British pop star George Michael passed away from natural causes at age 53 on December 25, 2016. His body was discovered at home by his boyfriend, Fadi Fawaz, when he came to pick him up for brunch. Since his death, there has reportedly been a lot of acrimony between Fawaz and Michael's family. Fawaz was snubbed from the funeral, is banned from visiting the cemetery, and the family is reportedly considering taking legal action to have him removed from Michael's multi-million-dollar townhouse. Since Michael's death, Fawaz has been living in the [...]

If you want to contest a will, there are certain requirements that must be met to determine if you can do so legally. This means that you must first have legal standing before you can contest a will in Tennessee. The following are a few questions about determine who might have standing to contest a will and some of the other constraints regarding an estate dispute. Q: What is the time limit for disputing a will in Tennessee? The legal time limit, or statute of limitations for contesting a will in [...]

The act of writing a will alone is not a legally sufficient manner of determining the fate of one’s earthly possessions. Wills need to be witnessed and filed, and nearly every will in Tennessee eventually goes through the probate process. What many Tennessee residents may not realize is that witnesses to a will are often required to testify during the probate process. Understanding the role of a witness to a will, and the reasons for their testimony during probate is crucial to deciding whether to take on the responsibility of being [...]

Whether you grew up with brothers and sisters, or have more than one child of your own, you know that sibling rivalry is fairly common. We have found that even the friendliest of siblings, however, can end up embroiled in arguments when it comes to inheritance disputes. This is especially true if there is no will, but it can happen when there is an estate plan in place, too. We have found that these are the more likely scenarios to lead to a will contest: There is economic disparity between the [...]

Every estate goes through the probate process – even those where the decedent left a will. If you are named the administrator of the estate, you may face unexpected challenges. We want to offer a handful of tips to remember, to ease along the process. 1. Know that you can say “no” to administering the estate. Whether you were named executor in the decedent’s will, or you were appointed by the probate court, serving as the executor of an estate is a serious responsibility. There are a host of tasks that [...]