Posts
As we’ve mentioned in part 1 of this series, trustees are fiduciaries and, as such, trustees owe a variety of fiduciary duties to multiple parties. These obligations include both the duty of loyalty and duty of impartiality, which we will discuss this week. To prove a trustee breached of one…
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This is the first of a four-part series examining trustee’s fiduciary duties and the circumstances that could result in litigation. To begin, we will discuss basic principles that will lay a groundwork to inform our larger discussion. What is a Trust and a Trustee?[1] …
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Whether you are a home owner in the midst of a kitchen renovation, a business owner considering an office expansion, or otherwise involved in a construction project, it is important to understand who gets paid and when. By doing so, you may avoid a construction lien being placed on your…
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It’s a tale as old as time: newlyweds visit an open house. They fall in love with the ancient ivied walls and quaint secret passageways, only to learn that a gruesome murder took place in the house years before and now the halls are haunted by a poltergeist that won’t…
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Domicile is a relatively straight forward legal concept that combines the place where a person permanently resides with where he intends to remain. However, what happens when a person who has been adjudicated incompetent desires to permanently move. Can he possess the requisite intent to change his domicile in…
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The statute of frauds is a legal principal that requires certain contracts to be in writing in order to enforce them. It is traditionally reserved for contracts involving important or expensive subject matter, such as the sale of land, contracts for marriage, or the sale of goods totaling more than $500. In these instances,…
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When hiring a contractor for a residential or commercial construction or renovation project, there are many qualified, dependable contractors from which to choose. However, there is always the risk of hiring someone who will (1) do a poor job; (2) take much longer than expected; or (3) both. There are…
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Losing a loved one is an emotional and difficult time, even without handling the legalities and formalities of the deceased’s affairs. When you find yourself responsible for handling the deceased’s business at the end of death, where do you start? This post aims to explain the basics of probate, how…
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If you have a will or have ever dealt with estate administration, you are probably familiar with the term “executor.” However, most people don’t know what an executor is or what the executor’s role is. Additionally, what do you do if you suspect an executor is behaving fraudulently or contrary…
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Easements in North Carolina just got a little easier to maintain and, if necessary, litigate. The Supreme Court of North Carolina ruled in August 2016 that easement holders have twenty years within which to file a suit for the removal of easement encroachments. This overruled previous case law requiring easement…
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