Few in Woodland Hills may want to have to consider the potential for their deaths at a young age. They may maintain the belief that there will be plenty of time to address such issues when they are older. However, such a line of thinking may prove to be flawed given that no one has any control over the circumstances of his or her death. Should someone without having properly addressed the affairs of his or her estate die, his or her family members or friends may petition the court to be granted special authority over certain aspects of it. That authority, however, is typically limited, both in its scope and its duration.
Such was the case following the death of a woman in 2010 who operated a restaurant in United Kingdom. Her sisters were named special administrators to her estate following her death and granted authority to continue the restaurant’s operations, which they did for a short time. Action was later brought against them by the property’s owner in 2011 for unpaid rent, which the sister’s agreed to resolve. However, after another administrator was subsequently appointed to oversee the estate, he filed a petition stating that sisters did not have the authority to link the estate to the terms of their earlier settlement. The issue has since been resolved between the administrator and the landlord.
Those who believe that their intervention may be needed to handle the affairs of an estate do have the right to seek authority over it. At the same time, one who believes such special authority may have been abused may also seek to challenge the decisions made by those wielding it. In either case, those involved may be well served to enlist the services of an attorney to contribute guidance and council.
Source: MyNewsLA.com “No rent from late ‘Survivor’ producers wife: Fork up funds for Brazilian restaurant” Michaud, Stephanie, Jan. 05, 2017
