Protecting Estates.
Protecting Legacies.

Beneficiary Representation In California

The primary purposes of an estate plan are to preserve wealth, protect assets and ensure that the designated assets are transferred with the least consequence to the correct beneficiaries. When an estate is affected by the actions of fiduciaries, other beneficiaries or heirs at law or other interested parties to the detriment of a beneficiary, the highly experienced attorneys at Temmerman, Cilley, Kohlmann & Norcia, LLP., offer comprehensive representation to protect your rights and interests.

Representing Beneficiaries In All Types Of Disputes

At Temmerman, Cilley, Kohlmann & Norcia, LLP., our services include protecting both the estate’s value and the interest of a beneficiary in an estate, as well as monitoring the fiduciary’s administration of the estate. In addition, we pursue financial elder abuse actions against people who have, through wrongful means, acquired an interest in an elder’s estate to the detriment of the intended beneficiaries. We represent clients in disputes between beneficiaries, beneficiaries and trustees or other fiduciaries, and beneficiaries and other parties:

  • Will contests
  • Trust disputes
  • Challenges to the validity or interpretation of one or more estate planning documents
  • Beneficiary rights under a decedent’s existing or intended estate plan
  • Allegations against a trustee for breach of fiduciary duty
  • Elder abuse allegations
  • Trust reformations
  • Trust and/or conservatorship accounting disputes
  • Removal and/or replacement of a trustee
  • Conservatorship or guardianship disputes

Protecting Estates In Notable Cases

One of our notable cases involved pursuing breach of trust actions against a trustee who squandered over 20 percent of a multimillion-dollar trust in high-risk investment schemes that drastically decreased each beneficiary’s expected inheritance. That action also involved cancellation of a settlement agreement that the trustee improperly negotiated in favor of three of the five beneficiaries under the guise of preventing potential trust litigation.

In another case, we recovered on behalf of a beneficiary daughter whose brother had improperly induced their elderly mother to alter the disposition of a multimillion-dollar estate through the disinheritance of the daughter. Our attorneys have also defended the validity of settlement agreements between beneficiaries.

Seek High-Quality Legal Services From Trust And Estate Specialists

We welcome your inquiry regarding our trust and estate litigation services. Call our San Jose or Danville offices at 408-780-1912 or contact Temmerman, Cilley, Kohlmann & Norcia, LLP., online today.