislative and judicial developments.

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 1988-89), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The 1989 session of the General Assembly enacted legislation dealing with wills, trusts, and estates that added, amended, or repealed a number of sections of the Code of Virginia (the "Code"). In addition to this legislation, there were twelve cases from the Supreme Court of Virginia, one case from Virginia's intermediate court of appeals, and one federal case in the year ending June 1, 1989, that involved issues of interest to both the general practitioner and the specialist in wills, trusts, and estates. This article analyzes each of these legislative and judicial developments.

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 1987-88), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The 1988 session of the General Assembly enacted legislation dealing with wills, trusts, and estates that added, amended, or repealed a number of sections of the Code of Virginia (the Code). In addition to this legislation, there were six cases from the Virginia Supreme Court, and one case from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, in the year ending June 1, 1988, that involved issues of interest to both the general practitioner and the specialist in wills, trusts, and estates. This article analyzes each of these legislative and judicial developments.

Why You Need A Will - A Pamphlet That Explains The Need To A Layperson, J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The education of clients and potential clients is an essential cornerstone to the practice of preventive law. A valuable tool that can be used in such education is printed material that explains, in approach and language that can be understood easily by laypersons, the how's and why's of the legal system.

The following material by Professor Johnson is an excellent example of the type of material a firm could prepare for distribution to its clients or potential clients. Obviously, this material is presented merely as an example, and each such pamphlet, of course, would have to be tailored to the …

Wills, Trusts And Estates (Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, 1985-86), J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The 1986 session of the General Assembly passed eight bills dealing with wills, trusts, and estates. In addition to this legislation, there were four cases from the Virginia Supreme Court and one case from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals during the past year that involved issues of interest to both the general practitioner and the specialist in wills, trusts, and estates. This article reviews all of these legislative and judicial developments. In order to facilitate the discussion of numerous Virginia Code sections they will be referred to in the text by their section numbers only. These section numbers will …

Wills, Trusts, And Estates, Twenty-Sixth Annual Survey Of Developments In Virginia Law, J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The Virginia General Assembly continued its increased legislative activity in the area of wills, trusts, and estates during the past year by passing three major acts: Exempt Property and Allowances; Acts Barring Property Rights; and the Virginia Small Estate Act. In addition to these major bills, seven additional acts enacted by the General Assembly and four cases decided by the Supreme Court of Virginia involved issues important to both the general practitioner and the specialist in wills and trusts. This article reviews these legislative and judicial developments, with emphasis on the three most important legislative enactments.

Support Of The Surviving Spouse And Minor Children In Virginia: Proposed Legislation V. Present Law, J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

This article will examine the various economic needs of the typical family during both the probate and the post-probate periods. The discussion will be presented under three separate headings which, it is hoped, will help to identify the major areas of concern. These three major areas of concern are: (I) a family allowance-to defray the ordinary and necessary expenses associated with the maintenance of a household for the decedent's family during the probate period, (II) a right to exempt property-to insure the continued possession by the decedent's family of those articles of personal property that are indispensable to the maintenance …

Inheritance Rights Of Children In Virginia, J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

The rights of children to succeed to a deceased ancestor's property interests in Virginia are treated in some fifteen separate sections of the Virgina Code. When one considers that these fifteen sections were enacted over a period of 189 years, as the result of legislation introduced by various individuals who were at any given time focusing on a particular portion of this larger problem area without always taking into account the "spin-off' effect that their particular legislation might have on all of the other sections dealing with the succession rights of children, it is not surprising to find that there …

The Abolition Of Dower In Virginia: The Uniform Probate Code As An Alternative To Proposed Legislation, J. Rodney Johnson

Law Faculty Publications

Elsewhere in the pages of this issue the reader will find a discussion of some of the more important legislation enacted by the 1972 session of the General Assembly of Virginia. This article is concerned with one of the bills that did not pass-the bill to abolish dower and curtesy. Why all this concern with a dead bill, especially since the dower problem is one of long standing which has sustained attacks before? The answer is that the forces of opposition have grown stronger each year among Virginia lawyers. The Virginia Advisory Legislative Council has recommended the conversion of dower …