The Pennsylvania Superior Court has rejected an appeal from a former Lancaster County judge who claimed his late son's decision to leave his $1.25 million estate to the Lancaster Public Library, instead of his family, was a product of an "insane delusion."In its June 6 ruling, the court affirmed the ruling of a specially appointed judge who decided last July that the late Thomas Bucher — a former county parole officer and the son of retired Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas Judge Wilson Bucher — had based his decision to disinherit his family on familial acrimony, and possibly a belief that he'd been "kicked out" of the family by his father.
Thomas Bucher died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound July 20, 2008, at the age of 59. Earlier versions of his will left his estate — which included property given to him by his parents — to his family. The Bucher family said it was unaware Thomas had changed his will in 2003 to name the library as the sole beneficiary until the will went to probate in August 2008.
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Retired Judge Loses Appeal of Son's $1.25 Million Bequest to Library
Families at war have no idea yet of what they're getting into.
ReplyDeleteTry mediation!
Undue influence is a growing problem in more and more cases. We have no way of knowing if the son wanted to do this or if he was coerced --- or if he did it and then wanted to change it back and didn't have time.
ReplyDeleteBut, the theme is undue influence and we should all have our radar on for that.