Maryland Family Law Maryland family law opinions and commentary

Estates and trusts — Intestate succession — Relinquishment This case concerns competing claims to assets in the estate of Adam Brandon, who died intestate. The claimants are the decedent’s father and the decedent’s cousins. Although the laws of intestate succession ...

Estates and trusts — Frivolous appeal — Attorney’s fees This is the tenth appeal of appellants, Oxana Parikh and Namish Parikh, relating to the administration of the estate of Dr. Dinesh O. Parikh. Appellants challenge an order of the Circuit ...

Estates and trusts — Contingent beneficiary — Standing This intrafamily dispute involves the disposition of various assets upon the death of Mary S. Rayman, the matriarch of the Rayman family. According to Mary’s son, Wayne, his nephew, Joe III, improperly ...

Estates and trusts — Orphans’ court — Final judgment rule Lewis Burley (the “Decedent”) died in late 2017. Prior to his death, he was alleged to have handwritten a will requesting that his assets be distributed to Yvonne Dawkins. The ...

Estates and trusts — Personal representative — Petition to remove Sherrie Lynn Smith (“Smith”) appeals a decision of the Circuit Court for Frederick County upholding the denial of her Motion to Reconsider an Order dismissing her Petition to Remove Tammy ...

Estates and trust — Estate agreement — Personal labor Lynette Silverberg, appellant and an interested person in her father’s estate (the “Estate”), appeals an order of the Orphans’ Court for Montgomery County denying a portion of her Petition for Allowance ...

Estates and trusts — Spousal election — Attorney-in-fact Dennis E. Uhlfelder, in his capacity as the attorney-in-fact for his uncle, Philip Knitz, elected to take one-half of the net estate of Mr. Knitz’s deceased wife, Delores MedinKnitz in accordance with ...

Estates and trusts — Petition to modify — Conflict of interest In 2011, Vincent D. Cleary Sr. (“Vincent Sr.”) and his wife, Appellee Shirley A. Cleary (“Shirley”), created a revocable living trust (“the Trust”). Appellant, Vincent D. Cleary, Jr. (“Vincent ...

Estates and trusts — Petition to remove personal representative — Timeliness This case is before us on appeal from an order of the Circuit Court for Harford County, sitting as the Orphans’ Court for Harford County, denying a Petition for ...

Estates and trusts — Fiduciary relationship — Undue influence This appeal arises from a trial in the Circuit Court for Howard County in which the trial court, sitting as the finder of fact, found in favor of Doris Williams (“Doris”), ...