The story of the Peebles family is now before the Court of Appeals. If the court declines to hear the case or hears it and rules against Clifton Park resident David Peebles, it means that a family vacation home his parents, Robert and Gertrude, bought 35 years ago in Bolton Landing will be auctioned. Peebles believes the state’s 1993 Mental Hygiene Law, designed to protect people like his mother, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, has been disregarded over the sale of her house. As a result, he claims in court filings and interviews, he has been cheated by his sisters and brother in an effort to cut him out of the family trust.
“The Mental Hygiene Law is being ignored. My mother’s rights have been violated,” He readily admits, he has something to lose, too … access to the vacation home valued at more than $1 million.
Peebles’ siblings, Joan Peebles, Sally Stern and Robert Peebles Jr., argued that David Peebles has obstructed their use of the home.
David Peebles is hoping the Court of Appeals agrees with him where lower courts did not.
“The Mental Hygiene Law is being ignored. My mother’s rights have been violated,” He readily admits, he has something to lose, too … access to the vacation home valued at more than $1 million.
Peebles’ siblings, Joan Peebles, Sally Stern and Robert Peebles Jr., argued that David Peebles has obstructed their use of the home.
David Peebles is hoping the Court of Appeals agrees with him where lower courts did not.
Source: A family feud, lessons for others
The lessen for others is to do all that you can to resolve conflicts in private; out of court and out of the media.
ReplyDeleteFamily conflicts drag through the court system in disgrace, generating large court costs, legal fees and the dreaded attorney billing.
My sincere sympathies to the parents, Robert and Gertude, who could not have known decades ago the events from within their own family that would force their private lives and estate matters, into open court, records and in the media.