Source: http://courts.phila.gov/apps/opinions/courtsearch.asp?search=cpo&page=8
Timestamp: 2018-10-21 00:53:43
Document Index: 281347781

Matched Legal Cases: ['§2108', '§2103', '§ 6301', '§ 3540', '§ 2701', '§2514', '§908']

234 Opinions Found. Displaying page 8 of 10:
Estate of Elnora Cooper, Deceased
O.C. No. 1681 of /2004
Will Contest/Unexecuted Will - Where petitioner challenges a decree of the Register of Wills for granting letters of administration but fails to raise that issue in the first instance with the Register of Wills, the appeal to the Orphans' Court must be dismissed. After Discovered Will - If a will is discovered more than 3 months after decedent's death, under section 3138 of the PEF code, the Register no longer has authority to open a probate record so that appellant must appeal to Orphans' court to determine whether record should be opened but not the validity of the will - Appellant in this case could not make a prima facie case where the will was unexecuted
8/1/2005 Herron
PATRICIA WILLIAMS, Administratrix of the Estate of JOSHUA CALEB WALKER, DECEASED vs ATLANTIC EXPRESS INC. of PA and JEAN L. JOSEPH
October Term 2000 No. 001873 (O'KEEFE, J.) (07/20/05 - 9 Pages)
Intestate heirs - Siblings who were adopted out of the family prior to their sibling’s death maintained their intestate right of inheritance from their deceased sibling’s estate despite their prior adoption; a fact bound inquiry concluded that a family relationship was maintained pursuant to 20 Pa. C.S.A. §2108 between the prior adopted siblings and the deceased sibling. Accordingly, the prior adopted siblings take as part of a class of siblings under intestacy pursuant to 20 Pa. C.S.A. §2103(3).
7/20/2005 O'KEEFE
Estate of Willa M’ Hampton Cooper, an Incapacitated Person
O.C. No. 480 IC of /1998
Surcharge/Guardian/Incapacitated Person - Guardian of Incapacitated Person surcharged for negligently delegating investment functions - While investment functions may be delegated by a fiduciary, section 7206 of the PEF code requires the fiduciary to exercise reasonable care, skill and caution in selecting the agent and monitoring his performance-Where guardian failed to establish the scope and terms of the investment functions she delegated or to monitor the agent's subsequent performance, she was surcharged for this neglect.
6/7/2005 Herron
Estate of Catherine Hines, Deceased
554 DE of 2002 (April 25, 2005, Herron, J.)
Quantum Meruit/Decedent's Estate - Longtime companion of decedent established his claim for quantum meruit repayment for services rendered to her during her lifetime - The obligation to repay the claimant for services rendered was not rebutted where the claimant was neither a family member nor married to decedent - claimant did not present adequate evidence to support his quantum meruit claim for the period during which decedent had been hospitalized
4/25/2005 Herron
Estate of Rose Kornberg, an Incapacitated Person
O.C. No. 333 IC of /2002
Guardian Fees/Incapacitated Person - Guardian fees should be evaluated against a standard of what is fair and reasonable in the context of such factors as the amount of work performed, the character of services rendered, and the difficulty of the problems involved - Guardian fees for an incapacitated person should be premised on a moderate scale - The size of an incapacitated person's estate is another factor to consider - Where the services performed by a guardian are routine and ministerial, the higher fees charged for more specialized legal services would not be appropriate
2/17/2005 Herron
Estate of Fannie Stafford, a/k/a Fannie M. Stafford, Deceased
O.C. No. 530 AP of /2002
Will Contest/Undue Influence - Petitioner established by clear and convincing evidence that the contested will had been procured through undue influence where, inter alia, the attorney who drafted the will never met with the decedent/testator nor discussed its terms with her but had been employed by the main beneficiary under the will - The beneficiary was in a confidential relationship with the decedent, she received a substantial benefit under the will and the testator suffered from weakened intellect - The proponent failed to rebut the resulting presumption of undue influence when no testimony by the scrivener of the will was presented.
1/13/2005 Herron
Estate of Joseph D'Alessio
O.C. No. 1997 DE of 1244
Joint Bank Account/Objections to Account - Objectors to account failed to meet their burden to overcome the presumption of survivorship in a joint bank account - Pennsylvania law relating to joint bank accounts changed with the passage of 20 Pa.C.S.A. §§ 6301-6306 - The statute creates a presumption that any money remaining in a joint bank account after the death of a party to that account belongs to the survivor - In determining ownership of the joint account, the statute favors the survivor over the decedent's estate
11/23/2004 Herron
Estate of Maria Crudele
O.C. No. 619 IV of /2004
Trust/Termination - Where settlors in their deed of real property expressed the intent to hold the property in trust, they created a testamentary trust rather than an inter vivos trust vested in the beneficiaries when the settlors reserved the right to revoke the trust, they maintained a life interest in the property with broad discretion to convey it, and they named themselves as trustees with active duties - Where the surviving settlor subsequently executed a will that specifically bequeathed the real property, the testamentary trust was terminated
11/18/2004 Herron
ESTATE OF JEAN McCOLLIGAN
No. 574 DE of /1999
11/10/2004 O'Keefe
Estate of Catherine Hines
O.C. No. 554 DE of /2002
Dead Man's Rule - Although the Dead Man's Rule may be waived if the Estate representative seeks discovery or testimony by a claimant, it was not waived when the Estate sought a citation to show cause why a claim should not be stricken - Since the Dead Man's Rule applies where a witness has an interest adverse to the estate, additional facts were needed to determine whether the proffered witness would personally benefit due to collusion with the claimant should he recover against the Estate
9/21/2004 Herron
PHILADELPHIA HEALTH CARE TRUST A Nonprofit Corporation
No. 1292 NP Of /1998
Nonprofit Corporation-Accounts per Court Decree-Petitions To Intervene-Petition Amicus Curi’-No Standing to enforce terms of Charitable Trust, Judicial Decree or applicable Laws-When Attorney General acts to protect the public interest in enforcing terms of a Charitable Trust, other Public Officers, including Councilman and Senator, do not have Standing, by virtue of their Offices, to Intervene to perform same function-Section 6110 (a) of PEF Code does not confer statutory authority to Intervene where Petitioner does not seek application of the cy pres doctrine because of alleged failure of the trust, but, instead, complains of misfeasance and malfeasance in the administration of the assets of a Charitable Trust-Petitions To Intervene Dismissed and Denied because neither Councilman or Senator is Attorney General, because neither has statutory authority to proceed in matters before Court, and, because neither has a special interest, that is, an interest other than the interest of all members of the public in compelling enforcement of the terms of the Articles of a Nonprofit Corporation.
7/19/2004 O'Keefe
Estate of JOSEPH C. NOBLIT, Deceased
No. 579 ST of APRIL TERM 1922
Trust Under Will–Termination–Gaps in dispositive provisions of Will–One Adoption–Further Adoption of Children of First Adoptee before interests of said Children vest in enjoyment–Rules Of Statutory Construction do not apply–Children of First Adoptee were not adopted out of a Class of Beneficiaries into which they had been naturally born–Children of First Adoptee are strangers to blood of Testator–Adoption of Children of First Adoptee by Step-father, following Divorce of First Adoptee, did not take them out of Class of Beneficiaries designated in the Will of Testator, but, instead, prevented Children of First Adoptee from becoming members of said Class–Testator did not intend to benefit persons who were adopted out of the family of one who had been adopted into Testator’s family–Tafel does not require such a result, and, the Will does not express any such intent.
6/18/2004 O'Keefe
Estate of PAUL WEITZENKORN, Deceased
O.C. NO. 591 AP of /2002
Will Contest–Appeal from Probate Dismissed–Contestant failed to present clear and convincing evidence of confidential relationship and weakened intellect–Contestant failed to present direct evidence of undue influence–Power Of Attorney did not prove existence of confidential relationship–Two estate plans drafted by two different Attorneys did not prove existence of weakened intellect–Proponent named beneficiary in prior Wills and Codicil–Proponent unaware of existence of writing in question until after death of Testator
6/10/2004 O'Keefe
Estate of Beatrice B. Peters
O.C. No. 3314 DE of 1984
Intestate Heirs -Where the Commonwealth presented no evidence to rebut the claims of the putative intestate heir who presented a genealogical study and documentary evidence, the claimant established her claim as an intestate heir by clear and convincing testimony and a reasonable degree of genealogical certainty
6/3/2004 Herron
Trust of Emanuel Rosenfeld
O.C. No. 1664 IV of /2002
Trust/Fiduciary Duty - Under the terms of an irrevocable charitable trust agreement with three individual trustees and one corporate trustee, the corporate trustee could not be held liable for breach of fiduciary duty for failing to go to court to break a deadlock among the trustees as to diversification of assets where the trust agreement did not provide a method for breaking a deadlock - Although a corporate trustee may be held to a higher standard when it holds itself out as having expertise, the terms of the trust agreement establish the standard of care -- Where the corporate trustee urged the other trustees to diversify the trust assets, the corporate trustee could not be held liable for breach of fiduciary duty on the theory of failure to diversify
5/19/2004 Herron
Estate of Louis Baselice, affirmed and adopted, In re Estate of Louis Baselice, No. 1115 EDA 2004 (Pa. Super. October 4, 2004)
O.C. No. 1897 DE of /2003
Writ of Possession - After extensive litigation over the purchase of real estate in the civil trial division, an emergency petition filed in Orphans' Court to stay execution of a writ of possession by an Estate is denied as moot where the sheriff had actually executed the writ and changed the locks prior to the emergency hearing scheduled the day after the petition to stay execution was filed
5/14/2004 Herron
Estate of Earl Wallace
O.C. No. 1327 DE of 1994
Intestate Heirs - A fiduciary who files an account and is unable to locate heirs to an estate must make a written report of his investigation pursuant to Pennsylvania Orphans' Court Rule 13.3 - Two claimants satisfied their burden of showing that they were intestate heirs by a fair preponderance of credible evidence that was clear, precise and evident when they presented a genealogical study, census reports, birth and death certificates - Claimants recognized as intestate heirs were required to file a refunding bond under 20 Pa.C.S.A. § 3540 to protect the interests of any other heir who might appear within seven years - Executor was not entitled to attorney fees incurred in resisting the claims of the putative intestate heirs where the Commonwealth did not object to those claims
3/22/2004 Herron
Estate of Benedict LaCorte
O.C. No. 1855 AP of /2002
Will Contest/Standing - Assignee of the interests of decedent's children lacked standing under the analysis of Estate of Luongo, 203 Pa. Super. 171, 823 A.2d 942 (2003) where under three prior wills the children would have received smaller bequests than they were entitled to under the challenged will - The standing of the assignee is derivative of the children's standing as putative intestate heirs - As in Luongo, the practical possibility of establishing that the assignee's status as an intestate heir was virtually nil given the existence of three prior wills
2/3/2004 Herron
Estate of Anne Flaxer
O.C. No. 1427 DE of /2003
Account/Objections/Compensation for Services Rendered - Claim by daughter of decedent for compensation for services rendered to the decedent prior to her death was barred by 20 Pa.C.S.A. § 2701 where no writing signed by decedent was presented and where the will did not state the material provisions of a contract
1/20/2004 Herron
Marital Trust Established Under the Will of Moses Eckstein
O.C. No. 33798 ST of 1961
Power of Appointment/Holographic Will - Where will of husband domiciled in Pennsylvania gave a power of appointment that was later exercised by the surviving wife in a holographic will executed in California, Pennsylvania law applied to the interpretation of whether the power was effectively exercised - Under 20 Pa.C.S.A.§2514(13), the wife effectively exercised the power of appointment where she made general devise in her holographic will even though the specific devise to her daughter lapsed when the daughter predeceased her without heirs - The testator expressed her intent to make a general devise when she stated the intent to "give all my estate as follows" - The objectors failed to meet their burden of showing a contrary intent
12/12/2003 Herron
Hyman Bevitz (Decedent) vs Ray Volusher (Respondent)
371 DE of 2002 Control no.	020548
ANTENUPTIAL AGREEMENT, DIVISION OF MARITAL PROPERTY, Affirmed by Superior Court 2638 EDA 2003.
6/20/2003 O'Keefe
Estate of Benedict J. LaCorte
Will Contest/Standing/Marriage Contested - The children of decedent lacked standing to contest a will under which they were given more than under the will they were invoking - Under 20 Pa.C.S.A. §908(a), a party seeking to challenge a will must show that they are aggrieved and have a pecuniary interest that is injured by the Register of Will's decree - Statutory standing is jurisdictional and hence may be raised at any time by the court sua sponte - A challenge to the marriage of decedent based on undue influence was not viable because it must be raised by a party to that marriage which is impossible if one of the spouses is dead - Allegations that the Will was procured by undue influence were sufficient to withstand a demurrer where it was alleged that the decedent had suffered from Alzheimer's disease and that he had depended on respondent's care in personal and financial matters
5/30/2003 Herron
Kathryn Krzaczek, a minor v. Stewart Cooler, et al. October 1996, No. 1758, aff'd, Krzaczek, a minor v. Stewart Cooler, et al., 1366 EDA 2003 (Pa.Super. December 31, 2003), app. denied, 163 EAL (Pa. July 21, 2004)
O.C. No. 1758 of 1996
Minor's Compromise - Where parents consented to a high/low agreement on the record before a trial judge and subsequently filed a petition with the Orphans' Court, their high/low agreement assuring a recovery of $250,000 with a limit of $950,000 was enforceable even though the jury returned a verdict of $15,000,000 in favor of the minor in a medical malpractice case - Court approval is necessary under Pa. Rule of Civil Procedure 2039 for a high/low agreement affecting the recovery of a minor - A fundamental purpose of Rule 2039 is to assure that the interests of a minor are protected above conflicting interests - The coordinate jurisdiction rule precludes judges of coordinate jurisdiction from overruling each other's decisions in the same case
5/22/2003 Herron
ESTATE OF CARMEN DiCESARE
No. 83 of /2001
ITF ACCOUNT, JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY, BANK'S LIABILITY EMPLOYEES' ACTS - RESPONDEAT SUPERIOR, Affirmed by Superior Court.
5/5/2003 O'Keefe
Estate of KATE R. AVERY CLARK
#4 April 2002 Control No. 020400 No. 174 IV of 1953
Contingent Reversionary Interest in a Trust; "Gaps" in deed failing to provide for subsequent factual contingencies; No implied gift by Necessary Implication; "Recital" as an effective and irrevocable assignment by Settlor of Retained Reversionary Interest in principal. Affirmed by Superior Court
5/1/2003 O'Keefe