Dispute over $12,000,000.00 Trust Estate
We represented an elderly female who had never married and never had any children. She resided with a distant relative, who was a widow, and who had a trust estate in excess of $12,000,000.00. Disputes arose among our client and the distant relative with whom our client had resided for decades. Our client was accused of elderly abuse and, before our law firm became involved, an Order was entered after a Court proceeding directing our client to stay away from the residence. We were able to work out a resolution whereby security cameras were installed at the residence and our client was able to return to her home. Upon the death of the elderly relative, our client received a lifetime income interest in a $12,000,000.00 estate. Our client was not disinherited by her elderly relative.
$6,000,000.00 Missing from Estate
We represented a surviving spouse who had married a wealthy widower. Although a prenuptial agreement was entered into prior to the marriage, the widower made several changes to the estate planning documents benefitting his new wife and her children. There were also transfers of substantial assets from the husband to wife, many occurring within less than a year from the date of death of the widower. When the husband passed away, beneficiaries identified in his estate planning documents claimed there was in excess of $6,000,000.00 missing in regard to which they were entitled to a substantial share. Issues were raised regarding fraud, undue influence, lack of mental capacity, duress and tortious interference with an expectancy. Our client prevailed and the complaining beneficiaries did not receive a favorable decision from the Court.
Wife Receives in excess of $3,000,000.00 in Divorce Case
We were involved in a divorce case where the wife received in excess of $3,000,000.00. The parties had been married for a number of years and the husband had extramarital affairs with several women. His wife had enough of it. The Judge took the position that the husband basically manipulated information and testimony in his best interests and that he lacked credibility. The wife could have settled for less. However, by proceeding with the matter through trial, the wife ended up with a substantially better result that had been offered by the husband.
85 Tax Returns Not Filed by Client - Internal Revenue Service/Illinois Department of Revenue
We were hired by an insurance agent in Southern Illinois after he had been arrested and charged by the Illinois Department of Revenue with criminal tax violations. He was a pillar of the community, held in high esteem with his church, a good family man with a great wife and children and a successful business person. Even though he had sufficient funds to pay taxes, he intentionally failed to file more than 85 (eighty-five) tax returns over an extended period of time, personal and corporate, with the Internal Revenue Service and the Illinois Department of Revenue. A resolution was reached that involved no incarceration and there was no adverse publicity. Except for the above, he had never been in trouble with the law before, did not have a criminal record and was one of the least likely individuals one would ever expect that would have been involved in such inexplicable conduct for decades.
We represented the wife of a member of the United States Air Force stationed at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois in a contested divorce proceeding that resulted in our client being awarded custody of the children, substantial child support and an award of substantial attorneys fees and costs for our client.
We represented a former supervisor retired from the Internal Revenue Service in an Offer in Compromise with the Internal Revenue Service which saved the taxpayer in excess of $350,000.00. This compromise resulted in savings of taxes, penalties and interest and allowed the taxpayer to continue with his business operations.
We represented an eighty-five (85) year old widow who received in excess of $12,000,000.00 in an estate and trust litigation case. Her deceased husband had basically attempted to disinherit her even though the couple had been married and worked together in the family business for over sixty (60) years.
We were involved in a case where the Court allowed removal of a child to another state. It was shown that removal was in the best interests of the child given all facts and circumstances, including changes in the family, an improved educational setting, more financial support for the child and better career opportunities for the parent seeking removal. We represented the natural mother in a child custody case that received media attention. Unknown to our client, her former boyfriend had beat her infant child requiring life-saving surgery. We were able to work out a resolution which allowed for increased visitation by our client.
We represented a group of relatives in a contested trust case that resulted in a recovery in excess of $850,000.00 for our clients. Unknown to them because they lived out of the area, a series of changes had been made to the estate planning documents of their elderly relative. We represented a retired military officer that was stationed at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, in a mortgage foreclosure proceeding and, through various pleadings filed and action taken on behalf of the client, we were able to work out a resolution whereby there was no deficiency judgment pursued by the lender, which saved the client in excess of $70,000.00. We represented a client in a contested trust case that resulted in a recovery for our client in excess of $325,000.00. There were issues as to whether or not our client was entitled to any recovery under the estate planning documents of the decedent and whether or not any inheritance had to be shared with others.
We represented a beneficiary regarding the removal of a trustee that was breaching his fiduciary duties and profiting at the expense of the trust and the beneficiaries. The trustee was removed by the Court and required to return sums to the trust estate.
We represented out-of-state sisters who, after their mother had passed away, learned that an interest in the family farm and been deeded by their mother to their brother without their knowledge. After suit was filed, a resolution was reached and our clients received in excess of $250,000.00. We were able to show the actions of their elderly mother were inconsistent with her estate plan and the estate plan of her deceased husband.
We represented a regional trust company that was advised by a long-time client that their services were terminated. We were able to show duress and/or undue influence by a third party and an Order was entered by the Court that basically agreed with our position and allowed the trust company to continue to serve its elderly client.
We represented an elderly blind widow who did not pay a real estate tax bill in the amount of $38.00 and almost lost the family farm worth about $150,000.00. We were able to establish that improper notice was given and that the Order entered by the Court was improper and it was set aside.
We represent a husband who was earning a substantial income in a divorce proceeding where his wife was claiming she was entitled to, among other items, substantial lifetime support because she was unable to work due to her condition. Through investigation we uncovered that she was regularly work out and engaging in competitive sports on a national level. The client hired our law firm claiming his previous attorney was not doing enough, that the case was dragging out, and that he wanted to change law firms for representation. Once we discovered the wife was not portraying her situation accurately and was basically misrepresenting her ability to earn an income, we took her deposition and shortly thereafter the case settled without going to trial. We were hired by a client in regard to a used vehicle purchased from a car dealer, including for possibly violations in regard to the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practice Act. After review and analysis, and after a demand was made on the car dealer, the car dealer agreed to perform repairs for less than 50% of what our client had been quoted prior to hiring our law firm for representation.
We were hired by an over-the-road truck driver in regard to a used tractor trailer he purchased from a internationally known manufacturer. The vehicle was purchased used but still at a substantial cost. After purchasing the tractor trailer, our client experienced problems with the engine. The same dealership that sold the vehicle to our client quoted our client a price of in excess of $26,000 for a new engine and/or repair. Without having to file a lawsuit, after a period of time regarding negotiations, a settlement was reached and our client received what he bargained for without having to purchase the new engine.
We represented a client who thought he was the father of a child but was unsure. After hiring us, as part of our representation, we recommended paternity tests. Even though our client was certain he was the father and that blood tests were not necessary, the blood tests were conducted and it turned out our client was not the natural father. Our client was immediately relieved of a $16,000 back child support award that had been pending against him and the case was concluded.
A physician was referred to us in regard to a medical practice that was dissolved. Despite agreements, the books were not in order and accountings had not been made to our client. After our client had been sued by his former partner, attempting to keep our client from contacting patients that wish to remain with him and utilize his medical services, we reached a settlement that would allow our client to proceed with his new practice and receive his fair share of value from the medical practice he engaged in with his former partner. We were hired by an mother in regard to her teenage daughter having a baby. The teenage daughter, and the natural father of the baby, had already signed adoption documents, including because they had been promised a relationship with the baby would be maintained even after the adoption and after they were basically recruited by the prospective adoptive parents. After our client had realized she had made a mistake and even though she was still a teenager, the parties seeking to adopt her child and their attorney refused to set aside the adoption documents. After Court proceedings, a satisfactory result was reached that protected the parental rights of our client.
We represented a person who had been wrongfully discharged from her position as a civil service employee at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. After investigation, including working with her superiors, a resolution was reached whereby she was returned to her employment where she had worked for over twenty (20) years, prior to being fired by a new supervisor. We represented an eighty (80) year old woman who had never married and had no children, but who had been basically a live-in domestic for a widow with an Estate of in excess of $15,000,000. There had been allegations that our client had been abusing the person with whom she had been living. Before we were hired an Order had been entered directing our client to remove herself from her long-time residence. After we became involved, security cameras were installed, our client was allowed to return to the residence and our client ended up being an income beneficiary in regard to the Estate of the Person with whom she was living, and our client received in excess of $300,000.00 per year for the rest of her life.
