Billy and Bud Buy a Tractor

By Doug Chalgian on April 22, 2023

  Billie gave Bud money to buy a tractor.  Undisputed. (I’m not making up the names.) Bud dies ten years later and Billie comes to Bud’s estate to...

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Surviving Spouse Escapes Trust Box – COA Puts Him Back

By Doug Chalgian on March 28, 2023

  The challenge when planning for second marriages where each of them has children from prior relationships is that the client has to decide how it will go...

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Devisee can Claim Tax Sale Excess

By Doug Chalgian on March 14, 2023

  In Re Petition of Emmet County Treasurer for Foreclosure is a published decision.  [Click on the name to read the case.] Dona owned a house that went...

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Day Late Wedding Leaves Maybe-Widow Short

By Doug Chalgian on March 11, 2023

  Sandra and Leroy obtained a marriage license, hired a pastor and went through with a marriage ceremony in a church.  Two of Leroy’s six children were in...

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Collectability of Oral Family Loans

By Doug Chalgian on January 29, 2023

  A new unpublished decision from the Michigan Court of Appeals looks at a dispute over several intra-family oral loans.  In the course of an unusually lengthy opinion,...

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A Winter’s Tale

By Doug Chalgian on December 23, 2022

  Throw another log on the fire and get comfortable.  It’s going to take a minute to explain this case. Act I Evelyn’s Will includes several hundreds of...

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COA Distinguishes Beneficiary Classes under MTC

By Doug Chalgian on November 19, 2022

  In this recently released unpublished decision, the Michigan Court of Appeals identifies four types of persons who are entitled to information about trust administration under the Michigan...

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Published Case Lets Bank Trustee Off the Hook

By Doug Chalgian on October 21, 2022

  The Michigan Trust Code allows a Trustee to protect itself by providing reports (aka accountings) that adequately notify the beneficiaries of any potential breaches.  When such a...

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Michipremes Release Von Greiff

By Doug Chalgian on June 11, 2022

  The Michigan Supreme Court has released its long-awaited decision in In Re Estate of Hermann A. Von Greiff (click on the name to read the majority opinion)....

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Ademption Doesn’t Apply to Cash Gifts

By Doug Chalgian on April 24, 2022

  You wonder sometimes what people are thinking when they argue cases that seem like obvious losers, and even more so when these cases go up on appeal....

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Doug Chalgian

About The Author: Doug Chalgian

I am an estate planning, probate litigating, elder law attorney. This is a blog for clients and professional colleagues. In it I offer my ideas about the state of the law and the practice of law. I believe we are living through a unique period during which the law (which is traditionally slow to change) and society are attempting to evolve to address the explosion of people living long lives. I find these developments fascinating and enjoy being involved in this evolution.