Brooke Astor probate proceedings may resume
Fate of the philanthropist’s will remains in limbo
Martha Lufkin
November 25, 2009
The Art Newspaper
http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Brooke-Astor-probate-proceedings-may-resume/19805
NEW YORK. In December, proceedings over the probate of the disputed will of the late philanthropist Brooke Astor, a trustee emeritus of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, are expected to resume, with a status conference scheduled for December 7 before Justice Anthony Scarpino, Jr of the Westchester County Surrogate’s Court in White Plains, New York. The fate of the Astor will remains in limbo after a New York jury convicted Mrs Astor’s son, Anthony Marshall, of inducing her to sign codicils to her will for his own benefit when she was mentally incapacitated. The codicils diverted funds to Marshall, changing Astor’s longstanding plan to leave her residuary estate to charities including the Metropolitan Museum. It will be up to Justice Scarpino to decide which document was Mrs Astor’s last valid will, which depends on his determination as to when she last had the requisite mental capacity to make or change a will.
Estate of Denial® provides news, analysis and commentary on abusive practices occurring in probate courts and via probate instruments (wills, trusts, guardianships, powers of attorney). We provide original perspective to educate the public regarding this growing threat to both individual freedoms and property rights.
