Hon. Mary Fingal Schulte (Ret.)

• Breach of contract and fraud suit and counter-suit between investors in a joint venture to purchase, renovate, and develop a number of properties in different states. There was no written agreement, and the parties had mediated twice with other mediators, before this mediation.
• Owner on a commerical project paid off subcontractor on monies owed, and sued the general contractor and one of the sub contractors for indemnity.
• Owner on a commercial project paid off subcontractor on monies owed, and sued the general contractor and one of the sub-contractors for indemnity.
• Arbitration of fee dispute between medical doctor and his billing service
• Breach of contract claim/account sealed for failure to pay for guitar shipment/orders. Defendant cross complained alleging breach of oral contract, fraud, breach of implied warranty of merchantability, claiming guitars were defective and poorly manufactured.

• Pre litigation mediation of claims for fraud, breach of duty, conspiracy, professional negligence arising out of tax avoidance transactions involving insurance and charitable trusts.
• Lawsuit involved competing breach of contract claims including owner of a lot with a commercial building to be constructed, the general contractor and the paving subcontractors. Contract terms required completion within five months, subcontractor claimed owner unilaterally terminated the contract.
• Buyers of single family residence claimed sellers concealed defects in foundation of home, that home inspector and seller’s broker knew or should have known of defects, and failed to disclose. Claims for fraud, negligent misrepresentation and rescission of contract were made.
• Claims of Breaches of Lease, implied warranty of habitability, retaliatory eviction, unjust enrichment, failures and refusals to make repairs, cockroach infestation, discrimination, violations of FEHA brought by family of 5.
• Buyers of single family residence claimed sellers concealed defects in foundation of home, that home inspector and sellers broker know or should have known of defects and failed to disclose. Claims for fraud, negligent misrepresentation and rescission of contract were made.
• Defendant submitted an offer to plaintiffs on behalf of a purchaser. Plaintiffs tried to negotiate higher price, claimed defendant made false representations about part of the increased price being used for repairs to property. Defendant claimed plaintiffs failed to disclose that the partnership was being dissolved. Both sides claimed breach of contract. Plaintiffs also alleged fraud, negligence, breaches of fiduciary duty.
• Breaches of implied warranties of merchantibility and fitness as well as intentional misrepresentation and fraudulent nondisclosure, surrounding purchase of Book PC products designed and manufactured by defendant.
• Complaint alleged breach of fiduciary duty (arising from attorney-client relationship); breach of fiduciary duty (arising from Joint Venture Agreement); breach of contract (duty of good faith and fair dealing); interference with contractual relations; interference with prospective economic relations; and unjust enrichment.
  Plaintiffs alleged that they entered into a Joint Venture Agreement on 5/22/11 with Defendant Limited Partnership for the acquisition and development of a parcel of real estate located in Kentucky. Defendant drafted the Joint Venture Agreement and undertook to represent both parties to the transaction without adequate disclosures of his conflict of interests and without obtaining Plaintiffs’ informed consent.
  Plaintiffs alleged the Joint Venture Agreement was drafted to take advantage of them.
• Complaint for (1) Declaratory Relief and (2) Injunctive Relief. Plaintiff was the Ground Lessee and Defendant is the Ground Lessor on a 95-year Ground Lease. The dispute pertained to the second of three rent adjustments set forth and governed by the Lease. The core of the dispute between Lessor and Lessee, which was resolved by earlier litigation was that the Lessee argued that the Lease required that each of the four parcels be separately valued and that the separate values be added together to determine a total value, whereas Lessor argued, despite the lease, that the property should be appraised as combined with values allocated to the individual four parcels.
• Partition action involving $8 million worth of property. Dispute between siblings regarding manner of partition: by sale vs “in kind”.
  The dispute between the parties arose after their father passed away and the parties attempted to administer his trust (wherein Sister is the trustee), which includes the distribution of the trust’s 50% interest in the properties.
  The parties entered into a Settlement Agreement to settle all probate court litigation. This Agreement settled all disputes between the parties regarding the disposition of the three properties and stated that the parties shall be entitled to commence an action for Partition pursuant to CCP § 872.010 et seq. There were also liens against the property, and Sister disputed the validity of many of them.
• Breach of Contract and (2) Breach of Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing. Plaintiff alleged that Plaintiff and Defendant entered into an Independent Contract Services Agreement whereby Plaintiff agreed to recruit students for enrollment in Defendant’s education programs in exchange for $24,000 a month. This was to be a 3 year contract. Defendant breached the contract by failing to make their bi-monthly payments and notifying Plaintiff of an intent to terminate.
  Defendant alleged that Plaintiff did not faithfully perform its obligations under the contract, but rather, it undertook a scheme to defraud Defendant by recruiting unqualified students and providing a structure for those students to wrongfully obtain financial aid.
• Plaintiffs were leasing property from Defendant and were in the process of purchasing the same. Plaintiffs alleged Defendant breached the Residential Purchase Agreement and was attempting to sell to a back-up purchaser. Claims included specific performance; breach of contract; anticipatory breach of contract; inducing breach of contract; intentional interference with contractual relations; intentional interference with prospective economic relations; negligent interference with prospective economic relations; breach of fiduciary duty; and nuisance.
• Complaint for (1) Defamation; (2) Intentional Interference with Contract; (3) Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage; (4) Violation of B& P Code§17200. Plaintiffs were previously a party to a coverage agreement with the Hospital whereby the physicians provided coverage for patients in the Hospital’s NICU. Later, the Hospital elected to choose a different group to provide coverage for the NICU. Under CA law, NICU is an “open unit”; that is, the hospital may not enter into exclusive contracts with a medical group to provide all physician services to a hospital. W&I Code 14087.28. Plaintiffs claimed that Defendants, by only calling on certain physicians, were turning the NICU into, effectively, a “closed” unit.
• Software Company that sold software solutions to businesses, including manufacturers and distributors, sold a system to defendant. Defendant was a master distributor of industrial pipes, valves and fittings. It bought and sold specialized industrial pipes and related products and acted as an intermediary between manufacturers, other distributers and end users of those products. Plaintiff sues for breach of contract, seeking recovery for unpaid software and consulting fees. Defendant countersued for fraud and negligent misrepresentation, and breach of contract, seeking return of monies paid, and damages.
• Mom sued son for breach of contract, financial elder abuse and conversion. Son told her she could live in his house and share “50/50” if she paid off the mortgage. After a cancer diagnosis, and chemotherapy, her son evicted her. Son crosscomplained to trespass.
• Plaintiff owned and resided at a condominium property. Defendant was the HOA. Plaintiff alleged she experienced at least seven (7) instances of water intrusion stemming from slab leaks at her unit, causing damage to her dining room area. She claimed that the Association’s remediation effort of the slab leak and damage to her property was subpar, and that defendant engaged in undue delay in remediating the mold caused by the water intrusions.
• Suit by anesthesiologist for damages against a medical center for recovery of wages, conversion, breach of contract, wrongful termination.
• Quiet title action between former joint owners of a house, issues of lost deed, forged deed.
• Action by landlord vs tenant and tenant’s assignee for breach of contract, declaration that assignment was invalid, and injunction prohibiting construction on the property. Landlord argued no waiver of breach of lease by accepting rent. Involved 29 acres of land in South Orange County owned by an individual and several trusts where the landlord and some but not all co-owners sued, challenging the assignment of the ground lease.
• Suit to recover commissions owed to licensed sales representatives. Issues of breach of contract, misappropriation of proprietary information and trade secrets, unfair competition. Involved issue as to whether a list of names constitutes a trade secret under the UTSA.
• Contract to sell family residence, question of what was monetary relief “incidental” to a grant of specific performance
• Suit for specific performance on written contract to sell commercial real estate, countersuit for rescission and restitution, cancellation of instruments and slander of trial, enforceability of contract.
• Dispute involving purchase of a private college—claims for fraud, negligent misrepresentation, common counts, promissory estoppel.
• Dispute involving claim for unpaid commissions in regard to yacht sales

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• One year before she died at age 97, decedent changed long time estate plan to leave her house to caretaker and residuary to her elderly sister who was in her mid 90's. The sister died months after the decedent/testator but after lawsuit was filed. Decedent's grandsons had been her beneficiaries in prior estate plans, and they sued both the caretaker and sister for undue influence and financial elder abuse. There was a certificate of independent review for the new estate plan.
• Surviving sons of Trustor alleged elder abuse, undue influence, and lack of capacity against their father's 4th wife (3 year marriage) in conjunction with his changing his trust to favor Wife #4, who also obtained a quitclaim deed to the family home.
• Nursing home elder abuse multi day hearing, resolved before arbitration via settlement
• Financial, emotional, physical abuse
• Substituted judgment petitions

• Family disputes over conservatorships
• Professional fiduciaries vs family members
• Contested conservatorship proceedings involving public figures
• Probate Code section 2357: “Court ordered medical treatment.” Issue of whether hysterectomy would be allowed by the court, not to sterilize patient but to remedy a medical condition.
• Siblings arguing over conservatorship of mother. Other siblings took “loans” and gifts from mom, issues of undue influence and lack of capacity.
• Siblings dueling over conservatorship of father, extremely dysfunctional family members, with visitation orders made. Also involved multiple complex accountings and attorney fee orders where there were numerous objections and counter objections.
• Catastrophic injury to wife and mother, issue of professional vs family member as conservator.
• Accounting of an inexperienced family member who was conservator, and who made innocent commingling of funds. Objections filed by other family member.
• Dispute involving multiple fee petitions and objections as to approval of fees in conservatorship matter, analysis as to whether compensation is to the advantage, benefit, and best interests of the conservatee.
• Handled contested guardianships in high profile cases (children who lost parent due to homicide by other parent—“Seal Beach Shooter Case” and other cases)
• Handled Grandparent and family visitation issues
• Petition to terminate guardianship denied, but awarded visitation to mom, as requested by her and teenage daughter. Mom had two kids when a teenager, by a 27 year old.
• Grandmother was guardian, stipulated to terminate guardianship and was awarded visitation. Issue involving termination of visitation order due to toxic relationship between mom and daughter, finding and what was in best interests of the children (2 girls)
• Finding of exclusive and continuing jurisdiction in the state of Ohio, under the UCCJEA, of a baby girl residing in Ohio. Court made a finding that neither the adoption proceeding nor the termination of parental rights proceeding fall within the UCCJEA and that the guardianship proceeding cannot be bootstrapped into the adoption/termination of parental rights matter to confer jurisdiction under the UCCJEA. Child living with proposed adoptive mother for 2 years. Paternity was established in Ohio. Petitioner/guardian/prospective adoptive mother sought to terminate father’s rights over his objections.
• Grandparents competing for guardianship of children. Petition to fix residence out of state.
• Dispute involving request by mom for visitation, guardians resisted, but they ultimately adopted the children.
• Grandmothers were sharing custody, under an informal arrangement, and issue was whether there was a need for a formal guardianship as mom was bonded to child.
• Parents absent from life of child, issue of Court ordered expanded visitation to non-custodial family.
• Child’s mother died in November of 2007 in Michigan, where she had gone to live and work. From 2004-2007 child’s father saw him every few months. Child had two half-sisters, living with his father. The mother of these girls apparently pretty much abandoned them and child’s father took care of them. Child’s father was never informed of the mother’s death until the petition was filed in April 2009. While he clearly could have done more to be in child’s life before that, he maintained contact. Dispute over guardianship petition of maternal grandparents who had been de facto parents.
• Competing petitions by grandmothers, one of whom was the only adult member of her household without a significant criminal record.
• Highly contentious guardianship matter involved multiple petitions. Child went to live with guardian within weeks of his birth. Father was in prison. 3 years after guardianship was established, he got out of prison and received visitation on Sundays for 4 hours. Competing petitions to terminate parental rights, expand visitation, terminate guardianship. Guardian died and no one told the father.
• Dispute involving grandparent petition for guardianship where child resided with mom.
• Petition for modification of limited conservatorship and termination of general probate conservatorship. Issues of the two types of proceedings, and powers vested in conservators. The petition alleged that the limited conservatee hadPrader-Willi syndrome, which impaired her ability to make critical decisions involving living arrangements, finances, medical care, diet, and social and contractual relationships. Issues of powers under Probate Code Section 2351.5 (b)
• Petition to establish conservatorship over a granddaughter of a famous figure. She had suffered a brain aneurism and had been on a temporary conservatorship. Involved protracted litigation in Orange and Los Angeles counties between family members and trustees of granddaughter’s assets. Issues of substantial ability to manage her own financial resources or to resist fraud or undue influence. Family sought conservatorship of person and estate.

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• Appointed sole arbitrator in construction breach of contract claim and cross-claims
• Plaintiff had a written subcontract with defendant on a commercial project. Plaintiff claimed it was not paid for work performed. Defendant, general contractor, claimed plaintiff not only was paid for work performed but that defendant incurred extra costs for which it was not reimbursed and that defendant (Lathing Company) breached the subcontract by failing to perform timely. The matter settled a month after mediation.
• Negligent repair of a water leak causing release of asbestos into home. Family of 6 had to re-locate for almost a year. Nearly everything in the home was declared a total loss. They alleged failure to test for asbestos and failure to properly seal off contaminated area. Separate subrogation action by homeowner’s insurer settled as well.
• Plaintiff alleged it was hired to perform certain renovations on Defendants’ home; however, Defendants breached the Agreement by refusing to pay for the services rendered and preventing Plaintiff from completing the project.

• Appointed as private trial judge in a 10 day legal malpractice matter where underlying claim was a family law matter. Trial was a bench trial conducted entirely via Zoom
• Appointed on CCP Section 638 trial references to hear and rule upon objections to probate accountings
• Appointed on a CCP 638 trial reference to hear and decide a probate petition involving contested trust documents and allegations of undue influence. Trial decision was fully affirmed on appeal
• Appointed as a discovery referee to hear over two dozen lengthy motions in an Elder Abuse action
• Appointed referee to preside over party and expert depositions in a contested conservatorship matter, to monitor behavior of parties and counsel, and to rule on objections.

• Appointed referee to determine applicability of Evidence Code section 1157 to hospital records in a medical malpractice action.
• Appointed referee in a business dispute involving motions to compel further responses to interrogatories and document production requests.

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• Employment matter alleging damages for sexual discrimination, constructive termination, as well statutory damages for failure to pay overtime, meal breaks, and other various Labor Code violations. Case settled at second session 8 months later on eve of trial.
• Receptionist claimed owner of company made inappropriate advances and comments to her. Owner/company denied all allegations and claimed she was doing a poor job and left voluntarily.
• Director/CEO of company was charged with sexual harassment, and terminated from company. Company was sued by CEO and reinstated director/CEO. Company sued lawyer for advising its board that CEO should be terminated. Company claimed as its damages the settlement amount it paid to the employee who alleged sexual harassment and its fees spent in the litigation with its CEO over his termination and reinstatement.
• Plaintiff alleged he was employed by insurance agency, per an oral contract and never was paid. Defendant said he was an independent contractor. Underlying Labor Commission award for plaintiff was obtained by default. Motions to vacate defaults were pending at time of settlement.
• Employment discrimination, including harassment. Plaintiff alleged she was employed by Defendants and that, during her employment, she was sexually harassed by Defendant supervisor. Plaintiff alleged she suffered retaliation following complaints regarding the harassment.

• Plaintiff was formerly employed by defendant as a cashier and alleged she developed a physical disability that limited a major life activity. Plaintiff alleged she suffered from this disability and notified employer of the disability, and that she was terminated shortly thereafter.
• Plaintiff worked at a Japanese Restaurant. His given title was sushi chef; and, as a non-exempt employee, Plaintiff did not spend more than 50% of his time performing managerial tasks—instead he performed tasks commonly associated with non-exempt employees such as preparing food items, taking and preparing customer orders, and general customer service and food service tasks. Despite Plaintiff being a non-exempt employee, he was paid a flat salary of approximately $665 per week and was not provided increased payment for overtime, or granted legally compliant meal and rest breaks.
• Petition for Writ of Mandate against County and Director of Social Services Agency of the County seeking an order requiring the County to vacate its Notice of Discharge mailed to Petitioner and to immediately reinstate him as Administrative Manager II in his former position.
  Petitioner alleged that until his discharge, he never had any disciplinary actions taken against him; his work performance was always exceptional; and that he encountered opposition from his managers when he began enforcing proper time-keeping practices amongst his subordinates. Petitioner alleged the County lacked “reasonable cause” to discharge him; the discharge violated the County Disciplinary Process Manual guidelines of progressive discipline.
  Petitioner sought: (1) a writ of mandate directing the County to vacate its Notice of Discharge and to reinstate him; (2) repayment of amounts to County Retirement System and adjustment of recorded necessary to reinstate Petitioner; (3) payment of tuition reimbursement; attorneys’ fees and cost of suit; back pay and benefits and interest; destruction of documents pertaining to investigation of him and his dismissal; and any other proper relief.
• Deaf teacher who was a probationary employee whom school district elected not to offer a job, claimed retaliation for complaints made about outmoded sign language being used in the district.
• Police officer claimed violations of POBRA and retaliation for filing a grievance.
• Plaintiff alleged she had been employed by University since 2005 and was a tenured Associate Professor. Plaintiff alleged she was discriminated against based upon her gender; retaliated against for complaining of discrimination and harassment; denied promotion to Full Professor; and demoted by being removed from various committees, denied upper division/graduate courses, and relagated to teaching lower division classes.
• Plaintiff, a dentist, worked for a dental implant manufacturer and retailer as a training manager in the education department. He alleged wrongful termination for complaining about what he believed were violations of public policy including health and safety risks to himself, co-employees and dental patients; retaliation for reporting of health and safety violations; failure to pay wages. Defendant claimed it eliminated the position for legitimate business reasons.
• Former district manager for Insurance Company alleged wrongful termination from his position in violation of public policy. He alleged breach of contract. The iissue was whether he was an employee or independent contractor. Defendant terminated him for failure to meet minimum performance standards for recruiting and training agents.
• Sexual discrimination/harassment matter filed against general and subcontractors by female elevator installer at a hospital. She claimed differential treatment due to her gender.
• Amtrak engineer claimed he was injured while operating a derail switch. Rotator cuff repair.

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• Family law matter where status was bifurcated and dissolution granted over 3 years after filing date. Remaining issues were spousal and child support, Watts and Epstein credits, 271 and 1100 sanctions claims, division of assets, and imputation of income to wife after a long-term marriage where she did not work outside home, and where husband's actual income was disputed.
• Dispute between sisters as to amount of Trustee/Conservator fees owed to the sister who was Trustee. Trust provided for 50/50 split of assets. Trustee sister requested 10 years’ worth of fees after both parents died.
• High conflict divorce where there were $300,000 in attorney fees incurred by both sides. Family Code sections 1101(g), 2030, 2032 and 271 issues evaluated in ordering husband to pay half of wife’s fees.
  Spousal support orders using the Family Code factors set forth in section 4320 et. seq. Husband had stipulated to spousal support of $1,500 then quit his job. Numerous violations of ATRO’s.
• Wife incurred fees and costs in the sum of $285,527. She claimed entitlement of contributory attorneys’ fees and costs based on her need and Husband’s ability to pay per Family Code section 2030. She also claimed fees as sanctions under Family Code section 271, as well as in the nature of penalties for violation of fiduciary duties and nondisclosure of assets per Family Code section 1101(g). Case also involved equalization issues and whether Wife unreasonably failed to engage in settlement negotiations or that her conduct frustrated public policy favoring cooperation between the parties and resolution of disputes.
• High conflict divorce involving cash flow issues, imputation of income, Watts charges, equalization, calculation of arrears, award of residence, vehicles and other property, bank accounts, business evaluation, attorney fees and sanctions.

• High conflict dissolution involving issues of allocation of debt, division of personal property, multiple residences, determination of medical reimbursements, award of custody of children, timeshare allocations, child and spousal support, attorneys’ fees.
• Multi-issue matter: business evaluations, five (5) homes plus one ( 1) in Mexico, determination of separate and community property, Epstein credits, equalization issues, IRA’s, pensions, life insurance, Watts charges, child and spousal support, attorney fees.
• Divorce involving Evidence Code section 662 presumptions, transmutations of property, Moore-Marsden calculations.
• Dispute involving issues of cash flow, earning capacity, child and spousal support, division of property, and issues re: breach of fiduciary duties. Issues of equalization owed by Wife to Husband and offsets by arrearages in child support.
• Dissolution where the evidence was clear that Wife was “in charge” of the money and accounts and finances during the marriage. While many of the 45+ accounts were in her name, the evidence supported a conclusion that all accounts held in her name were community accounts. Both spouses contributed funds to the accounts, which were used for community obligations. To the extent that any separate assets went into any account, they were hopelessly commingled. There were personal injury settlements and an inheritance of Husband’s which were all commingled. Wife admitted she read and understood the documents when she was served, and that thereafter she transferred $800,000 out of the accounts. Issues of spousal support, violation of ATRO’s, division of property and equalization of same.
• Involved issues of income, date of separation, as well as the division of property, issues of credits and reimbursements, attorneys’ fees, and spousal support. One of the main reasons parties were anxious to affix the date of separation had to do with the presumption concerning spousal support. If the earlier date was accepted, the marriage was not deemed “long term” under the Family Code. The parties lived under the same roof until the community home was sold. The marriage, by both parties’ testimony, clearly was over much earlier. Yet for another 16 months, they continued to use community accounts and commingle their money. The parties lived separately in the family home. But, when it came to finances, they acted in many respects as an in tact family, with bills being paid from the community accounts, money going in and out of the community accounts for the family. The couple maintained joint bank accounts and credit cards, filed joint tax returns, and took joint title to property, even after the date wife claimed as the date of separation - in fact for 18 months after that date.
• Involved issues of child support arrearages, credits for payments on mortgage, fair rental value (Watts credits), Family Code section 721 issues, involving the ongoing fiduciary duty that exists until the asset is disposed of. Evidence Code 662 and Family Code section 842 issues were implicated where Wife put her name on the house to refinance and to keep taxes down. She paid the mortgage, which was in husband’s name. She waived Moore-Marsden credits by a pre-nuptial agreement. Wife asked for award of the house as an offset for unpaid child support. Multiple issues of offsets/credits owed to each party.
• Dispute involving issue of family law court’s continuing jurisdiction over the parties’ unadjudicated community estate, whether or not jurisdiction is expressly reserved in the prior judgment. Family Code section 2566. Parties asked the Court to “adjudicate and divide an after discovered and undisposed of community property asset...” The asset was a foreign company including China land rights. Issue was whether it was “after discovered” and “undisposed of.” It was not mentioned in the judgment, so moving party argued that the asset was unadjudicated. The weight of the evidence suggested that the reason for this was that it was disposed of by agreement (drafted by petitioner) between the parties prior to the dissolution. Husband knowingly and voluntarily gave up any rights to his share of China business holdings before he prepared the judgment in the case, and before judgment was entered. Issue was whether there was a community property interest in the China business holdings to divide when the judgment was entered.
• Question as to whether a large sum of money from husband’s mother was his separate property. He argued it was either a gift or an inheritance. Either way it would be presumed to be separate property. The mother purportedly “lent” it for “safekeeping.” Whether the money was or was not a community asset in the first place was found to be irrelevant, but the transfer back to the mother was a clear violation of the mutual restraining order.
• High conflict custody case. Father ended up shooting mother and taking child to Mexico, where he committed suicide. Evidence Code 730 evaluator recommended 50/50 custody, child testified he was nervous around his father.
• Property division case. Disclosure issues involving property acquired during the marriage, which is presumed to be community property. Issues of the burden shifting to the separate property proponent to show the asset is section 770 property. Also issues of earnings and accumulations of a spouse while living separate and apart from the other spouse, which are considered the separate property of the spouse. Family Code section 771.

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• Have conducted numerous under-insured and under-insured motorist arbitrations
• Breach of contract, bad faith lawsuit by homeowners/insureds arising out of water and mold damage to their home. They claimed insurer prematurely closed claim, undervalued claim, and failed to pay benefits under the policy. Insurer denied all allegations.
• Plaintiff/claimant with at fault driver for his policy limit, sought remainder of policy available under UIM coverage, car was totaled, she suffered a myriad of complaints. Defense asserted she over treated and was fully compensated by at fault driver’s insurance carrier.
• Insurance coverage dispute involving homeowner’s policy and issues of whether loss was covered for water damage to a dwelling, and if so, whether a tree root exclusion applied. Cause of action for breach of contract and bad faith denial of coverage were asserted.
• Bad faith claim re: denial of coverage for corporate theft.

• Complex title insurance claim arising from protracted litigation between sophisticated, institutional real estate lenders over the priority of multi-million dollar loans they made to the same borrower and secured by the same property. The underlying dispute was largely resolved when the Court of Appeal confirmed that the lien of plaintiff and its assignee/successor plaintiff was in first priority ahead of the lien of another entity.
• Title insurance company determined it had no duty under the title policy to defend a lawsuit where the claim against the insured was that it had breached the contract by which it acquired title, and not that there was a pre-existing defect in the title. The insurer withdrew from defense after accepting tender subject to a reservation of rights and defending the action for two years at its sole expense while investigating the claim. Insured claimed breaches of express and implied duties under the policy. Case involved issues of priority of trust deeds.
  The insurer asserted it had no duty to defend an action not based on title defects but which sought a determination that the subordination agreement was unenforceable based on allegations of insured’s breaches of contract and post-policy wrongful conduct. Case involved issues of reasonable investigation of claims and coverage determinations. Court conducted an analysis of risks covered by title policies as compared to other forms of insurance, which indemnify against conduct of the insured, while title insurance indemnifies against existing title defects and other title impediments to real property interests that exist in the record title and can normally be found through an examination of title. Court conducted an analysis of exclusion from coverage clauses, reservations of rights, waivers of coverage. Case also involved California Fair Claims Regulations, bad faith.
• Plaintiff acted as a third party administrator that contracts with numerous hospitals in Mexico providing various services, including confirming medical insurance coverage for American citizens admitted to Mexican facilities, translation of medical records, billing and invoicing. Additionally, as part of the contractual agreements between Plaintiff and hospitals in Mexico, upon admission to a Mexican facility, patients who are American citizens execute an assignment of benefit agreement, assigning their benefits in the insurance policies to Plaintiff.
  Third-Party patient was an insured of Defendant under health insurance policy. Patient had a medical emergency while in Mexico and was admitted to a hospital. At the time of admission, Plaintiff contacted Defendant and advised of patient’s admission, and Defendant’s agent acknowledged that patient’s health insurance policy was active and that Defendant would cover the benefits for the medical services provided to patient upon admission to the hospital.
  After patient was stabilized in the emergency room, Plaintiff contacted Defendant to request an air ambulance or other medical transportation to transport patient to a medical facility of Defendant’s choosing in the United States. Defendant’s representative advised and directed Plaintiff to make arrangements for patient to remain at a hospital in Mexico rather than being transported to the United States. Plaintiff relied on Defendant’s assurances that the insurance policy would cover the medical services provided to patient, and continued to provide patient with non-emergency medical treatment at a hospital in Mexico. Complaint alleged: Promissory estoppel; Breach of Contract – Tortious Breach of Insurance Contract (Bad faith); Breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
• Breach of contract action by medical center against defendant, arising from an Agreement for Health Care Services entered into in 2009 between Plaintiff, and defendant. Pursuant to the Agreement, medical center contracted to provide medically necessary emergency room services to defendant patients. Medical center alleged it provided medically necessary services to certain individuals in the amount of $215,995, submitted invoices to defendant, and was not paid.
• Involved issues of duty to defend, and interpretation of policy exclusions for intentional and unlawful acts, as well as definitions of “occurrence”, “personal injury” and “bodily injury.” In an underlying case, ex-husband/father alleged that plaintiff (among others) abducted, or aided and abetted the abduction of, his infant son and hid him from his father for almost 18 years, with the knowledge and help of others. Plaintiff tendered defense to insurance company, which declined to defend. Underlying case where Wife took infant from Orange County to parents’ home in India. Husband sued several family members and acquaintances over 19 years later, accusing them of conspiring with ex-wife. Trial court granted nonsuit as to two defendants, jury found against other defendants. In a second suit filed by policyholders who had been sued in Matter #1 and found by jury not to have had knowledge that mom planned to leave the U.S., court granted carrier’s MSJ on grounds that abduction claims were not covered claims. Policyholders had tendered claim under condo/homeowner policies covering them during period in which acts alleged in Matter #1 had occurred. Both trial court decisions were affirmed on appeal.
• Plaintiff was an Insurance agent who was insured through an “Insurance Agents Error and Omissions Liability Policy” issued by Defendant Insurance Company.
  Plaintiff was sued for professional negligence in another action wherein it was alleged that Plaintiff provided a “sham” 419 plan to the individual who brought suit (i.e. a plan which was not a 419 plan). Plaintiff asserted that, based on the allegations, insurance company had a duty to defend and indemnify Plaintiff. Further, Plaintiff asserted Defendant wrongly denied coverage, on the basis 419 plans were excluded from Plaintiff’s policy.
  Plaintiff alleges that co-Defendant was hired by insurance company to review the claim and falsely concluded that coverage should be denied.
• Insurance coverage matter: breach of contract and breach of warranty, alleging failure to properly investigate and adjust a claim for partial submergence of insured’s yacht. Claims for breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; breach of contract; fraud in the performance; negligent misrepresentation; and intentional interference with contractual relations.
• Claims for: (1) Declaratory Relief; (2) Breach of Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing; and (3) Breach of Contract.
  Defendant insurance company issued a Homeowner’s Policy of Title Insurance to Plaintiff. Plaintiff sought a determination from the Court that damage to the property, due to a damaged and defective sewage system, was covered by this policy.
• Suit by residual trust beneficiaries over what was owed under a professional liability policy issued by a bankrupt insurer; issues of covered claims, single claim policy limits and self- liquidating policies, what is restitution versus covered damages. Underlying case involved voiding of a trust wherein attorney designated himself as a beneficiary, resulting in imposition of constructive trusts, and judgments in probate proceedings of close to $4 million against the lawyers representing value of stocks sold; the second underlying petition was for accounting and review of attorney’s exercise of discretionary trustee powers, and an additionally award for premature stock distributions causing tax losses. Insurance carriers made partial satisfaction of judgments, but there remained an unsatisfied portion of over $4 million. Liability carrier became insolvent. Issue was whether the 2 probate petitions were a single claim under the policy. Interpretation of insurance policy was required to determine potential for coverage, as to what part of damage award was covered versus restitution, and what remained under the policy limit. Involved issues of what constituted separate transactions for purposes of coverage limits.

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• Plaintiff claimed defendant family law lawyer failed to advise her of settlement offers, in her pending dissolution, and that as a result, she became embroiled in numerous litigation matters in probate court and civil filings by her lawyers for attorney fees. Defendant denied failing to advise her and disputed causation.
• Legal malpractice alleging negligent advice by lawyer to fire CEO after sexual harassment allegations were made. Plaintiff corporation claims CEO should have been counseled first.
• Complaint filed by Plaintiffs against Lawyers & asserting causes of action for legal malpractice and breach of written agreement, alleging that Plaintiff hired Defendant to represent him in a dissolution action in which his former wife filed a request for spousal support and attorney’s fees. Defendant failed to file a copy of the prenuptial agreement and Plaintiff’s income and expense declaration; he claimed he would not have had to pay spousal support and attorney’s fees had those documents been filed. Plaintiff retained in another lawyer, also a defendant, as counsel in the divorce action. He claimed that second lawyer also failed to adequately represent him, resulting in a finding by the family court judge that the prenuptial agreement was invalid.
• Attorney fee suit. Plaintiff alleged he and defendant had a fee agreement whereby defendant would pay him 25% from sale of a dental practice. Defendant claimed no written fee agreement. Plaintiff alternatively sued on quantum meruit theory.
• Legal malpractice. In underlying matter, Plaintiff retained defendant as her lawyer to prosecute a medical malpractice case on her behalf. Defendant went to trial against doctor, dismissing hospital. Defense verdict in underlying case.

• Complex legal malpractice action. Plaintiff claimed defendant negligently failed to advise him that an option to purchases was valid and that a previous offer to purchase was not an exercise of the option. Plaintiff was a general partnership which owned residential and commercial properties. Involved preparation of two real estate purchase contracts.
• Legal malpractice suit arising out of preparation of a trust. Plaintiff claimed that defendants gave negligent legal advice which resulted in her not receiving her half interest in the marital residence purchased by her ex-husband during their marriage.

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• Claimant alleged medical professional misread ultrasounds and placed IUD in an improper position, and as a result she became pregnant.
• Appointed neutral arbitrator in 3 panel arbitrations in medical malpractice matters
• Appointed sole arbitrator in Kaiser medical malpractice arbitrations
• Medical Malpractice/Wrongful Death of a 15 year old mentally ill teenager with history of homicidal violence. He assaulted and tried to kill his psychiatrist. He was placed on Clozaril and died as a result of reaction to drug. Informed consent issues.
• Plaintiffs alleged that Defendants’ negligence resulted in severe injuries to child, including a fractured cervical spine and other traumatic cervical spine injuries resulting in acute respiratory failure, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, neurological impairments and other severe and permanent injuries.

• Plaintiff was decedent’s wife. She claimed her husband was seen by defendant doctor for sinus pain at his office and he prescribed amoxicillin and steroid for sinus infection. Decedent was allergic to amoxicillin. Another doctor recommended surgery for a possible sinus mass. He performed exploratory excision of the nasal septum He did no pre-op testing for fungal culture or bacterial sensitivity. During the surgery, decedent had a heart attack. Cardiologist convinced him to have heart surgery. Decedent had heart surgery. None of the doctors involved did any bacterial testing, meanwhile fungus was invading his body. Ultimately, it invaded the brain, the blood, and eyes. Two weeks after nasal surgery, decedent went blind and later died.
• Medical malpractice. Plaintiff, an M.D., underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Two days post-operation he developed complications including a bowel perforation, requiring emergency surgery to repair the bowel.
• Medical Malpractice/Wrongful Death. Woman with long history of heart problems died during angiogram. Husband claimed failure to obtain informed consent, and negligence in performance of the procedure.
• Medical Malpractice/Wrongful Death involving patient who had three episodes of chest pain. Patient was seen by defendants who did not feel chest pain was cardiac in origin and discharged him. He died 90 minutes later at home.
• Surgery to perform pelvic organ prolapse, with complications ultimately resulting in loss of one of plaintiff’s kidneys and surgical removal of some mesh. Plaintiff alleged failure to warn, failure to perform necessary and regular diagnostic tests, and failure to diagnose post.
• Plaintiff alleged that defendant (deceased at the time lawsuit was filed) negligently examined her right foot resulting in a right trimalleolar ankle fracture.
• Medical malpractice suit involving claim of loss of the vestibular system and hearing following treatment with antibiotics for a post-surgical wound infection.
• Medical malpractice suit claiming failure to confirm a diagnosis of HIV and needless treatment for HIV infection.
• Psychiatric malpractice action involving allegations of negligent supervision of therapists who were treating the plaintiff for multiple personality disorder and abuse.
• Medical malpractice action in which plaintiff alleged that defendant failed to diagnose and treat congestive heart failure in a diabetic male, resulting in his death at age 48.
• Plaintiff alleged defendant doctor failed to timely diagnose and treat sudden onset pain and weakness in the left leg, reulsting in gangrene and a below the knee amputation.
• Medical malpractice matter in which the plaintiff claimed failure to timely diagnose and treat symptoms of a cerebral vascular accident/minor stroke. Following an embolectomy, she had a rapid recovery.
• Medical malpractice matter in which plaintiff had bilateral breast implants as cosmetic surgery. She developed capsular contractures, alleged negligent surgery, and lack of informed consent.
• Medical malpractice matter where plaintiff presented to her doctor having had a positive home pregnancy test, pain in the right lower quadrant, and a palpable mass in the area. Eventually she required removal of a portion of her right fallopian tube. She alleged failure to timely diagnose an ectopic pregnancy. Allegations of chart alteration.
• Wrongful death and medical malpractice matter wherein plaintiff presented to defendant hospital following an auto accident. She had been hospitalized for two (2) weeks following the accident, was released, and then re-hospitalized the next day. 15 hours later she died of a pulmonary embolism. Her widower claimed failure to diagnose a pulmonary embolism.

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• 19 causes of action cross-complaint with claims of fraudulent concealment, intentional misrepresentation, conversion of assets, breaches of fiduciary duty and duty of loyalty, breach of corporate opportunities, misappropriation of customer lists, etc.
  Parties requested a judicial declaration of the rights and liabilities of each party. Claim was that one partner refused to terminate the Buy-Sell Agreement, despite requests from the other partner that the business relationship between them be dissolved. Partner requested a judicial declaration as to his rights, and the obligations of co-partner, as well as a mandatory injunction dissolving the business relationship.
• Plaintiff/cross-defendant was the second largest shareholder and a board member of Defendant/Cross-Complainant and he alleged he held his stock to his detriment based on false representations made by the company regarding its financial performance. Defendant is a publicly traded company.
  Defendants filed a cross-complaint alleging breach of fiduciary duty. In the cross-complaint, defendants alleged that plaintiff violated company policy by putting a significant amount of his stock in a margin account and, when the stock declined, plaintiff was forced to sell 3.65 million shares (6% of the total outstanding shares ), resulting in even further decline in the stock price.
• Complaint for Breach of Fiduciary Duties, etc. (7 causes of action). Plaintiff alleged that he was ousted as an officer and director of Defendant company because he objected to a certain licensing agreement that other shareholders stood to gain from.

• This was an uninsured motorist mediation in which the respondent insurer did not dispute liability, but did dispute the nature and extent of its insured's claimed injuries. Insured had a number of prior and subsequent accident claims. The matter settled a week after mediation via acceptance by both sides of a mediator's proposal.
• An uninsured motorist mediation in which the respondent insurer did not dispute liability, but did dispute the nature and extent of its insured's claimed injuries. Insured had a number of prior and subsequent accident claims. The matter settled a week after mediation via acceptance by both sides of a mediator's proposal.
• Plaintiffs sued cemetery alleging negligent handling of decadent’s remains. Coffin was too large for the vault and decedent had to be interred in a different plot. Plaintiffs claimed emotional distress damages.
• Plaintiff slipped and fell in restaurant restroom, injuring her shoulder (dislocation) and sustaining a concussion. Defendant denied liability and claimed plaintiff was intoxicated.
• Auto v. scooter liability admitted nature and extent injuries contested. Plaintiff suffered broken toe and soft tissue injuries when defendant clipped him, causing him to fall off scooter.

• Slip and fall in office after hours. Plaintiff claimed maintenance company failed to put warning signs re wet floor. City/comp. carrier paid all plaintiff/employee’s medical expenses. Maintenance company settled with city. Still negotiating with Plaintiff. Defendant alleged comparative fault of plaintiff, and overtreatment.
• Consolidated action for workers compensation subrogation and personal injury damages resulting from a slip and fall incident which occurred at plaintiff’s place of work. Plaintiff alleged she slipped and fell on a recently mopped and still wet floor, and that there were no warning signs that floor was wet. Employer sued maintenance company for indemnity and breach of contract.
• Plaintiff claimed that she and her family suffered substantial and severe physical injuries as a result of exposure to mold while living in an apartment they subleased from another tenant. Plaintiff alleged she had, as a result, constant sinus problems, a chronic cough, and loss of her voice, impacting her job at a radio station. Plaintiff claimed she and her family endured cockroaches, worms, mold, and water intrusion while living at the apartment complex for 5 months. Defendant denied the nature and extent of the claimed injuries, and denied causation.
• Deaths of 3 minor girls hit by SUV on Halloween by defendant, who is in prison now. Issues of dangerous condition of public property, defective design.
• While crossing an intersection in Santa Ana in an unmarked cross-walk, two children were struck in the northbound lanes by two vehicles driven by defendants. One died and one was seriously injured. The children were headed with the rest of their family to In-n-Out Burger.
  Plaintiffs alleged the intersection lacked sufficient warning signs and signals to alert drivers about pedestrians, the street lights were not working, and the subject crosswalk and the adjacent construction zone was defectively designed and controlled. Plaintiff alleged that there were various peculiar conditions at the intersection which made street lights and warning signals necessary, including the high speed of motorists on that street, the high presence of pedestrian traffic, the adjacent construction zone, the average motor vehicle traffic, the street width, street markings, traffic control devices, lights and/or peculiar darkness at the location. Plaintiff also alleged that Defendants had actual knowledge of a high number of prior vehicle versus pedestrian incidents of a similar nature at the same location.
• Plaintiff, then 17 years old, was hit by a driver under the influence of alcohol who failed to yield while walking in a marked cross-walk in City. The cross-walk is located right outside a High School and at a busy intersection. As to the City, Plaintiff alleged one cause of action for dangerous condition of public property and that considering the accident history in the particular location where the Plaintiff was struck, the City should have installed, among other safety devices, appropriate signage and/or flashing lights to warn vehicles of the pedestrian traffic, pavement markers or other devices to properly control speed at the incident location, should have made efforts to improve visibility around the crosswalk where high school students would cross, and set forth proper crosswalk enforcement.
  The driver is serving a prison sentence as a result of the incident.
  Design immunity, dangerous condition issues.
• The Complaint alleged Plaintiff was walking through the non-sterile portion of Terminal A of Airport when she tripped on a metal expansion joint.
• Plaintiffs claimed that after attending a concert at a venue close to their hotel, and while returning to their hotel, they were unlawfully detained, assaulted and battered and falsely imprisoned by police officers.
• Plaintiff alleged that while working as a consultant operating out of a fire department, she was sexually assaulted and raped by the captain. Plaintiff had long history of charges against police and fire personnel and litigious nature.
• Plaintiff was a customer at a fast food restaurant, who alleged food was sold to her that was “tainted, dirty, diseased, foul, impure, soiled, spoiled, unclean and contaminated.” Plaintiff asserted the food “had not been properly maintained, processed, handled, prepared, and approved for consumption” and that she suffered food poisoning, and contracted the bacteria clostridum difficile, which resulted in traumatic and permanent brain injury.
• Plaintiff, a diabetic with bi-lateral foot neuropathy, was injured and burned in a hotel steam shower. Ultimately he suffered a below the knee amputation of the right leg. He claimed inadequate warnings and negligent installation.
• Negligence and product liability action by a reserve police officer who claimed a head injury from a rear end collision which she claimed caused her to impact the shotgun rack in the police vehicle.
• Premises liability action. While visiting a shop at a large mall, plaintiff walked into a glass panel of the store as she was attempting to exit.
• Electrocution injury occurring while plaintiff was trimming trees in a homeowner’s back yard.
• Woman killed on Pacific Coast Highway, design defect issues, issues of under-insured driver negligence, and relevance of a CDL suspension for a matter unrelated to poor driving.

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• Very contentious dispute among several siblings over distribution of the primary estate asset, a restaurant, left to them in unequal percentage shares. One sibling was trustee and manager of restaurant, and he wanted to buy out the others due to rancor between them. The others wanted distribution in kind per the trust (which gave the trustee the discretion to sell). Successfully settled.
• Successfully resolved dispute between a decedent's only daughter and his second wife/widow over ownership of life insurance proceeds and distribution of a POD account where decedent neglected to name beneficiary, but his Trust left all his separate property to his daughter, and his community property to his widow. Dispute was over the characterization of the account as SP or CP.
• Successfully mediated complex case involving four separate petitions--two competing petitions between decedent's widow and his daughter by a prior marriage for appointment of administrator of estate, a Spousal Property Petition, and an 850 Petition. A week prior to marriage, widow signed a prenuptual agreement that gave her little upon divorce or the death of husband. The widow argued that the one-sided agreement should be deemed invalidated. Shortly prior to husband's death, he presented purported to reclassify the community residence to himself as his sole and separate property. Widow claimed breach of fiduciary duty and shifted burden of proof to other side to show lack of undue influence. Case was complicated by the fact that widow destroyed the agreement and many notes immediately after husband's death.
• Successfully mediated a case involving challenges to a trust amendment made under allegedly suspicious circumstances. Days before his death following a serious auto accident, at the age of 91, testator amended his trust to exclude nieces by marriage (testator had no children or grandchildren) and add various business associates/friends. Amendment changed prior plans, and added the elderly father of the drafting attorney who had never prepared a will or trust before. Estate value was over $25 million. Amendment was challenged on lack of capacity and undue influence by one of the friends. All other beneficiaries filed objections.
• Petition to remove and surcharge 82 year old Trustee/widow by one of 6 adult children of decedent's from prior marriage. Allegations were breaches of fiduciary duty and undue influence. Half of the stepchildren sided with widow, their stepmother. Case also included a claim of professional negligence against CPA advising Trustee. Global settlement reached in this mediation ordered pursuant to Breslin case.

• Pre- filing mediation of Trust contest with elder abuse (physical and financial allegations) by sons of deceased testator. Long time estate plan was changed after testator suffered 3 strokes, new plan greatly favored decedent's wife (step-mother of contestants) and her children.
• Trust contest where testator allegedly changed her trust 2 weeks before her death at the behest of one of her 3 children. Evidence showed she spoke little English and had advanced dementia, and was on dialysis at the time that the "do it yourself" trust containing, sophisticated language, was made.
• Decedent re-married 3 years after first wife died, but did not update his trust. Widow claimed a share of estate as omitted spouse. Decedent's sons claimed step-mom/widow failed to account for trust assets and breached fiduciary duties.
• 3 and a half years before her death, decedent changed her Will to leave bulk of estate to one of two daughters. Prior Will left estate 50/50. Estate consisted of house and commercial property, the latter of which was virtually unmarketable due to environmental issues requiring millions of dollars of remediation.
• Trust dispute between one beneficiary and his Trustee sister over accounting, settled post mediation with a very evaluative mediator's proposal.
  
• Petition to remove and surcharge 82 year old Trustee/widow by one of 6 adult children of decedent's from prior marriage. Allegations were breaches of fiduciary duty and undue influence. Half of the stepchildren sided with widow, their stepmother. Case also included a claim of professional negligence against CPA advising Trustee. Global settlement reached in this mediation ordered pursuant to Breslin case.
• Pre- filing mediation of Trust contest with elder abuse (physical and financial allegations) by sons of deceased testator. Long time estate plan was changed after testator suffered 3 strokes, new plan greatly favored decedent's wife (step-mother of contestants) and her children.
• Decedent changed his Trust 2 weeks before his death to leave his only major asset, a run down property, to a long time friend. Petitioner was a long time companion/friend as well, as claimed undue influence/lack of capacity/undue influence, as she was the previous sole beneficiary. Decedent had left her substantial POD accounts, which were not contested by either side. Case settled for a cash payment out of escrow, on a cost of defense basis.
• Trust beneficiary sued private professional trustee alleging overbilling and numerous breaches of fiduciary duty.
• Petition to remove sibling as co-trustee and surcharge for breaches of fiduciary duty. Respondent alleged( but did not petition for affirmative relief) undue influence and lack of capacity as to 2 trust amendments that added his siblings as co-trustees.
• Dispute over transfer of home to one sibling, disinheriting the other two who claimed undue influence, lack of capacity and financial elder abuse. Main asset of mom's estate was the family home.
• Trustee sued a business on a 20-year old due on demand note, wherein the creditors and former president of the business/signer of note were all deceased. There was an issue as to whether the decedent/alleged company representative had the authority to bind the company as a debtor. Neither trustee nor defendant business had records to show the loan was made or that any payments on the alleged loan were made.
• Pre litigation mediation/settlement of trust and accounting dispute among uncle/trustee and his two nephews (brothers) over distribution of estate (valued at $5 million) of decedent/trustor (brother of trustee, father of beneficiaries). Settlement avoided years of protracted litigation and a myriad of potential trust petitions.
• One year before she died at age 97, decedent changed long time estate plan to leave her house to caretaker and residuary to her elderly sister who was in her mid 90's. The sister died months after the decedent/testator but after lawsuit was filed. Decedent's grandsons had been her beneficiaries in prior estate plans, and they sued both the caretaker and sister for undue influence and financial elder abuse. There was a certificate of independent review for the new estate plan.
• (Pre-litigation mediation) Trustee of family trust valued at over $10 million failed to fund subtrusts at death of testator and then again at death of one of the beneficiaries, mother of many remainder beneficiaries. One remainder beneficiary demanded an accounting and immediate distribution of her share. Trust assets primarily consisted of real property, and little liquidity.
• Decedent changed his trust 4 years before his death, leaving virtually his entire estate to his caregiver. Petitioners were relatives of decedent's deceased domestic partner of 40 years. They asserted lack of capacity, financial elder abuse, and undue influence. Respondent claimed he knew nothing of the bequest until after testator died, and he denied undue influence. Certificate of Independent Review was obtained by drafting attorney 2 days after the trust was restated.
• Petitioner challenged amendment to his grandparents' trust whereby he no longer received the specific gift of a house. It went to a cousin, and petitioner claimed lack of capacity, undue influence, and elder abuse. Case settled with a mediator's proposal.
• Trustee filed quiet title/elder abuse action again a 1/3 interest beneficiary, arising out of transfer of one of the Trust's real property assets out of the Trust to that beneficiary prior to trustor's death. Beneficiary claimed in was a pre-death gift and he was still entitled to 1/3 of trust assets in addition to the property.
• Sibling of decedent sued to set aside two Trust Amendments that left bulk of estate to a friend/caregiver and a portion to one sister and to a girlfriend. Petitioner was supported in the petition by three other siblings. Petition alleged lack of capacity, financial elder abuse, and undue influence as to both trust amendments, which were executed 2 years apart from one another. The last amendment was made months before decedent passed away. There was also an issue of a pretermitted heir (son from a brief earlier marriage). Defense denied all allegations and alleged decedent was unhappy with siblings for not helping care for their mother.
• Competing petitions in Orange County for conservatorship over 91 year old mother. Issues of Trust administration in Northern California, and a petition to transfer an out of state conservatorship (called an adult guardianship in that jurisdiction) to Orange County. Case resolved with agreement to put a private professional fiduciary in place, and dismissal of pending petitions and discovery motions.
• Long after most of trust assets were distributed, siblings petitioned (via one sibling) for further accounting and surcharges.
• Co-beneficiary of trust died intestate suddenly a week after trustor. Dispute centered around valuation of family home, half of which went to decedent's estate, with each of two intestate heirs entitled to one half of the half interest in the home. One intestate heir was not a trust beneficiary but claimed standing to petition to remove trustee.
• Siblings were co-trustees of parents' trust. One sibling petitioned for removal of the other, claiming she did not keep her informed of trust administration, failed to communicate, and failed to account for and distribute assets. Case was complicated by existence of real property assets in Europe and a pending wrongful death action concerning one of their parents/co-trustors. (Parents died within 22 days of one another.)
• Beneficiary sued Trustee brother in law for breaches of fiduciary duty arising out of distribution of trust assets, and also objected to accounting.
• Trust beneficiary sued private professional trustee alleging overbilling and numerous breaches of fiduciary duty.
• Dispute between court appointed guardian ad litem for a 5-year-old, and the child's mother, as to funding of a trust from child's grandfather's estate, and terms of the trust. Mother was disinherited by father, the minor's grandfather.
• Petitioners, siblings of respondent, sought to invalidate a trust amendment based on grounds of undue influence/lack of capacity. Trust amendment disinherited the petitioners and left entire estate to their sister, the respondent. Respondent denied undue influence and argued that their mother made the change on her own volition. The case settled in follow-up about a month after the mediation.
• Petition to set aside Fifth Amendment to a trust and subsequent trust restatement based on lack of capacity and undue influence. 94-year-old decedent’s earlier trust documents made distributions to friends as he had no close family members. Two years before he died, he amended trust documents to leave everything to a great nephew (who was not a party.). Petitioner claimed trustee (not a beneficiary) exerted undue influence or that decedent lacked capacity to update his estate plan.
• Dispute between three grown children and their stepmother over allocation of trust assets. Step mother sued for reformation of trust documents. Adult children of decedent sued their father’s estate and stepmother for breaches of fiduciary duty in their use of assets allocated to marital deduction and bypass trusts. There was also a separate legal malpractice action against lawyer who drafted trust.
• Dueling petitions between siblings alleging, as to their now deceased parents: elder abuse (physical and financial), undue influence breaches of fiduciary duty, violation of no contest clause. Father executed a fourth trust amendment, prepared by his daughter, radically reducing inheritance of one of his sons. Parties agreed to abide by an earlier trust amendment to settle the petitions.
• This was a trust dispute between an uncle (trustee of his brother’s estate) and two of his brother’s children over trust administration and distribution of a six million estate comprising largely of real estate. Petitioners alleged that their uncle – not a beneficiary – failed to account, failed to make assets productive, failed to timely distribute. They sought removal of trustee. The matter settled at mediation.
• Dispute between cousins over distribution of grandparent’s estate. There were three pending matters: a lawsuit in civil court to enforce a contract to make a will, probate court had petitions for instructions reconstruction of trust, petition to remove trustee. A petition for an order modifying irrevocable trust was dismissed before mediation. Settlors originally left everything to grandchildren equally. First settlor died, surviving settlor disinherited her son’s two children from surviving trust. Attempt to disinherit them from bypass trust.
• Family dispute over validity of trust amendments, and funding of trust. Only trust asset was family home. One sibling died before distribution. Surviving two siblings disputed who were the beneficiaries, matter resolved with agreement to sell.
• Dispute between sisters as to amount of trustee conservation fees owed to the sister who was trustee. Trust provided for 50/50 split of assets. Trustee sister requested 10 years’ worth of fees after both parents died.
• Dispute between trustee and guardian ad litem of two beneficiaries over funding of contingency fund in education of beneficiaries. Trustee failed to set up fund and made distributions to 3 of 7 beneficiaries in violation of trust terms.
• Dispute between 2 siblings over division of trust $5.7 million in assets, consisting of real property, cash, securities, LLP holdings. They also dispute language of a trust amendment leaving a special gift of personal property to one of them.
• Dispute over whether 89-year-old mother needs conservatorship; petition to invalidated trust amendment disinheriting one sibling (of 3); claims of undue influence and lack of capacity; allocation of assets including family business.
• Dispute between court appointed guardian ad litem for a 5-year-old, and the child’s mother, as to funding of a trust from child’s grandfather’s estate, and terms of the trust. Mother was disinherited by her father, the minor’s grandfather.
• Conservator/successor trustee sued former trustee/bank for breaches of fiduciary duty, claiming prior trustee disregarded express terms of trust by selling trust assets (stocks & bonds). Former trustee cited prudent investor rule, denied breaches of duty and denied trust was damaged.
• Decedent’s daughters filed petition to declare trust amendment forcing a caretaker to be invalid. Widow filed omitted spouse petition. Caretaker filed petition to confirm assets. All 3 petitions were settled via zoom mediation, with caretaker agreeing to vacate property in exchange for monetary payment.
• 2 brothers/nephews of sisters who never married or had children, were co-trustees of aunt’s trust. One brother sued other for breaches of fiduciary duty, removal compel accounting surcharge for rents not paid on trust property. All 3 trust probate matters settled via zoom mediation with an agreement to remain as co-trustees, to informally account, and to pay fair market rental value plus back rent as a credit against final distribution.
• Multi-petition probate matter; widow petitioned for probate of a holographic will leaving to her (7-month marriage), not mentioning decedent’s three sons. Ex-wife requested support for profoundly disabled son. Trustees of two trusts petitioned for return of funds taken by decedent.
• Petitioner 80-year-old woman, sought recovery of her two properties, her home and a rental house, from daughter and grandson, who obtained deeds from petitioner within days of her suffering a stroke. She claimed elder abuse, conversion, breach of fiduciary duty.
• Decedent amended her trust twice over a two-week period. First amendment left $100,000 to one brother. Second amendment disinherited him and left gifts to various persons and a charity in 20% increments. Brother sued to remove trustee, invalidate second amendment and sought surcharges and treble damages.
• Two brothers in dispute over last trust amendment of their father which created a debt owed by one brother to the trust. Each brother filed a petition to remove the other as a co-trustee, claiming breaches of fiduciary duty. One brother also alleged undue influence as to final trust amendment.
• This matter involved a contest of a typed will and an earlier handwritten will, based on allegations of fraud, undue influence, lack of capacity. Decedent’s sister vs. his estranged wife were the parties. Sister also claimed there was a lost will leaving all to her. Settlement reached via division of the assets of a relatively modest estate.
• Decedent funded 2 LLCs with promissory notes in favor of her children and step children. Step siblings removed decedent’s daughter as Manager. Issue arose concerning whether Operating Agreement contained an ambiguity as to what percentage of members would remove the manager. Parties agreed to explore funding a Grantor Retained Trust with the notes, and dissolving the LLCs.
• Multi petition probate/trust matter: petition to enforce no contest clause, spousal property petition, competing petitions to probate will, will/trust contests. Decedent executed will and trust and other testamentary documents days after receiving a diagnosis of terminal cancer, and weeks before his death, appointing his daughter trustee and executor. Wife claimed lack of capacity, and alleged undue influence and fraud by her step-daughter. Main assets at issue were family home and a pension plan. Global resolution was reached.
• Trust litigation involving multiple petitions, accountings and objections thereto among siblings. Requests made to remove trustee (oldest son) for breaches of fiduciary duty and taking excessive compensation. Challenges to various powers of appointment. Family had a 10 year history of litigation. Global settlement reached as to all trust matters, leaving for Court resolution (or later mediation) a contested petition for conservatorship of the father of all siblings.
• 89 year old man and 85 year old wife each were represented by relatives holding powers of attorney. Dispute was over characterization of family home as community or separate property. At the start of their 30 year marriage, 2nd marriage for each, they executed a prenuptial agreement, still happily married, but in assisted living home, their liquid assets were limited. Her sons did not feel their mother should pay for step-dad’s expenses from her Separate Property Trust.
• Legal malpractice/elder abuse/breach of fiduciary duties claims against lawyer and law firm arising out of handling of multiple probate and trust petitions which were all pending for trial at time of mediation. Multi-million dollar settlement reached prior to mediation between some beneficiaries was alleged by defense as a set off in the mediation.
• Decedent amended her trust while in hospital to change distribution from 50/50 as between a grandnephew and a former niece in law to leave most of estate to former niece in law. Petition claimed elder abuse, undue influence, lack of capacity.
• Family of 7 siblings – 6 vs. 1 on a petition to remove trustee and to compel accounting. Objections to accounting, dispute over value of assets, petition to distribute assets of trust valued at over $3.5 million. 6 siblings wanted to keep real property as investments. 7th sibling wanted to be cashed out.
• A young father told his sister that he made her a beneficiary of his life insurance, with his son to receive funds if he died. Young father died unexpectedly. His sister did not distribute funds. Child’s mother claimed an oral trust existed for the minor’s benefit.
• Petition to compel trustees to account; request for instructions to co-attorneys in fact; for appointment of guardian ad litem; to determine invalidity of trust amendments and exercises of powers of attorney. At time of amendments, mother was terminally ill. Father/surviving spouse was declared incapacitated. Trust previously provided for equal distribution to 3 siblings. After amendments, one sibling/son was disinherited.
• Decedent left estate worth over $5 million to his 2 children. Prior to his death, his son served as conservator of person and estate for several years, until he was removed on ex parte application. His sister brought a petition for surcharge and accounting. He filed a petition for approval of attorney and conservator fees. Siblings agreed upon a division of assets – real estate to one, cash to the other, with an offset agreed upon.
• Elderly woman sued family member for return of home that she deeded to family member in exchange for family member agreeing to make repairs to home.
• Pre-Litigation dispute between surviving spouse and her two step children regarding allocation of trust assets (A & B Trusts) and regarding whether spouse should resign as co-trustee.
• 92 year old woman claimed 2nd and 3rd degree burn injury from hot tea purchased at a fast food restaurant. Defendant denied liability and asserted comparative fault of plaintiff.
• Petition under Probate Code Section 850 to return property to woman now under conservatorship, who had gifted property to a neighbor. Claims of lack of capacity, undue influence, elder abuse.
• Dueling petition for conservatorship of 79 year old man. Caregiver middle child ultimately agreed to a conservator of person. Longtime family friend agreed to be conservator of estate. There were issues as to validity of trust documents and visitation by 2 other adult children.
• Probate trust accounting. Sister claimed her brothers misused mother’s funds while she was living, also claimed financial elder abuse and breaches of fiduciary duties.
• Contested conservatorship of estate of 91 year old man who changed his will to disinherit his son.
• Global settlement reached after a 2-day mediation of an extremely acrimonious probate/trust matter involving a trust and three amendments thereto, which was assigned to the complex civil department due to the number and complexity of petitions and claims, including:
  
  1. Accounting by suspended trustee and objections thereto
  2. Accounting by court appointed private professional fiduciary and objections thereto
  3. Petition by some of the heirs to remove private professional (who had been appointed by the court pursuant to their nomination) based on alleged breaches of fiduciary duty, breaches of trust, and failures to act competently
  4. Contest to last Trust Amendment based on irrevocability of Trust, and petition to compel accounting, injunction, and declaratory relief, request for an order directing conveyance of real property from trust and income collected there from
  5. Contest to 2nd to last Trust Amendment, both contests based on allegations of lack of capacity, undue influence, elder abuse
  6. Civil lawsuit alleging a wrongful death claim, physical and financial elder abuse, conversion, conspiracy as to husband decedent
  7. Elder abuse as to wife/trustor decedent.
  
  Additionally, there were two probate petitions pending in the probate department, one as to each decedent’s estate, which were resolved as part of the mediation.
  
  Issues were complicated by the fact that decedents had co-habitated for 25 years, and were married just weeks before husband was murdered the day after his wife was placed under a temporary conservatorship. (She died within months of a temporary conservatorship being established.) Wife had acquired all property long before she met husband. Adult children of each decedent were on opposing sides of the multiple petitions.
  
  Trial time estimate for all these matters was expected to exceed 30 court days.
• Multiple Petition Trust matter involving allegations of undue influence, breaches of fiduciary duty by self-proclaimed leader of a small church who convinced members to turn over all their assets to him as God’s appointed representative. After his death, church members claimed entitlement to all assets that were in his name. Matter involved multiple grant deeds and transfers of real property as well as personal property and money over a period of 40 years. “Church Prophet” was on a conservatorship the last year of his life. Multiple motions were pending at time of settlement.
• Complaint alleged multiple breaches of fiduciary duty, duties of loyalty and care, and judicial dissolution of family business. Plaintiffs were adult children of decedent father; defendants were adult children of mother who died 6 years after her husband. Plaintiffs alleged defendant (including stepmother via claim against her estate) diluted assets.
• Trust litigation between siblings who were beneficiaries of parents’ trust. One sibling was trustee since the death of the second parent, and resided in the home. The other two siblings alleged she failed to account and failed to distribute assets, and they sought removal of Trustee sibling. Trustee sibling claimed monies due for trustee fees and caretaking.
• Handled the Donahue Trust petitions, including the attorney fees. Donahue Trust was the subject of a published and frequently cited opinion on reasonableness of attorneys’ fees, arising from an order at the trial level from another judge.
• Petition of decedent’s son to determine title to and require transfer of personal property to estate; for damages for breach of fiduciary duty by executor; for removal of executor; constructive trust; attorney fees. Involved issue of whether a $775,311.11 cashier’s check payable to decedent (who had same name as his son) and which had not been negotiated at the time of his death was subject to probate administration. Decedent’s sister, the executor and trustee, contended that the proceeds of the cashier’s check did not belong to decedent, and that an agreement she signed with decedent’s sons excluded the check from probate administration.
• Brother and sister embroiled in dispute which generated multiple petitions over a course of years. Issues as to who had a life estate in their father’s home and dueling allegations of breaches of fiduciary duty. Interim trustee was appointed, house ordered sold. Trustee resigned before house sold due to toxic relationship between the siblings. The court appointed a receiver. Receiver evicted the sister and sold home.
• Petition to compel an accounting in the format set forth in Probate Code section 16063, to surcharge the trustee for failure to secure and protect trust assets to compel distribution of funds for the support of the beneficiary, and to remove the trustee. Petitioner (the Trust’s primary beneficiary) through his guardian ad litem sued trustee alleging he breached his fiduciary duties as trustee. Specifically, he alleged trustee (1) failed to secure the trust’s assets after the trustor died; (2) failed to distribute all of trustor’s personal property to him as the trust required; (3) failed to timely provide an accurate accounting for the trust upon request; (4) paid himself excessive compensation for his trustee services; and (5) failed to make monthly distributions from the trust to cover his living expenses.
• Extremely complex multi-county probate matter involving decedent who had been living concurrently with two women in two different locations and had fathered children with each woman. Involved issues of Family Code community property presumptions, and determining date of marital separation. Decedent had acquired interests in drill sites and there were issues of characterization of that property. Also involved analysis of numerous deeds and validity of a sheriff’s sale and a settlement agreement with one of the spouses.
• Dispute involving burden of proof as to a missing or lost will and whether will had been revoked. Former caretaker and agent by virtue of a durable power of attorney filed a petition for probate of a lost or destroyed will. She subsequently withdrew her petition. In her supplemented petition, she stated she did not know if the will was last in decedent’s possession, and even if it was, decedent was not competent until death, and accordingly, the Probate Code section 6124 presumption of revocation did not apply. She offered the photocopy as a “lost” will. Petitioner had acted as decedent’s agent under a power of attorney. The nephews of decedent filed a contest to this probate petition. They also filed their own petition for letters of administration based on intestacy. Thereafter, a brother-in-law and a cousin of the decedent also filed a petition for probate of a lost will, which was contested by the nephews.
  Three grounds were asserted in the two contests: first, that the purported lost will was revoked by decedent prior to her death; second, that the presumption of Probate Code section 6124 applied; third that the purported lost will was not in decedent’s handwriting or not duly executed by her. It was undisputed that decedent never knew the contestants, her nephews.
  The will left everything to decedent’s only daughter, who ultimately predeceased her, so that per the will, the estate would be shared by her husband’s sister and brother. The sister likewise predeceased testator. At the time of sale of decedent’s home, none of her important documents could be located. Lawyer testified as to client’s documents.
• Two brothers alleged that their father intended to have his Leisure World property distributed in equal shares to his three sons. One brother agreed to purchase the shares of the other two sons and executed an unsecured promissory note for $90,000 to each son. That brother took title to the property, paid each remaining of his other two brothers’ $10,000 and then failed to pay the remainder owed ($80,000). He filed a civil complaint for rescission, cancellation of instrument, restitution, unjust enrichment and declaratory relief, alleging that he and his parents held the subject property in joint tenancy and that he was entitled to 100% of the property.
• Dueling petitions to admit successive wills and a codicil, to probate. Issues of disqualified beneficiaries due to presumptions of undue influence (Probate Code section 21350), and standing of assignee of decedent’s step-son, beneficiary of an earlier will, to contest the two later created instruments. Also involved analysis of issues of lack of capacity of testator.
• Issues of ambiguity as to testator’s intent where testator knew of a grandchild’s existence when he created a will, yet he did not mention her in the paragraph identifying his “then living grandchildren”, nor did he expressly exclude her in the Children’s Trust.
• Two petitions: one was to appoint petitioner as successor personal representative and for issuance of letters of administration with the will annexed. The other was to remove executor, a lawyer who was related to decedent, to compel an accounting, and to award damages based on fraud and breach of fiduciary duty. Petition alleged that personal representative should be removed because he misappropriated assets of the estate for his own personal use. Issues of deference given to testator’s choice of executor.
• An accounting wherein the Public Administrator (“PA”) requested statutory fees for the PA and County Counsel; extraordinary (“XO”) fees for the PA’s handling of the sale of two parcels of real property and for tax work; XO fees to County Counsel for litigation related fees and a distribution to the Trust after compensation, reserve for contingencies, closing costs, and bond fees. Trustee filed objections to the Account.
• Three (3) competing petitions for probate of a will alleged to be lost or destroyed, versus revoked by testator who committed suicide and had children from an earlier non-marital relationship, along with children from his current spouse, in which divorce proceedings were pending but not finalized. Will contest and opposition to probate of purported will. Issues of Probate Code 6124 presumption and burden of proof to overcome that presumption.
• Nephews of decedent petitioned to revoke probate of codicil to their aunt’s will. The central issue was whether the writing that decedent made on top of her previous will “I will change my will to leave everything equalie (sic) to my siblings” contained present testamentary intent so that it constituted a holographic codicil, or whether it contemplated taking action in the future. Affirmed on appeal.
• Dispute involving successor trustee of decedent’s Trust and Attorney-in-fact under a Durable Power of Attorney (POA). Trustee had been decedent’s caregiver, and was in a fiduciary relationship with her. She moved in with decedent within a month of meeting her. She moved out later but she opened a checking account with decedent pursuant to the POA, which allowed her complete access to the ATM card until the account was closed. There were frequent and sizeable amounts of cash withdrawn from the account. No satisfactory explanation was offered for these withdrawals. Decedent’s home was sold prior to her death, and net proceeds were deposited into the POA checking account. Subsequently, decedent moved into an assisted living facility. While trustee was agent on the checking account, decedent re-financed her home several times. After decedent moved into care facility, there were numerous cash and ATM withdrawals that were not explained. Trustee had a fiduciary duty to decedent and breached that duty by failure to account for her actions. There was a judgment in for failure to pay the bill at the assisted living home and trustee was held responsible for the judgment.
• First and Final Account Current; Request for Administrator Commissions and Attorney Fees and Costs Reimbursement; Petition for Final Distribution. Estranged spouse pled guilty to murder in the first degree of mother of the minor children.
• Competing petitions to probate a will, administer estate, and will contest; petition to determine validity of decedent’s living trust and the validity of bank instruments making gifts to respondent . Also involved issues of the care custodian disqualification under Probate Code section 21350 as defined by WIC section 15610.17. Decedent met definition of “dependent adult.” Care custodian had burden of proof that the transfer was not the product of fraud, menace, duress, or undue influence. The “certificate of independent review” did not meet requirements of Probate Code section 21350(a). Petitioner argued she did not meet definition of care custodian. She was a full time driver, property manager, and companion to decedent and was paid anywhere between $500 to $3000 a month. Two weeks after she was hired as a driver, petitioner moved in with decedent. She received room and board and cash. She drove decedent to appointments and meetings, assisted with banking and bill paying, did shopping and took care of the household. While petitioner was living with him, decedent executed a will and trust, leaving his estate to his children (all adults) on his death. Within 2 years he changed all this, leaving everything to petitioner/care custodian.
• Numerous insurance coverage issues arising out of a complex and highly publicized probate matter.
  Among the controverted issues: Did the Petition to Determine That Particular Acts are Not a Contest in the Estate filed in the Orange County Superior Court on October 9, 1992 qualify as a “claim first made against the insured during the policy period and reported to the company during the policy period” of the Professional Liability Insurance Policy issued to Law Firm? Did the “Petition to Declare Void a Trust Provision Designating Lawyer A Beneficiary of The Trust And To Establish A Constructive Trust [Probate Code Section ll200]” filed in the Orange County Superior Court on December 11, 1992 qualify as a “claim first made against the insured during the policy period and reported to the company during the policy period” of the Professional Liability Policy? Did the “Petition For Review Of Account of Trustee and His Exercise of Discretionary Powers; Review the Reasonableness of Trustee’s and Attorney’s Compensation; And to Compel Redress of Trustee’s Breach of Trust; And for Surcharge of Trustee [Probate Code Sections 17200(5)(9) and (12), 16420(3) and (7); and 16440(a)]” filed a year later in Orange County Superior Court qualify as a “claim first made against the insured during the policy period and reported to the company during the policy period” of the Professional Liability Policy? If so, was it related to the earlier claim, and thus the two petitions constitute one claim. Does the Corrected Judgment rendered for the December 11, 1992 Petition qualify as “damages” as defined by the Professional Liability Policy? Was coverage under the Professional Liability Policy for the Corrected Judgment on the December 11, 1992 Petition excluded under the “dishonest, deliberately fraudulent, criminal, maliciously or deliberately wrongful acts or omissions committed by the Insured” exclusion in the Professional Liability Policy? Had the payments, if any, made for defense costs exhausted the policy limits in the Professional Liability Policy and the General Purpose Endorsement?
• Mother changed her will to leave bulk of her estate to the daughter who cared for her during the final years of her life. Other daughter claimed lack of testamentary capacity and undue influence.
• Complex probate matter involving 5 petitions concerning 3 family trusts; issues of misconduct, validity of trust amendments, removal, accounting, and instructions
• Dispute involving a life insurance policy that ex husband was required to obtain and maintain naming wife as beneficiary as part of divorce settlement. Petition for imposition of constructive trust, determination of title to insurance policy proceeds and separate property.
• Accounting and Probate Code section 17200 Petition for Instructions Regarding Validity and Enforceability of Trust Amendment (also described as a codicil to the will). Trustor died of cancer on August 3, 2011, while vacationing in Germany with her parents. She had established a revocable living trust by executing a declaration of trust on November 22, 2010. That same date she validly executed a pour-over will. Her daughter was the only Trust beneficiary. She also executed a grant deed transferring real property on November 22, 2010. Issue of whether that showed intent to amend her will. She prepared what she described as a codicil to her will, leaving $56,000 to various beneficiaries. Petitioner /Trustee, a friend of decedent, contended that document was intended to be an amendment to the trust. She argued that if the document was treated as a codicil, which didn’t amend the trust, the beneficiaries’ dispositions would be affected because the probate estate was likely insolvent. As Trustee, she had an obligation to argue for the beneficiaries, but she also was the beneficiary who would take the most under the “codicil”; no other beneficiary filed responses to the daughter’s objections to Trustee’s petition. Trustee argued that the handwritten document was an amendment to the Trust because it significantly altered the distribution, and if deemed a codicil, it would not amend the will which gifted the entire estate to the Trust.
• Dispute as to whether a writing constituted a holographic will, a contract, an amendment to the trust or none of the foregoing.
• Matter involving three (3) petitions and three (3) Trusts: Petition for Instructions by Trustee, Re: Determination of Amounts Due and Owing to Trust By Beneficiary and Charging Distributive Share of Beneficiary for Amounts Due and Owing to Trust; Beneficiary Second Amended Petition for Instructions, Removal of Trustee and Surcharge. Trustor claimed that beneficiary breached an oral agreement with Trustor/decedent by failing and refusing to make payments for costs and expenses of a condo in Ventura. The condo was in Trust A at the time of Trustor’s death. This beneficiary was a beneficiary only of Trust A.
• Multiple petitions. Prior to establishing the Trust, decedent owned the certain real property as her separate property. Her husband was placed on title due to a lender’s requirement when Wife (decedent) refinanced the property in early 2003. He quitclaimed the property back to his wife later in the year, after the refinancing was completed. She then put the property into the Trust. Husband did not receive any of the funds, but remained on record as a borrower on the note and trust deed. In November of 2009, the court ordered the Trustee to pay off the balance of the Note, when foreclosure was threatened. Decedent’s mother argued the encumbrance was incurred by son-in-law and “his deceased wife,” as she referred to her daughter.
• The adult children of decedent sought removal of Lawyer who was Trustee of one of the two Family Trusts on five grounds: breaches of trust (duty to serve notification of change in trustee, duty of loyalty, duty to deal impartially)—Probate Code sections 15642(b)(1), 16061.7, 16002, 16003; unfitness to administer the trust--PC 15642(b)(2); failure or declination to act – PC section 15642(b)(4); excessive compensation--PC section 15642(b)(5) and 15687(a) and (e)); and “for other good cause” – PC section 15642(b)(9).
• Wife was the income beneficiary of a QTIP trust. Upon her death, after taxes and expenses were paid, the corpus was to be divided among the remaining beneficiaries, except that Husband’s share was to be in trust for his life. Principal assets of the trust were stock in closely held corporations. The stock was allocated to the QTIP after Husband’s death, and on Wife’s death, it was to be distributed 51% to Husband’s son, special trustee of the stock, with 49% to the other beneficiaries. The balance of the QTIP assets were ultimately to be split 5 ways. Trustee selected by Husband was a cousin but not a beneficiary. Objections focused on trustee’s alleged failure to adequately explain 6 items of the Account, and his paying himself $180,000 in compensation during the accounting period, particularly when the beneficiaries had told him they were in desperate need of distributions. The primary objection was to the trustee’s fees.
• Dispute involving three (3) Sub Trusts, A, B and C. Daughter asserted 90 year old father, married to a mid 60s year old woman, had been subject to undue influence by his wife. Her father/trustee (and trustor) filed a petition for instructions and construction of trust instrument, seeking reimbursement of $453,385.60 in expenses he claims he paid out of his personal funds for maintenance of trust property, and litigation and accounting fees re: the trust and trust property. Issue as to whether he had improperly withdrawn principal from Trust C. Respondent was the daughter and the contingent remainder beneficiary of Trust C. (Trust C property consisted of 3 parcels of land including a single family home.) She argued that her father had authority to invade the principal of Trust C only to the extent actually necessary to allow him to maintain his accustomed standard of living, and that he breached his fiduciary duties as a trustee, in multiple ways. She asked the Court to remove her father as trustee of Trust C and appoint an independent fiduciary. She further asked that her father be ordered to account for his actions as Trustee, and surcharged in an amount equal to the amount by which the Trust had been depleted. Father denied he invaded principal of Trust C.
  The primary disputed issue was whether trustee was permitted under the express terms of the Trust to reimburse himself from the principal of Trust C for the expenses he paid out of his own pocket for the benefit of Trust C. The expenses related to payments he made for repair and maintenance, water bills, taxes and insurance, as well as attorney and accounting fees he paid in connection with litigation involving the trust and trust property from 1993 to 2007.
• Husband and Wife married in August 1995. It was the third marriage for each of them. Husband died at the age of 62. His sons by his first marriage were the designated beneficiaries under earlier trust amendments. They contested later trust documents claiming lack of capacity and undue influence by step-mother (his Wife).
• Trustor’s nephew asked the Court to determine the validity of a trust amendment. He alleged diminished capacity on the part of his aunt, which made her vulnerable to undue influence and fraud by her husband of over three decades. Nephew claimed aunt’s husband exerted undue influence to obtain execution of the Trust. He also claimed financial elder abuse and breach of fiduciary duty. He sought the imposition of a constructive trust, and a determination that an earlier Trust became irrevocable after his aunt’s death.
• Dispute involving whether the partnership distributions made to the Trust constitute principal or income. If they are income, which trust beneficiaries are responsible for payment of accrued but undistributed net income due the Estate? Or, against which trust assets should there be placed a lien for payment of accrued but undistributed income? Co-trustee contended that the distributions were income and that accrued but undistributed net income from the distributions were due the Estate and should be charged against the Trust A and Trust B beneficiaries on a pro rata basis. Co-trustee also served as executor, and in that capacity contended that the distributions were income, and should be a lien against the assets of Trust B. Objector contended the distributions were principal and therefore due and payable solely by the residual beneficiary of the trust principal.
  This also involved an issue as to whether the bequest of the Trust’s interest in the residences was a general or specific bequest, and whether the expenses associated with the Trust’s “residences” (“residential property expenses”) should be charged to the beneficiaries of the Trust’s “residences”, prorated between all beneficiaries of Trust B, or prorated among all beneficiaries of Trust A and Trust B.
• Two siblings petitioned the Court for a determination of the validity of trust amendments; to impose a constructive trust; and to compel trustees, one other sibling and his wife, to account. They dismissed a claim of elder abuse. An amendment excluded the first couple from the Survivor’s Trust. The controversy revolved around testamentary documents relating to the estate plan of the parents. Petitioners claimed parents lacked capacity to execute certain documents. They claimed their parents were the victims of brother and sister-in-law’s undue influence and fraud. They claim anything signed after 1996 contained forged signatures. The original trust provided for equal division among the siblings.
• Long drawn out dispute between the beneficiaries of a family trust (the Trust) formed in 1973. Interim trustee petitioned for instructions about leasing real property of the Trust and directing the payment of net income to one of the beneficiaries. Interim trustee also petitioned for instructions about what conditions, if any, should be placed on the required distribution of one-half of the Trust’s principal to another beneficiary, in light of an over $5 million civil judgment he owed the Trust.
• Complex trust litigation involving a family corporation, which was founded by the defendant’s now deceased father. Plaintiff was defendant’s former husband. A Trust petition sought instructions from the Court regarding the Trust’s obligations, if any, to pay for medical and educational expenses to, or on behalf of the Trust’s sole beneficiary, child of plaintiff and defendant, and expenses related to the ownership and maintenance of the Trust house. Concurrently with executing a marital settlement agreement, Husband and Wife established an Irrevocable Trust in their daughter’s name. The entire net income of the Trust was to be paid to the daughter after she reaches age 18. The Custody Agreement obligated Husband to pay 100% of daughter’s clothing, medical, dental, and educational expenses, including college or trade school. The Agreement was not clear as to whether that obligation continued past age 18.
• Trustor created a trust whereby upon her death her estate would be distributed 1/3 to a friend and 2/3rds equally divided between her twin daughters. She further provided that if either daughter predeceased her, the surviving daughter would receive the other’s share. She gave no instruction as to what should occur if both of her daughters predeceased her. Both daughters left two sons. Trustor outlived both of her daughters. Two grandsons claimed they were entitled to the entire 2/3rd interest because their aunt died first. The other two grandsons argued that since both their mother and aunt died before their grandmother, the remaining 2/3rd interest in the trust should be shared equally by the four grandchildren.
• Petition for Removal of Trustee, Accounting, Appointment of Successor Trustee, and for Redress of Breach of Trust. Petition alleged that trustee, a lawyer, was guilty of failure to use income and principal of the trust for the benefit of the beneficiary, and of breaches of trust and fiduciary duty. Petitioner was only five years old when her father established an irrevocable trust in her favor. The trust consisted of funds from a personal injury settlement obtained by her father after he was badly burned in an explosion at a refinery. Her father’s personal injury attorney was appointed trustee of the trust. A little less than four years later, attorney, as trustee, lent himself money from the trust – about 80 percent of the trust’s value at the time – giving in return his unsecured personal IOU providing for an 8 percent interest rate and no required payments of either interest or principal for 10 years. Neither the beneficiary nor her mother with whom she lived, were ever informed of the loan from the lawyer as trustee to himself as an individual, and neither learned of the loan until it was revealed in documents later obtained.
• Objector was a remainder beneficiary of the Trust. The Trust did not contain a spendthrift clause. The creditor sought an order under Probate Code section 15306.5 allowing her to obtain 25% of any distribution to Objector/debtor, to satisfy all or part of her judgment from amounts which Objector was entitled to receive. Enforcement of a money judgment against a settlor’s beneficial interest in an irrevocable trust, requiring a court order per CCP section 709.010(a).
• An action for determination of invalidity of a trust and for determination of invalidity of an inter-vivos transfer of certain funds, under the common law as well as under Probate Code section 21350. Issue was whether a transfer was made by a dependent adult to someone who was a care custodian of a dependent adult at the time of the transfer. Neither transferee became care custodians until after the trust was set up. Trustor’s condition of terminal cancer progressed rapidly during the final two weeks of his life, but until then, he was fully in charge of his affairs, although relying on his friends for emotional support.
• Petition to Enforce Money Judgment arising out of a complex Santa Barbara family law matter against an Irrevocable Charitable Remainder Unitrust (“CRUT”). Petitioner sought to collect trust income and principal, and requested an order directing the trustee to withhold from judgment debtor/beneficiary, and pay to him, the quarterly distributions that the trustee would otherwise pay to beneficiary until the judgment, including accrued interest, was satisfied in full. (A court order is required per CCP section 709.010(a), which says, in part, that “The judgment debtor’s interest in the trust may be applied to the satisfaction of the money judgment by such means as the court, in its discretion, determines are proper…” This section describes the exclusive procedure for enforcement of a money judgment against a settlor’s beneficial interest in an irrevocable trust.) Santa Barbara complex family law judgment.
• A dispute between the children of deceased trustor and the woman (their stepmother) who was married to their father for forty years. Petitioners were remainder beneficiaries of an exemption trust. Petitioners disputed the allocation of trust assets between two sub-trusts, with trustee/stepmother conceding that she inadvertently misallocated splitting of the assets at least once.
• Complex accounting matter involving a family owned business. Petitioner (conservator of the person and estate of Trustor) filed a petition to compel accounting.
• Husband and Wife were married for less than four years before Wife died. The probate court approved a settlement of a medical malpractice suit and the terms of a special needs trust (“SNT”). At the time of approval, the SNT provided that upon Wife’s death, the Trust would be divided into two shares, an Exempt Share and a Marital Deduction Share. Husband/father petitioned to modify the Trust to allow for him to withdraw monies for daughter’s support.
• Petitioners sought an order allowing them to sell the stock of Corporation, the sole principal asset of the Trust. All co-trustees, and the guardian ad litem, agreed to the sale. Issue as to whether Objector had standing to object because she was neither a trustee nor a beneficiary. She had a judgment against Corporation, but did not own an interest in any of the stock.
• Contest attacking four Amendments to a Revocable Living Trust; Petition for Suspension of Trustee and Appointment of Interim Successor Trustee; Petition for Interpretation and Validity of Trust Provisions. Son alleged that Trustee was a care custodian within the meaning of Probate Code sections 21350 and 21351 and therefore all amendments were invalid. He further alleged that Trustee drafted the last three amendments, so they were invalid under 21350. Shortly after Trustor’s second wife died, he and trustee struck up a romantic relationship, and Trustee moved in with Trustor. One Amendment gave Trustee the right to occupy Trustor’s residence after his death. Petitioner argued this Amendment was the result of undue influence, and furthermore that there was no trust residue to give.
• Dispute involving an objection which sought to change the settlor’s estate plan by forcing the transfer of certain property, which was to be distributed under the terms of the settlor’s will, to the trust’s residuary beneficiaries, who were not named as beneficiaries under the will. Additionally, the objection challenged the discretion given to the will’s executor; because the will specifically and clearly gave the executor broad discretionary powers to act as she did, the objection contested or sought to invalidate the will’s provisions, thus implicating the trust’s no contest clause.
• Protracted matter involving multiple trust and conservatorship accountings, surcharge requests for breaches of fiduciary duties. Trust owned properties described as residential care facilities for adults with developmental disabilities
• Mediation of a complex trust matter involving 3 separate trust petitions, as well as a separately filed family law petition, and a civil action for elder abuse and restraining orders. Husband and wife had been married for close to 60 years, during which time they amassed a community estate worth over $20 million, invested primarily in non-liquid assets/real property. Both were physically frail, and in failing health, but alert and competent. Multiple legal actions arose due to disputes among their three adult children, after husband/father was removed as co-trustee of the family trust by the two other co-trustees, his daughter and his wife. A settlement agreement reached among the parties 2 years earlier was repudiated by all of them, and the result was the numerous set of filings that were the subject of the mediation. Issues included undue influence by the son over his father, financial and physical elder abuse, requests for accountings, whether there should be restrictions on the use of monthly payments to the beneficiaries, surcharges for advances made to the son, and appointment of a private professional fiduciary. A global settlement was reached resolving all pending litigation, and the parties agreed on new pour-over wills, and a restatement of the trust.
• This was a mediation of competing petitions for appointment of conservatorship of person and estate of an 87 year old woman with progressive dementia. One son sought appointment of a private professional, and the other sought appointment of himself. The brother seeking appointment of the private professional brought his petition as a result of his concerns over his brother’s conduct and concerns for their mother’s deteriorating health. There were allegations of suspicious withdrawals in large sums of money from the conservatee’s Trust. The court appointed the private professional as temporary conservator, and ordered one of the brothers to file an accounting. Issues included who would be successor trustee of the mother’s revocable trust, whether she should be moved back to her home or remain in the assisted living facility where one son moved her, and whether assets needed to be sold to cover expenses. A global resolution was reached at mediation.

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• Pre litigation mediation of claims for fraud, breaches of duty, conspiracy, professional negligence arising out of tax avoidance, transitions invoicing insurance and charitable trusts.

• Dispute whether public entity has a duty to identify and produce “public records”, as defined by California Public Records Act, that reside on private email servers and drives, controlled by its elected and appointed representatives, when the City publishes their non-City email addresses as its approved means of contacting them. Specific question was: Does the City have a duty to identify and produce calendar entries of its elected and appointed representatives that document dates, participants, times, and topics of activities relation to non-deliberative City business, even if such entries are not physically located on City property but are within the physical or electronic possession or control of its representatives?
  Issue was whether public employees doing work on private email servers are subject to PRA.

• Quiet title action against family member with 9 siblings who was given his decedent brother's house via quit claim deed two years before his brother died. Decedent had long standing mental health issues, and his sister, administrator of his intestate estate, filed civil action alleging fraud, undue influence and lack of capacity. There were no other assets in the decedent's estate.
• Mom and dad transfered home to daughter and son in law as a gift, and years later, at urging of other grown children, sued to get it back. Her theory was that property was being held in constructive trust, as reason for transfer was to be off title so she and her late husband could obtain government benefits.
• Dispute arising out of a tentative short sale agreement which was never completed due to refusal of borrower. Defendant loan processor had tentatively approved the short sale, conditioned on a specific date it was to receive funds. Plaintiff claimed defendant should have continued working with borrower and buyer/plaintiff to complete the short sale on its original terms.
• Dispute over an easement vs. encroachment on creek bed between two homes, and value, if any, of the claimed easement.
• Plaintiff grocery store sued landlord for breach of lease for rending to a marijuana dispensary where a term of the 25 year old lease was that only “family friendly” businesses would be allowed in the shopping center.

• Claims for fraudulent concealment, fraudulent misrepresentation, constructive fraud, and breaches of fiduciary duty arising out of home purchase and loan applications presented to plaintiff buyer by seller’s broker and loan processor.
• Breach of Lease: Tenant claimed landlord failed to provide adequate parking for retail space, thus causing loss of profits. Landlord counter sued for breach of lease – failure to pay rent, and for costs and re-leasing efforts.
• Suit for specific performance/breach of contract to purchase residential property after various counter-offers were exchanged, seller cancelled, as they were unable to negotiate balance due in a 2nd TD. Sellers cross complained against broker for negligence, breach of fiduciary duty.
• Shopping center owner sued retail business for breach of lease. Retail business counter sued for breach of quiet enjoyment and nuisance, due to ongoing construction in shopping center.
• HOA sued homeowner for violations of CC&Rs regarding hardscape and landscaping. Homeowner installed a wall exceeding CC&R limit by 3 feet. HOA didn’t discover wall exceeded height limit for close to 5 years. Homeowner argued statute of limitation defense as to the wall.

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