It is not surprising that trust and estate disputes continue to increase. The number of people entering retirement age is increasing. The mobility and transience of American society are accelerating. The amount of people who have remarried with children from a prior marriage is expanding. Those trends mean that more people than ever are becoming elderly with diminishing capacity, an absence of close family members nearby to care for them, and the potential for disfavoring heirs in asset distribution. Experienced and knowledgeable retired judicial officers offer their service as private judges to determine disputed issues in a case. The initial reaction of many parties is that the cost of a private judge is prohibitive. The cost, however, may turn out to be less than the cost of proceeding in the superior court.
John A. Hartog named to Best Lawyers in America for 2020. Recognition is based on peer review by leading lawyers in the Trusts & Estates practice in Northern California. As noted on the Best Lawyers website, “Best lawyers know who the best lawyers are.”
When most people hear about elder abuse, they think of cruel or apathetic caregivers leaving elderly family and friends unattended or physically abusing them. But elder abuse is more than physical abuse: when someone takes any property - including real estate, cash, or any other asset or interest - from a person over the age of 65 by fraud or undue influence, it constitutes financial elder abuse.
HBH is delighted to announce the creation of an annual Diversity Scholarship.