In the case entitled In the Matter of the Estate of Ronald M. Denner, Superior Court, Chancery Division, Union County, Docket No. 0 – 3474 (Hon. Thomas N. Lyons, J.S.C., February 28, 2006), The Court held the three documents, though unsigned, undated, and neither witnessed nor notarized, may, if properly proven, be admitted to probate.. read more →

In the Matter of the Estate of Ann F. McNierney, Docket No. BER-P-89-10, Ch. Div. Bergen Cty. (Doyne, A.J.S.C.), Judge Peter E. Doyne, A.J.S.C., a trial judge in Bergen County, issued a 39 page unpublished opinion in which he discussed the scope of authority of plenary guardians to control the visitation rights of their ward… read more →

The Treasury Department has issued a Notice of Proposed Rule-Making (75 Fed. Reg. 34394 (June 17, 2010)) that would affect all those who receive payments from the Social Security Administration. Those claimants who file an initial application on or after March 1, 2011 would have a choice of direct deposit into their bank account OR.. read more →

When a couple decides to divorce, the spouses have important choices to make about how to proceed and the extent to which they will need help from others — including lawyers, mediators, and other professionals. Some couples choose to file for divorce in court and go on to lengthy, high-conflict divorce litigation. Others choose an.. read more →

This situation has occurred many times over the years: a client gives me a copy of a letter from the Social Security Administration (SSA) which contains a Social Security Number (SSN) followed by the letters “A”,  “B”,  “E” or other letters, and then asks me to explain what type of benefit is indicated by the.. read more →

As many readers know, Medicaid applicants are subject to the imposition of a penalty, or a period of ineligibility for Medicaid, when gifts, called “transfers for less than fair market value” in the regulations, are made at any time during the five year period prior to the date on which the Medicaid application is filed,.. read more →

In the article below, I discussed some interesting (I hope) developments in the rules governing attorney ethics in New Jersey. I also provided links to other ethics resources at the end of the article. Bona Fide Office Rule: Under New Jersey’s “bona fide office rule”, lawyers must have an office where confidential information can be.. read more →