In re Estate of Wilson, No. A-5350-18T2, 2020 WL 3527333 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. June 30, 2020). The Appellate Division affirmed the trial court’s ruling that a plaintiff’s speculation alone is insufficient to challenge testamentary capacity or show undue influence in a will’s execution. Stuart V.V. Wilson and his second wife, Amelia, were married […]

In re Estate of Liu, No. A-5063-18T1, 2020 WL 3527328 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. June 30, 2020). After James Liu failed to appear before the court, the Appellate Division affirmed the Chancery Division’s order dismissing his complaint contesting his father’s will. Decedent, Thomas Liu, died in December 2018 and was survived by his two […]

Archer Partner, Anthony R. La Ratta, was recently reappointed to the following positions: Chair of the American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Standing Committee of National Conference of Lawyers and Corporate Fiduciaries: The National Conference of Lawyers and Corporate Fiduciaries was formed in 1940. It is composed of a small […]

Archer Partner, Melissa Osorio Dibble, a member of the firm’s Estate and Trust Litigation Group, was reappointed Vice-Chair of the Probate & Fiduciary Litigation Committee of the Litigation, Ethics and Malpractice Group of the American Bar Association’s Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section. Her new term will begin September 1. As Vice-Chair, Ms. Dibble is […]

Save the Date – Tuesday, September 15, 2020 Archer’s 8th Annual Estate Litigation Seminar – Now Virtual This year’s annual Estate Litigation Seminar will now be hosted virtually. Speakers will include attorneys from Archer & Greiner’s Estate & Trust Litigation Group. More information and registration details for this complimentary virtual CLE seminar coming soon! When: […]

Archer Partner Steven K. Mignogna recently served as a guest lecturer for the Rutgers Law School course, “Estates and Trusts.”  Steve led a discussion on estate and trust law, as well as provided students with career advice and important insight about the legal profession in general. Steve serves as the Chair of Archer’s Estate and […]

Melissa Dibble spoke at the American Bar Association’s 32nd Annual Real Property, Trust & Estate Law National CLE Conference – The Virtual Experience 2020 (May 14-15).   Melissa was on a panel presenting on “Toss the Blue-Backs and Sealing Wax, Electronic Wills Are Here! Or Are They?” on May 14th.  For more information, please click the following […]

Even though she searched for the Wills’ testators, a New York lawyer can’t dispose of the documents according to an ethics opinion by the New York State Bar Association.  The Jan. 23 ethics opinion says the Wills are property, “and the lawyer must safeguard the Wills indefinitely” even though some of the wills were prepared more than […]

Balducci v. Cige, 240 N.J. 574  (2020) A former client filed an action against her former attorney for a declaratory judgment that the retainer agreement with him to represent her in a suit for damages under a Law Against Discrimination (LAD) lawsuit was unenforceable. The trial court declared the agreement unenforceable and dismissed the attorney’s […]

Archer Partner and Co-Chair of the firm’s Estates and Trusts Department, Steven K. Mignogna, was quoted in this CNBC article by financial reporter Sarah O’Brien, ‘This is What Happens to Unpaid Debts When a Person Passes Away.’