Clients have a strong desire to transfer the fruits of their lifelong efforts upon death to the individuals they prefer. Though not constitutionally protected, this ability is often viewed as a right, rather than a mere privilege. See Irving Trust Co. v. Day, 314 U.S. 556, 562 (1942) (“Rights...

This article discusses recent judicial developments relating to the Texas law of intestacy, wills, estate administration, trusts, and other estate planning matters. The discussion of each case concludes with a moral, i.e., the important lesson to be learned from the case. By recognizing...

Approximately one-half of all marriages in the United States end in divorce. Accordingly, divorce is one of the realities of a client's life that you must keep in mind during all stages of estate planning. Whenever a married client seeks estate planning advice, you should inquire as to the...

Dogs, cats, parrots, and other pet animals play extremely significant roles in the lives of many individuals. People own pets for a variety of reasons – they love animals, they enjoy engaging in physical activity with the animal such as playing ball or going for walks, and they enjoy the...

With the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana in almost half of the states, practitioners need to be aware of interface between marijuana and estate planning. This article provides a discussion of the major issues that arise. After bringing readers up-to-date with the history of...

This article discusses recent judicial developments relating to the Texas law of intestacy, wills, estate administration, trusts, and other estate planning matters. The discussion of each case concludes with a moral, i.e., the important lesson to be learned from the case. By recognizing...

Less than a decade ago, if an estate planner asked clients whether they owned any cryptocurrency, the most likely response would be, “You mean, money to buy a crypt?” Now, due to the widespread media coverage of Bitcoin, the most famous of all cryptocurrencies, most clients will have some...

Dogs, cats, parrots, and other pet animals play significant roles in the lives of many individuals. The bond between a pet owner and his or her companion is strong, and recent studies show that this bond can be even deeper with older owners. Accordingly, it is of vital importance to include pets...

The wills, trusts, and estates casebook market has long been dominated by excellent, time-tested works, I several of which are in seventh editions. It took considerable gumption for Professors Raymond C. O'Brien and Michael T. Flannery to enter into this mature marketS with the 2006 publication...