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OCHDL settles 2-year fraudulent will dispute, settling for $5.4 million

By: Ali Teske//March 7, 2022//

OCHDL settles 2-year fraudulent will dispute, settling for $5.4 million

By: Ali Teske//March 7, 2022//

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Following a physician’s death in November 2019, the decedent’s partner provided an alleged will to his siblings indicating they would receive $100,000, a drastic difference from their understanding of their brother’s estate plans and an older will. The family hired attorney Trevor Lippman, a member of O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing’s Inheritance Litigation Team, and opened a case in December 2019.

After securing a full investigation despite objections from the opposing parties, Lippman questioned the authenticity of the new will, drafting attorney, witnesses and the partner’s involvement in the possible fraudulent creation of that will after the decedent’s death. The investigation involved the review of thousands of documents, telephone records, text messages and an ink testing analysis.

Lippman successfully negotiated a mediated resolution, resulting in the admission of the older will that had identified the siblings as the sole beneficiaries. This allowed the siblings to retain about 88% of the estate ($5.4 million), the resolution coming before a scheduled five-day trial held before the Milwaukee County Circuit Court.

The case was settled in October.

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