Category Archives: New Laws

2022 Year in Review for Trust and Estate Disputes

In today’s blog post, I discuss a few notable developments from this past year in the field of trust and estate disputes. New Standard For Undue Influence In Will Contest Cases First, probably the most notable development from this past year is that Virginia’s General Assembly adopted a law that provides for a new standard for undue influence in will contest cases. Senate Bill 554 added a new provision to the Virginia Code in Section 64.2-454.1. I wrote a lengthy blog post this past summer on the bill (which blog post can be found here), so I won’t repeat myself …

[ CONTINUE READING ]

Posted in Undue Influence \ Comments Off on 2022 Year in Review for Trust and Estate Disputes

Must a Will/Codicil be Signed?: Virginia Court Finds an Unsigned Codicil to be Valid

By recent letter opinion in the matter of In re George William Estate of Asmuth, the Fairfax Circuit Court held that an unsigned codicil was indeed valid under Virginia Code Section 64.2-404. The letter opinion, while not binding authority across all of Virginia, provides an instructive analysis and look at the legal framework for resolving a relatively common estate dispute scenario: whether a codicil/will which is unsigned is of any legal validity. My colleague Will Sleeth previously wrote an instructive blog post on this topic. The facts of the case were that a testator (will-maker) (“George”) died in 2021. George …

[ CONTINUE READING ]

Posted in General \ Comments Off on Must a Will/Codicil be Signed?: Virginia Court Finds an Unsigned Codicil to be Valid

More Lawsuits Coming?: Virginia’s General Assembly Increases the Jurisdictional Limits in Virginia’s General District Courts for Certain Personal Injury Claims

Virginia has two levels of trial courts: the circuit courts and the general district courts. Circuit courts are considered “courts of record”, while general district courts are considered “courts not of record.” Both levels of trial court have their own unique jurisdiction to hear certain types of cases. The Recent Legislation In a significant development, the Virginia General Assembly recently passed legislation to increase the jurisdictional limit of Virginia’s general district courts from $25,000.00 to $50,000.00 for personal injury and wrongful death claims. This is a substantial change from prior law in Virginia, which had previously capped the damages maximum …

[ CONTINUE READING ]

Posted in General \ Comments Off on More Lawsuits Coming?: Virginia’s General Assembly Increases the Jurisdictional Limits in Virginia’s General District Courts for Certain Personal Injury Claims

The Supreme Court of Virginia Hands Down a New Decision on the Applicability of a No Contest Clause in a Trust

By recent unpublished order in the matter of McMurtrie, v. McMurtrie, the Supreme Court of Virginia reversed a trial court’s ruling that a no contest clause (in terrorem clause) in a trust did not apply to a trust settlor (trust creator). While unpublished, the order nevertheless provides an instructive analysis of the legal framework for an increasingly common estate dispute scenario: whether a no contest clause in a trust or will has been violated by the actions of a beneficiary. Additionally, this unpublished order also applied certain principles from the Supreme Court’s recent Hunter v. Hunter decision. Notably, Hunter v. …

[ CONTINUE READING ]

Posted in General, No Contest Clause \ Comments Off on The Supreme Court of Virginia Hands Down a New Decision on the Applicability of a No Contest Clause in a Trust

Matters of Style: Spouse’s Elective Share Suit Dismissed for Naming the Wrong Party

The identity of parties matters a great deal in litigation.  The failure to sue the right person can have serious consequences.  Even if a litigant has a solid case, naming the wrong party can prematurely end a case without the suit ever being heard on the merits.  In some cases, courts permit amendments of lawsuits.  In light of that, some may assume that a mistake may be overlooked or fixed by a court.  Not so.  For these reasons, it is critical to enlist the help of an experienced litigator when faced with an estate dispute.

Posted in General \ Comments Off on Matters of Style: Spouse’s Elective Share Suit Dismissed for Naming the Wrong Party

A Bewildering Bequest: The Supreme Court of Virginia Weighs in on the Meaning of a Will’s Residuary Clause

Most people are familiar with the basic contents of a will.  Wills typically name an executor, order the payment of debts and expenses, and provide for the distribution of the testator’s (will-maker) property.  Many wills provide for specific property to pass to specific people.  These are known as specific bequests or devises.  In addition to such bequests or devises, most wills contain a residuary clause – sort of a catch-all disposition for all of the rest and remainder of the estate.  They typically read something like this: “I leave all of the rest, residue, and remainder of my property, of …

[ CONTINUE READING ]

Posted in General \ Comments Off on A Bewildering Bequest: The Supreme Court of Virginia Weighs in on the Meaning of a Will’s Residuary Clause

Legislative Update: Virginia’s General Assembly Acts to Reduce Inconsistencies between Revocable Living Trusts and Wills

As more people elect to use revocable living trusts for estate planning purposes instead of traditional wills, the disposition of property will increasingly depend on the interpretation and determination of revocable living trust provisions.  Virginia’s General Assembly (“General Assembly”), Virginia’s state legislature, recently acted, with House Bill 746, to address some of the principles governing revocable living trusts.  House Bill 746, which has been signed into law, amends several statutory sections of the Virginia Code relating to trust and estate law (collectively, the “Amendments”).  The Amendments serve to reduce some inconsistencies in the substance and interpretation of revocable living trusts …

[ CONTINUE READING ]

Posted in General \ Comments Off on Legislative Update: Virginia’s General Assembly Acts to Reduce Inconsistencies between Revocable Living Trusts and Wills