Source: http://www.daypitney.com/insights/publications/2010/01/te-litigation-update--in-the-matter-of-the-estat__
Timestamp: 2017-03-27 22:26:55
Document Index: 146476854

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 45', '§ 45', '§ 6', '§ 45', '§ 45', '§ 45']

T&E Litigation Update: In the Matter of the Estate of Bartley J. King | Publications | Insights | Day Pitney LLP
T&E Litigation Update: In the Matter of the Estate of Bartley J. King Publisher: Day Pitney January 28, 2010
In the much-anticipated decision in In the Matter of the Estate of Bartley J. King, SJC-10404, 2010 Mass. LEXIS 16 (Jan. 27, 2010), the SJC answered three questions relating to an award of legal fees and costs to the prevailing petitioner in a will contest pursuant to G.L. c. 215, § 45. In a nutshell, a number of family members challenged the changes to the decedent's estate plan on capacity and undue influence grounds. The value of the decedent's estate was roughly $1.2 million. The petitioner incurred fees and costs totaling more than $806,000, and the contestants were ordered to pay nearly $575,000 of these fees and costs. First, the Court held that awards of fees and costs pursuant to G.L. c. 215, § 45, unlike awards of fees and costs pursuant to G.L. c. 231,§ 6F, are not limited to cases involving bad faith or wrongful litigation conduct. The Court noted that § 45 is a special departure in matters involving wills, estates and trusts from the American rule that each party is responsible for his or her own fees and costs. The Court emphasized, however, that fees and costs are not to be awarded under § 45 as a matter of course. Instead, although an award under § 45 need not be based on a finding of bad faith, it must be grounded in equity and as such this broad standard is subject to the probate court's discretion.