Creating a trust can help assure that assets are distributed more quickly, bills are paid promptly and continuously and personal information about property and other assets remains private. The New York Times recently published an article, “Life After Your Death? Here’s Why You Should Have a Trust.” The article explained that trusts have often been thought of a way for wealthy people...
Continue ReadingNPR reported in the article “Charles Manson Grandson Wins Legal Battle Over Cult Leader’s Body” that Jason Freeman, Charles Manson’s purported grandson, whose grandmother was Manson’s first wife, was one of several people who was attempting to gain control of the notorious criminal’s body, since he died in November. Manson was serving a life sentence for coordinating the notorious “Helter Skelter” killing...
Continue ReadingIn 2010, Bobbie Wynder appointed Leroy Mangrum to be her attorney-in-fact by a general power of attorney. She died in June 2013. A year later, Wynder’s four stepchildren, also the beneficiaries under her will, filed a suit against Mangrum for disclosure of all transactions and financial records from his time as Wynder’s attorney-in-fact. From the partial accounting he provided,...
Continue ReadingThe South Carolina Supreme Court in Fisher v. Huckabee addressed who may bring a civil action on behalf of the estate of a deceased person, when the personal representative of the estate is also a potential defendant in the case. Alice Shaw-Baker lived in Charleston and had no immediate family. She allegedly had an agreement with Bessie Huckabee, Kay Passailaigue Slade and Sandra...
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