Estates and Trusts Commons^™

Property Problems In The New Non-Marriage: Inheritance, Eliot Tracz

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

Marriage equality has been a hotly contested topic for many years, in both the court of public opinion and in courts of law. Major Supreme Court cases have found that marriage is a fundamental right, yet issues such as marriage outside of one’s race or to a person of the same gender have still been topics of litigation. At times, the very definition of marriage has been at issue, but throughout all of this litigation, courts have consistently defined marriage as a relationship between two people.

Is A Will Better Than Intestacy?, Kristine S. Knaplund

University of Cincinnati Law Review

No abstract provided.

The New Undue Influence, David Horton, Reid K. Weisbord

Utah Law Review

The doctrine of undue influence has long been the problem child of inheritance law. Undue influence, a hazy combination of fraud and duress, supposedly invalidates bequests that a beneficiary obtained by overriding the volition of a vulnerable testator or settlor. But because relationships are complex, concepts like free will are slippery, and challenges to do native transfers are litigated after the owner dies, courts struggle to apply the rule. Making matters worse, fact finders exploit the principle’s vagueness to protect a decedent’s family at the expense of non-traditional relationships. As a result, scholars have criticized undue influence fordecades, with some …

Pro-Natalism In Probate Law, Diane Kemker

American University Law Review

“Pro-natalism” is a term that has been variously used to describe any and all government policies that favor birth, babies, children, families, and population growth, as well as more focused laws that incentivize childbirth; burden, ban, or criminalize abortion and/or contraception; and otherwise disfavor the childless. Whether and to what extent U.S. law is or should be pro-natalist is central to current and ongoing debates about reproductive rights and the deeply vexed question of when life begins. A robust legal feminist literature has aimed to identify and critique pro-natalist law and policy, particularly in forms that constrain the autonomy of …

The Rule Against Perpetual Celebrity, Yvette Joy Liebesman

American University Law Review

Post-mortem Right of Publicity (ROP) statutes have grown from relative obscurity and of little value to a reliable source of nonwage income for those lucky enough to be the legatees of a famous now-deceased person. Unlike most other intellectual property rights, there is no federal ROP statute. Rather, an individual’s ROP—both while alive and post-mortem—is governed by state law. This has led to a widespread range of term lengths for this right among the states that have either common law or statutory post-mortem ROP rights.

While there might be some value in them, if the post-mortem ROP term is too …

A Good Death: End-Of-Life Lawyering Through A Relational Autonomy Lens, Genevieve Mann

Washington Law Review

Death is difficult—even for lawyers who counsel clients on end-of-life planning. The predominant approach to counseling clients about death relies too heavily on traditional notions of personal autonomy and a nearly impenetrable right to be free from interference by others. Rooted in these notions, contracts called “advance directives” emerged as the primary tool for choosing one’s final destiny. Nevertheless, advance directives are underutilized and ineffective because many people are mired in death anxiety, indecision, and the weight of planning for a hypothetical illness. In the end, many do not get the death they choose: to trust in others and share …

Intellectual Heirs Property: Why Certain Musical Copyrights Should Be Included In The Heirs Property Reform Movement, Austin Weatherly

Journal of Intellectual Property Law

The modern heirs property reform movement seeks to ameliorate the issues caused by the procedures governing the inheritance of real property from landowners who die intestate. This procedure can have a negative impact on heirs and the value of their inherited property. The reform movement, as it stands, only seeks to resolve the issues created by these procedures in the real property context. The rhetorical basis for the modern heirs property reform movement largely focuses on closing the racial wealth gap in the United States and slowing the wealth bleed from one black generation to the next. Many of the …

Comparing Family Property Disputes In English And Singapore Law: "Context" Is Everything, Man Yip

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This paper examines why Singapore law has not followed English law in the area of beneficial ownership of family property. It points out that the landmark cases in the two jurisdictions are underpinned by different family paradigms.The English landmark cases are based on the unmarried cohabitants paradigm and the legal rules that have emerged from these cases are aimed at, whether successfully or not, ensuring a fair division of the family home upon the breakdown of these relationships. In contrast, the Singapore seminal judgments are underlaid by contests between children over their parents’ property which raised questions as to the …

Exclusion Of Duty And The Irreducible Core Content Of Trusteeship: A Re-Assessment, Rebecca Lee, Man Yip

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This article reviews Millett LJ’s classic characterisation of the irreducible core content of trusteeship. Using duty modification / exclusion clauses that are commonly found in modern trust-corporate structures to circumvent a trustee’s duty to actively engage in corporate management as an example, this article has two main objectives. First, this article re-examines the duty to act honestly and in good faith in the irreducible core; and secondly, it considers how our reanalysis can help conceptualise and construe the ‘residual supervisory obligation’ enunciated by the courts in the recent Zhang v DBS litigation.

Trustees’ Investment Duties And Cryptoassets, Hang Wu Tang

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This article considers the legal and practical concerns for trustees regarding cryptocurrencies and other related instruments, which will be referred to as “cryptoassets”. It will briefly introduce the various types of cryptoassets and explore the risks involved when trustees decide to (or not to) invest in these instruments. This article provides a framework on how trustees should approach the issue of cryptoassets.

Max's Taxes: A Tax-Based Analysis Of Pet Trusts, Gerry W. Beyer, Jonathan P. Wilkerson

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

Less Trust Means More Trusts, Bridget J. Crawford

Washington and Lee Law Review Online

The word “trust” has multiple meanings. In everyday speech, it refers to a feeling of confidence associated with integrity, such as trusting that a friend will keep a secret. In the financial context, some law students, lawyers and lucky individuals also understand that a trust is a near-magical device that splits legal and equitable title. A trustee holds formal legal title to property for the benefit of a beneficiary simply because the grantor declares it to be so. By turning the spotlight on “trust,” in both senses of the word, one can discern fault lines in contemporary U.S. political and …

Less Trust Means More Trusts, Bridget J. Crawford

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

The word “trust” has multiple meanings. In everyday speech, it refers to a feeling of confidence associated with integrity, such as trusting that a friend will keep a secret. In the financial context, some law students, lawyers and lucky individuals also understand that a trust is a near-magical device that splits legal and equitable title. A trustee holds formal legal title to property for the benefit of a beneficiary simply because the grantor declares it to be so. By turning the spotlight on “trust,” in both senses of the word, one can discern fault lines in contemporary U.S. political and …

Wills, Trusts, And Estates, J. William Gray Jr., Katherine E. Ramsey

University of Richmond Law Review

The Supreme Court of Virginia has handed down seven recent

decisions addressing the authority of an agent to change the principal's

estate plan, legal malpractice claims in estate planning,

rights of incapacitated adults, limits of the constructive trust doctrine,

effects of a reversionary clause in a deed, ownership of an

engagement ring, and proof of undue influence. The 2017 Virginia

General Assembly clarified rules on legal malpractice and tenancies

by the entireties, adopted the Uniform Trust Decanting Act

and the Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, and expanded

provisions governing estate administration, life insurance,

and advance medical directives. Other …

Non-Charitable Purpose Trusts: Past, Present, And Future, Richard C. Ausness

Law Faculty Popular Media

This Article focuses on non-charitable purpose trusts and how they enable estate planners to better carry out their clients’ objectives.

In Re Frei Irrevocable Trust, 133 Nev. Adv. Op. 8 (Mar. 2, 2017), Angela Lee

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

The Nevada Supreme Court adopted the Restatement (Second) of Trusts SS 338 (Am. Law Inst. 1959). It held trusts are modifiable by a settlor and beneficiary as long as any non-consenting beneficiaries' interests are not prejudiced.

In States We "Trust": Self-Settled Trusts, Public Policy, And Interstate Federalism, Brendan Duffy

Northwestern University Law Review

Over the last twenty years, domestic asset protection trusts have risen in popularity as a means of estate planning and asset protection. A domestic asset protection trust is an irrevocable trust formed under state law which enables an independent trustee to allocate money to a class of

persons, which includes the settlor.

Since Alaska first enacted domestic asset protection legislation in 1997, fifteen states have followed its lead. The case law over the last twenty years addressing these trust mechanisms has, however, been surprisingly sparse. A Washington bankruptcy court decision, In re Huber, altered this drought, but caused more confusion …

Moving Forward By Looking Back: The Retroactive Application Of Obergefell, Lee-Ford Tritt

UF Law Faculty Publications

The recent Supreme Court decision of Obergefell v. Hodges has forever altered American jurisprudence. Not only did this decision make same-sex marriage legal in all fifty states, but it also required states to recognize same-sex marriages from other states in accordance with the 14th Amendment. The Court’s holding in Obergefell raises a fundamental question with serious legal and financial significance: when exactly do these once unrecognized marriages legally begin? And to what extent must courts apply Obergefell retroactively? The stakes are high and substantive financial effects are pending on the answer to this question — for, with marriage, comes wide-ranging …

Foreclosure Of A Deed Of Trust In Virginia, Doug Rendleman

University of Richmond Law Review

This article deals with foreclosure of a deed of trust in Virginia.

The Introduction discusses the deed of trust or mortgage as a social

and political institution and the foreclosure crisis that seems

to be ending. Part I is a brief history of mortgage law. It provides

a short history of the modern mortgage system in the United

States. Part II follows with a description of the approach that

Virginia takes to mortgages. It localizes the mortgage institution

to Virginia and introduces Virginia's vocabulary and technical details,

the deed of trust, and the parties' rights and obligations.

Part III provides …

Law Of Wills, Browne C. Lewis

Law Faculty Books

This casebook is designed to train law students to think and act like probate attorneys. It is meant to be used in conjunction with the author's book The Law of Trusts. This book's focus is problem-solving and legal application. It includes numerous problems so law students can learn to apply the law they learn from reading the cases. It also contains collaborative learning exercises to encourage students to engage in group problem-solving. The book is divided into three parts to reflect the main types of issues that students will encounter if they practice probate law; its organization mirrors the …

A Review Of Alexander A. Bove, Jr., Trust Protectors: A Practice Manual With Forms, Richard C. Ausness

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

Alexander Bove has recently written a thoughtful, comprehensive and practical book entitled Trust Protectors: A Practice Manual with Forms. The book describes the powers and rights of a trust protector, as well as the fiduciary duties and potential liabilities associated with this office. In addition, the author examines the relationship between the trust protector and the trustee. He also discusses the role of the courts in this area and identifies a number of practical issues that should be considered by lawyers when they draft trust instruments that contemplate the appointment of a trust protector. Finally, the author provides extensive …

Wills, Trusts, And Estates, J. William Gray Jr., Katherine E. Ramsey

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

East Asian Trusts At The Crossroads, Ying Chieh Wu

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The purpose of this article is to scrutinize the legal structure of trusts in Japan, SouthKorea and Taiwan. The so-called infrastructure of the private law of these jurisdictions is rooted in theRoman-Germanic basis, which adopts dichotomous system in respect of that area of privatelaw dealing with property: the law of property and that of obligation. However,the adoption of the trust has caused some problems. Though controversial, thecontract-based view seems to be the majority view in the East Asian civiljurisdictions, yet the property-based view dominates the commonlaw world. However, being influenced by common law, the property-approach isalso asserted by some commentators …

Principles Of Contract Law Applied To Entertainment And Sports Contracts: A Model For Balancing The Rights Of The Industry With Protecting The Interests Of Minors, John H. Shannon, Richard J. Hunter Jr.

Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review

This Article discusses the context of common law and statutory materials dealing with minors who participate in the entertainment and sports fields. The Article describes the changes undertaken as a result of several notorious cases involving prominent child actors, and how the California legislature dealt with issues ranging from set asides of income, approval of contracts by a competent court of jurisdiction, recognition of the legitimate interests of all parties to the contract, to principles under which a minor would be precluded from disaffirming a contract. The Article then applies and extends the principles developed in entertainment contracts to minors …

The Testamentary Foundations Of Commercial Arbitration, Peter B. Rutledge

Scholarly Works

This Article offers the first systematic treatment of the relationship between commercial arbitration and testamentary arbitration. (By testamentary arbitration, I mean an arbitration clause contained in a will requiring beneficiaries to resolve differences over the estate by means of an enforceable decision by a private party rather than judicial resolution in a probate court.) Recent scholarship and jurisprudence have questioned the enforceability of these arrangements as incompatible with the requirement of a written "agreement" between parties to the arbitration. Contrary to these views, close examination of the historical record of testamentary arbitration leading to the Federal Arbitration Act's enactment reveals …

Wills, Trusts, And Estates, J. William Gray Jr., Katherine E. Ramsey

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Digital Death Conundrum: How Federal And State Laws Prevent Fiduciaries From Managing Digital Property, Christina L. Kunz, Damien A. Riehl, James D. Lamm, Peter J. Rademacher

Faculty Scholarship

This article discusses four types of fiduciaries, each of which is affected by the vast growth in and the need to manage digital property. The article begins by defining digital property and discussing why it must be managed. The article then discusses how digital property affects powers of attorney, conservatorships, probate administration, and trusts. After illustrating the problems that digital property creates for each fiduciary, the article shifts to resolving these problems. It begins by debunking purported solutions by both private and governmental entities. It concludes by offering a holistic approach to resolving the conflicts facing account holders, fiduciaries, and …

Wimmer Wins Flp Annual Exclusions, Wendy G. Gerzog

All Faculty Scholarship

In Wimmer, the Tax Court held that the income stream from a taxpayer’s gifts of family limited partnership interests was eligible for the annual exclusion. By comparing the income interest in the partnership’s dividend paying marketable securities to the income interest in a trust, the court made Wimmer a winner. But does the opinion logically lead to that conclusion?

Crummey Trusts: An Exploitation Of The Annual Exclusion, Dora Arash

Pepperdine Law Review

No abstract provided.

Wills, Trusts, And Estates, J. William Gray Jr., Katherine E. Ramsey

University of Richmond Law Review

The 2011 session of the Virginia General Assembly enacted wills, trusts, and estates legislation that: (i) eliminated a potential federal transfer tax trap in inter vivos marital trusts, (ii) interpreted transfer tax formula clauses in light of recent changes in federal law, and (iii) adopted the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act. Three other legislative enactments and seven opinions of the Supreme Court of Virginia during the twelve months ending June 1, 2011, addressed issues affecting this field. In addition to addressing those developments, this article summarizes a recent federal district court opinion that dealt with a significant …