Issues concerning a loved one’s estate could leave Texas residents facing difficulties. As a result, the concerned parties may wish to challenge certain aspects of an estate plan through probate litigation. Individuals may be interested in such a situation currently taking place in multiple courts in different areas. The cases involve the estate of Sumner Redstone, founder of mass media company Viacom.
Reports stated that Redstone’s granddaughter believes that her grandfather was coerced by his daughter into making changes to two of his trusts. As a result, the granddaughter wishes for Redstone to give a deposition concerning the changes. It was reported that legal representation for the man have allegedly stated that the 93-year-old man is too “feeble” to make a deposition. However, his legal team also purportedly claim that he is “vigorous and engaged” in terms of defending his actions.
In addition to the man’s granddaughter, the man’s ex-girlfriend is also attempting to move forward in the litigation. The woman is reportedly fighting against her dismissal as the man’s health care agent. It was noted that the woman had foregone a settlement with the estate for $30 million and hopes to be reinstated into the estate, which could lead to a larger payout. However, attorneys for the man believe that the two women are simply hoping to reach a settlement close to the original offer since the ex-girlfriend’s case was unsuccessful during her first round in court.
When there are considerable assets involved, as with this billion dollar estate, it is not unusual for complications to arise. If Texas residents are facing similar concerns and feel that changes to estate plans were made against a loved one’s wishes, they may want to pursue probate litigation of their own. Discussing their specific circumstances with experienced attorneys can be a good first step.
Source: Variety, “Sumner Redstone’s Granddaughter and Ex Continue Fight Over His Estate“, James Rainey and Cynthia Littleton, Aug. 25, 2016