The Terrifying “In Terrorem” Clause

by: , October 31, 2022

OoooooooooOOO! It is the scariest clause around; more frightening to beneficiaries than a killer Santa “clause”. Also called a no-contest clause, an in terrorem clause translates literally to “in fear” in Latin. In the estate planning context, it is a clause which forces or prohibits beneficiaries from doing something, using the fear of a loss…read more

When Siblings Fight – Removing a co-attorney

by: , October 17, 2022

Anybody with a sibling can tell you. Nobody gets under your skin quite like a brother or a sister can. When it comes to care in their old age, many parents will name multiple children as their attorneys for property or personal care. The sentiment is understandable. Parents may not want certain children to feel…read more

Actions vs. Applications

by: , October 3, 2022

Generally, a court proceeding is categorized as either an action or an application. Both actions and applications end with a judge making a decision (judgment); however, an action concludes with a trial and live witnesses and an application is conducted by way of a ‘paper trial’ (i.e. no live witnesses). In both cases, judges will…read more