Review of Public Trustee Files - Families and generational asset transfers: Making and challenging wills in contemporary Australia

The Public Trustee file review was designed to address research questions relating to will disputes and socio-cultural and family norms, expectations and obligations that underpin challenges to wills. Findings from this review will augment the earlier review of all adjudicated succession law cases in Australia between January and December 2011. The research team obtained 139 cases for the review. Within the reviewed cases, parties generally needed some kind of formalised assistance to resolve disputes and almost a third ended up going to court. Most claims launched to contest wills were successful i.e. led to a change in distribution. The existence of poor and/or complex personal relationships between beneficiaries, disputants and/or the deceased were a feature of most cases involving will disputes, particularly where disputes were escalated to court. There are significant costs of will contestation both for the estate and the individuals involved in disputes. Previous research has identified that in addition to the direct costs is the indirect cost of extending the time for probate of the will. This review highlights that one of the most significant costs of will contestation is the damage to familial relationships that appears to both drive and be worsened by contestation. Findings of this review highlight the role of Public Trustees in providing financial management and advocacy services to protect and support vulnerable people in the community such as those with impaired capacity, as well as offering services such as will drafting and deceased estate administration.

Resignation of Bernard Hart as treasurer and trustee

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Call for a meeting of the congregation to elect a trustee in place of Isaac Gomez

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Letter announcing election of Aaron Levy as trustee of K. K. S. I.

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Letter regarding resignation of Haym M. Salomon as trustee

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Resignation of Simon Nathan as trustee

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Letter of Ephraim Hart, declining to serve as trustee

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Certificate of election of Isaac Moses as trustee

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Poll of an election to replace a trustee

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Bandleader Les Brown with Trustee Jack Duddy at the dedication of the Hutton Sports Center, Chapman College, Orange, California

Bandleader Les Brown with Trustee Jack Duddy at the dedication of the Hutton Sports Center, 219 E. Sycamore St., Chapman College, Orange, California, November 10, 1979. The Harold Hutton Sports Center, completed in 1978, is named in honor of this former trustee, and made possible by a gift from his wife, Betty Hutton Williams.

Indenture between the Honourable William Dickson of Dumphries, trustee and executor for the late Honourable Robert Hamilton Dickson to Samuel Street of Stamford

Indenture between the Honourable William Dickson of Dumphries, trustee and executor for the late Honourable Robert Hamilton Dickson to Samuel Street of Stamford for 50 acres in the Township of Gainsboro consisting of part of no. 27 in the 2nd Concession – instrument no. 599, Dec. 30, 1841.