Maryland Family Law Maryland family law opinions and commentary

Trusts and estates — Discovery violation — Sanction Appellant, Frank Bucolo (Frank) sued his sister, appellee, Diana Bucolo-Van Dyke (Diana), as trustee of a trust that their father, Salvatore Bucolo (Salvatore), created in 2001. The trust provided that when Salvatore ...

Wills, trusts and estates — Litigation — Genuine dispute of material fact Pamela Mayer and Joseph Steinberg are estranged siblings who are fighting over the assets of their aunt. In her will, the aunt, Bernice Weck, bequeaths the proceeds of ...

Estates and trusts — Personal representative — Motion to remove In the Orphans’ Court for Montgomery County, Edgar Bradford, the appellant, filed a motion to remove Helen Smith, Esquire, the appellee, as successor personal representative of the Estate of Christine ...

Estates and trusts — Court jurisdiction — Trust After the death of Marion Pisner in 2009, her children, appellant Gary Pisner and Marla Pisner Rubinstein, succeeded her as co-trustees of a revocable trust she had created in 2008. When “continuing ...

Estates and trusts — Special administrator — Attorneys’ fees Joseph Kaczorowski (hereinafter “Appellee”)1 was appointed as special administrator for the Estate of Bernard Kaczorowski. Subsequently, Appellee filed a Petition to Approve Attorneys’ Fees on January 4, 2018, with the Register ...

Estates and trusts — Request for statutory share — Deadline This Court is once again asked to review matters related to a protracted dispute between Sadie M. Castruccio, appellant, and Darlene Barclay, appellee, the residuary beneficiary under the will of ...

Estates and trusts — Petition to reopen estate — Failure to include heirs Fifteen (15) purported heirs and their assignee, Brandenburger & Davis, LLC, appeal from an order of the Orphans’ Court for Montgomery County denying their Petition to Reopen ...

Estates and trusts — Spousal share — Final-judgment rule This Court is once again asked to review matters related to a protracted dispute between Sadie M. Castruccio, appellant, and Darlene Barclay, appellee, the residuary beneficiary under the will of Ms. ...

Wills and estates — Orphan’s court jurisdiction — Personal property Harry Haddleton Barnes (“Harry”) 1 died testate on September 6, 2013. His will named his son, appellant Christopher Erik Barnes (“Christopher”), as personal representative. In his will, Harry gave “the ...

  Estates — Personal representative — Same-sex spouse This appeal arises from a ruling by the Orphans’ Court for Prince George’s County removing Dionne Jones (appellant) as personal representative of Marsha Ann Richerson’s (decedent) estate and appointing Jacqueline McReynolds (appellee) ...