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Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump?

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Thomas Jefferson ( 1743-1826) - 3RD President of the United States, 1801-1809 Thomas Jefferson was one of America’s Founding Fathers and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. At the beginning of the American Revolution, he served in the Continental Congress, representing Virginia, and then served as a wartime Governor of Virginia (1779-1781). Just after the war ended, Jefferson served as a diplomat, stationed in Paris. In May 1785, he became the United States Minister to … [Read more...] about Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump?

What if an Heir Predeceases You?

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If the person named in your Will as the person to receive the majority of your estate has you and your mother murdered, would you want that person's heirs to receive the inheritance instead? It sounds like an odd question to ask, but there is a point to it and it is a real life issue surrounding the estate of Ben Novack, Jr. Novack's wife was convicted of having him and his mother killed in horrific fashion. She was also the person named in his Will as the primary heir. Ordinarily, a person … [Read more...] about What if an Heir Predeceases You?

Texas History – What Kind of Dome Was Instrumental in Changing the Economy of Texas?

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Created eons ago, the geological formations called salt domes, found particularly along the Gulf Coast plains, were the basis for Texas’ petroleum industry. The domes trapped and housed the oil and natural gas that gave Texas some of its most productive fields and were responsible for driving speculators and drillers into oil exploration throughout Texas. One such salt dome produced the fabulous Lucas gusher known as Spindletop, which came in near Beaumont on January 10, 1901. The Spindletop … [Read more...] about Texas History – What Kind of Dome Was Instrumental in Changing the Economy of Texas?

Randy Rhoads Estate Lawsuit

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One of the many things that an estate administrator might have to worry about is how the ongoing rights of the deceased are going to be protected. In some estates, everything gets settled at a definitive time not too long after the deceased passes away. However, other estates have to worry about rights that  continue for a lengthy period of time, such as intellectual property rights and publicity rights. The estate of guitarist Randy Rhoads offers an example of this. Rhoads was a rock guitarist … [Read more...] about Randy Rhoads Estate Lawsuit

Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump?

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Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) – 16TH President of the United States, 1861-1865 Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer, an Illinois state legislator, and a Whig Party leader. Lincoln is best known for his constant battle to preserve the Union while abolishing slavery. Raised in a one-room log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky, to become the leader that would motivate the Union to victory in the American Civil War, Lincoln portrayed the American Dream. Yet, Lincoln is also a notable example of someone … [Read more...] about Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump?

Grounds for Contesting Wills

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Sometimes people seek to contest Wills simply because they do not like the way the deceased distributed his or her property. However, in order to effectively contest a Will, you need to have legal grounds for doing so and not liking how the Will distributes property is not a legal ground for contesting a Will. Here are a few of the more common legal grounds that people use to contest Wills: Revocation: The Will submitted to Probate was actually revoked by the deceased, for example by creating a … [Read more...] about Grounds for Contesting Wills