Review for Midterm Exam

Intestacy, Administration, Wills

Introduction and Overview

$Brief history of death and property$Basic Terminology$What law applies?$The Big Picture

Estate Administration

$Locate Will$Prepare Application

$File Application in Appropriate Court$Type of Administration

$Appointment & Qualification of Personal Rep

$Issuance of letters$Collect, Protect, Manage Probate Assets

$Pay Creditors$Account, Distribute and Close

Malpractice and Pro Responsibility

$Professional Negligence$Ethical Concerns

$Ethical Obligations of Legal Assistants$Appropriate Tasks for Legal Assistants$Ethical Issues for Legal Assistants

Descent & Distribution

$Descent – Real Property via Intestacy$Distribution – Personal Property via

Intestacy$Why Most People Die Intestate

$Surviving Spouse - then and now$Descendants

$Ancestors and Collaterals$Escheat

Treatment of Certain Categories of Potential Heirs

$Posthumous or Afterborn Heirs$Adopted Individuals$Non-Marital Children

$Children from alternate reproduction$Stepchildren

$Half-Blooded Collateral heirs$Non-US Citizens$Unworthy Heirs

$Non-Marital Partners

Other Intestate Succession Issues

$Ancestral Property$Advancements

$Survival$Disclaimers

$Assignment or Release of Expectancy$Equitable Conversion

$Liability for predeceased intermediary debts$Heir Designation$Choice of Law

Requirements for a Valid Will

$Legal Capacity$Testamentary Capacity$Testamentary Intent

$Formalities$Holographic Wills

Changing Circumstances After Will Execution - Property

$Classification of Testamentary Gifts$Ademption by Extinction$Ademption by Satisfaction

$Changes in Value$Exoneration$Abatement

$Tax Apportionment

Changing Circumstances After Will Execution - Persons

$Marriage of Testator$Divorce of Testator$Pretermitted Heirs

$Death of Beneficiary – Lapse$Failure of Charitable Trusts – Cy Pres

$Survival

Revocation of Wills

$Revocation by Operation of Law$Revocation by Physical Act

$Revocation by Subsequent Writing$Presumptions

$Revival$Conditional Revocation

$Multiple Originals

Interpretation and Construction

$Ambiguity$Integration

$Incorporation by Reference$Facts of Independent Significance

$Tangible Personal Property Instrument$Pour-Over Provisions$Precatory Language

$Class Gifts$Dead Person’s Statute

Will Contests

$Failure to Satisfy Requirements of Valid Will$Insane Delusions$Undue Influence

$Duress$Fraud$Mistake$Remedies

$Preventing Will Contests

Other Will Issues

$Conditional Wills$Conditional Gifts$Combination Wills

$Election Will$Disclaimer

Conclusion