Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Bishop's Estate

Longtime Newport Beach resident and Rat Pack comedian Joey Bishop’s longtime, live-in companion this week settled part of her lawsuit alleging that the late entertainer’s financial planners tried to cheat her out of part of his estate. Now Newport Beach Chabad Center, a Jewish community center and religious organization claims that Bishop intended to leave part of his multimillion-dollar estate to found a children’s charity, court documents obtained by the Daily Pilot show.

Nora Garibotti, Bishop’s former golfing companion, who lived with him in the later years of his life, stands to inherit 70% of Bishop’s residual estate, according to the terms of the settlement, agreed upon in Los Angeles County probate court. The remaining 30% will be divided between Bishop’s agent, Ed “Hook” Hookstratten, who once represented Elvis Presley, and Bishop’s financial advisor, Myles Hymes, according to court documents.

A lawsuit Newport Beach Chabad Center filed in Orange County Superior Court claims that Bishop’s attorney, agent, financial advisor and live-in caretaker blocked Bishop’s final wishes to have part of his estate go toward setting up a charity for special-needs children in Orange County.

Chabad’s suit names Hookstratten, Orange County attorney James “Kimo” McCormick, Hymes and Garibotti.

Newport Beach Chabad is seeking damages in excess of $10 million for legal malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty, among other claims, according to court documents.

Full Article and Source:
Chabad files suit for estate

See also:
Countersuit Denied

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

It just seems that more and more celebrities are in the news for things like this. Where there's money, there's greed.

Anonymous said...

Where's there's money and vulnerable citizens, there's the opportunity for exploitation. Legislation has made it easier for 'professionals' to plunder vulnerable citizens estates without regard for their well being. Legal Language 'best interests of the ward' is too vague for professionals (attorneys) to be held accountable
as agents (playes) of the court and State Government's profit by probate court 'placements' of 'wards' into their 'warehouse' facilities with fees and taxes they wouldn't have recieved if the 'victim' were left in their home with their family's and services needed to assist them. The estates would last a lifetime vs months (in most cases); and premature immobility and morbidity
would decrease

Anonymous said...

Love of money over all else is GREED with no end, never enough.

I think it's really sad to read what goes on after person grows old and vulnerable and worse after they depart from this earth but sad is part of life, the good, the bad and the ugly.

One thing we know for sure the lawyers are in a $$$ win / win situation getting paid mega bucks win or lose, now how good does that get?

Anonymous said...

This guardianship racket is sounding more and more like a larger, nationwide, worldwide Wall Street racket, that had legs all over the place, into the fraudulent mortgage issues going unsupervised, unregulated - out of control wolves with $$$ in their eyes.

Probate court is like a rogue court having the last word, good or bad, leaving the disputing party no where to go as their loved one's well being, life and assets are at the mercy of .... A STRANGER!

I noticed in the news all of the homeless people living on the streets and the first thing I thought was:

QUESTION:
Why are these street people alone, without a court appointed guardian to protect them?

ANSWER:
No assets, not enough $$$ in it for the professional guardians and lawyers.

Guardianships for profit - must be abolished - period.

Anonymous said...

Also, Anonymous 3, society perceives street people of very little personal worth.

But that's not quite true either, I bet there are paybacks (funding, grants, etc.) for institutions or agencies who might deliver street people into guardianship.

Anonymous said...

A settlement is much better than extended litigation -- which only benefits the attorneys.