NC Fiduciary Litigation Commentary

Lord & Lindley - Lawyers in Charlotte NC

What the Warner Lawsuit Teaches Business Owners About Promises That Were Never Funded

July 24, 2026

One year after Malcolm-Jamal Warner drowned in Costa Rica, his widow filed suit against his mother, who serves as successor trustee of his family trust, seeking more than $1.2 million. The claim is straightforward: Warner signed a prenuptial agreement promising to buy a $1,000,000 term life insurance policy naming his wife as beneficiary, pay her…

When Celebrity Branding Meets Contract Law: The Tyra Banks Lease Dispute

December 12, 2025

Breach of contract disputes don’t just happen in boardrooms or between business partners—they can arise anywhere two parties make legally binding promises. A newly filed lawsuit involving Tyra Banks and her ice cream venture, Smize & Dream, is a timely example. According to recent reports, Banks is facing a $2.8 million breach of contract claim…

The “Sterri Takeover”: When Startup Rivalry Turns Into Alleged Espionage

October 29, 2025

The HR software world isn’t usually known for high drama—but the latest lawsuit between Human Interest and Guideline reads like a Silicon Valley spy novel. Human Interest, a 401(k)-management startup valued at $1.4 billion, has sued its rival Guideline in federal court, alleging a coordinated scheme to steal company secrets. At the center of the…

Prince’s Estate Dispute: Court Rejects Heirs’ Bid to Dismiss Lawsuit

July 12, 2024

The legal wrangling surrounding the estate of music legend Prince continues. According to a recent Associated Press article, a Delaware judge has rejected a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Prince’s former business advisors, L. Londell McMillan and Charles Spicer Jr. At the heart of the dispute is a limited liability company (LLC) established…

Aldersgate Fights Back: Lawsuit Seeks Dismissal of Racketeering Claims Amid State Oversight

June 14, 2024

This past Monday, June 10th, North Carolina state insurance regulators extended their financial watch over the local Charlotte retirement community Aldersgate, continuing state supervision that started in August of 2023. The North Carolina Department of Insurance stated the reason for this was that Aldersgate was “insolvent or in imminent danger of becoming insolvent.” This comes…

Dr. Oz Claims His Sister Forged Their Late Father’s Will—how Would He Make This Claim in North Carolina?

April 6, 2022

Famous TV doctor Mehmet Oz—better known as “Dr. Oz”—recently accused his sister, Nazlim, of forging their late father’s will and stealing millions from his estate.  A 2008 will left all of Mustafa Oz’s assets to the Mustafa Oz Foundation, a United States organization, and left Dr. Oz in charge of the foundation; however, Nazlim presented a…

A Florida Judge Temporarily Blocked the Release Of Full House Star Bob Saget’s Death Investigation Records—what If He Died in North Carolina?

March 10, 2022

Famous comedian and actor Bob Saget was tragically found dead in the bed of his Ritz Carleton hotel room in Orlando, Florida, on January 9, 2021, at age 65.  As America was reeling from the sudden loss of their favorite TV dad, news broke that Saget died from blunt force head trauma, likely from an…

Introducing Odyssey: North Carolina Courts’ New E-filing System

May 5, 2021

On April 21, 2021, The Supreme Court of North Carolina adopted amendments to its General Rules of Practice for the Superior and District Courts related to the Judicial Branch’s ongoing eCourts initiative.  The amendments, which will become effective May 10, 2021, pave the way for the implementation of Odyssey, a statewide electronic-filing and case-management system,…

Bunker Hill Covered Bridge Construction Lawsuit

January 30, 2020

The Bunker Hill Covered Bridge is a well-known historical landmark in Claremont, North Carolina, originally built in 1895.  The bridge was damaged due to excessive rain, flooding, and erosion in the area, which prompted the Historical Association of Catawba County (the “Historical Association”) to hire NHM Constructors, LLC (“NHM”) to repair the bridge.  A dispute…

The Buzz About Aldrin’s Competency

June 27, 2018

On June 7, 2018, Buzz Aldrin, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient and the second man to walk on the moon, filed a lawsuit against two of his children, Andrew and Janice Aldrin, and his former business manager, Christina Korp.  The lawsuit responds to a May 2018 Florida Court filing in which Andrew Aldrin, Janice Aldrin,…

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