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2008

Journal

Articles 1 - 8 of 8

Full-Text Articles in Estates and Trusts

Wills, Trusts, And Estates, J. Rodney Johnson Nov 2008

Wills, Trusts, And Estates, J. Rodney Johnson

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

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Shattering And Moving Beyond The Gutenberg Paradigm: The Dawn Of The Electronic Will, Joseph Karl Grant Oct 2008

Shattering And Moving Beyond The Gutenberg Paradigm: The Dawn Of The Electronic Will, Joseph Karl Grant

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

Legislators in Nevada have already acted to modernize the law of wills. This Article advocates that other states follow their lead and depart from what is described as the "Gutenberg Paradigm" by adopting similar legislation and embracing electronic technology. Part One of this Article explores the history of print, Johann Gutenberg's role in this development, and the emergence of the "Gutenberg Paradigm." Part Two examines the history and policy underpinnings of will execution formalities, and the role of the "writing" requirement. Part Three explores the use of electronic wills as conforming and nonconforming testamentary instruments. More specifically, Part Three highlights …

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Individualized Justice In Disputes Over Dead Bodies, Frances H. Foster Oct 2008

Individualized Justice In Disputes Over Dead Bodies, Frances H. Foster

Vanderbilt Law Review

In February 2007, the world had a ringside seat to a truly macabre fight. Under the glare of television cameras, Anna Nicole Smith's nearest but not dearest' battled in a Florida probate court over custody of her body. The parties agreed on only one point: "Anna Nicole Smith's appearance was a paramount issue to her." Yet, those same parties denied Anna Nicole after death the beauty she prized during life. Because of their protracted legal wrangling, Anna Nicole went to her grave a decomposed corpse in a closed casket. Anna Nicole Smith's tragic fate is by no means unique. For …

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Law, Biology, And Property: A New Theory Of The Endowment Effect, Owen D. Jones, Sarah F. Brosnan May 2008

Law, Biology, And Property: A New Theory Of The Endowment Effect, Owen D. Jones, Sarah F. Brosnan

William & Mary Law Review

Recent work at the intersection of law and behavioral biology has suggested numerous contexts in which legal thinking could benefit by integrating knowledge from behavioral biology. In one of those contexts, behavioral biology may help to provide theoretical foundation for, and potentially increased predictive power concerning, various psychological traits relevant to law. This Article describes an experiment that explores that context. The paradoxical psychological bias known as the "endowment effect" puzzles economists, skews market behavior, impedes efficient exchange of goods and rights, and thereby poses important problems for law. Although the effect is known to vary widely, there are at …

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Leaving More Than Money: Mediation Clauses In Estate Planning Documents, Lela P. Love, Stewart E. Sterk Mar 2008

Leaving More Than Money: Mediation Clauses In Estate Planning Documents, Lela P. Love, Stewart E. Sterk

Washington and Lee Law Review

When probate disputes arise, an increasing number of courts have been referring those disputes to mediation. Estate planners, however, have been less proactive about drafting wills to include mediation clauses that would anticipate estate disputes and channel them away from litigation. When a will mandates mediation, the will provides a dispute resolution mechanism designed to preserve family harmony, conserve estate assets, and avoid airing the family's "dirty laundry "-objectives common to many testators. Mediation clauses in wills are no panacea. They are of little value to testators who exalt control over estate assets above all other concerns, and they are …

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Till [My Parents'] Death Do Us Part: Exposing Testamentary Restrictions Placed On Marriages That Perpetuate Prejudice, Christina V. Bonfanti Mar 2008

Till [My Parents'] Death Do Us Part: Exposing Testamentary Restrictions Placed On Marriages That Perpetuate Prejudice, Christina V. Bonfanti

Washington and Lee Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice

No abstract provided.

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Pfeufer V. Cyphers: Giving The Testator’S Pen Too Much Might—The Unintended Tax Consequences Of Innocent Apportionment Language, Heather R. Pruger Jan 2008

Pfeufer V. Cyphers: Giving The Testator’S Pen Too Much Might—The Unintended Tax Consequences Of Innocent Apportionment Language, Heather R. Pruger

Maryland Law Review

No abstract provided.

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Neotrusteeship Or Mistrusteeship? The "Authority Creep" Dilemma In United Nations Transitional Administration, Christian E. Ford, Ben A. Oppenheim Jan 2008

Neotrusteeship Or Mistrusteeship? The "Authority Creep" Dilemma In United Nations Transitional Administration, Christian E. Ford, Ben A. Oppenheim

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

State failure poses one of the greatest threats to international peace and security. The collapse of governing institutions breeds civil wars, generates refugee flows, causes enormous civilian suffering, foments instability in neighboring countries, and provides safe havens for transnational criminal and terrorist organizations. As a result, commentators and policymakers have increasingly called for a remedy to the problem of state failure. One of the most compelling arguments is to draw on an old legal institution: international trusteeship by the United Nations (U.N.). This Article argues that while trusteeship may prove effective in managing state failure, it also carries risks. International …

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