Heiress' inability to recognize son supports fraud charge

Posted on Aug 27, 2009

The criminal case against heiress Brook Astor's son was supported by the testimony of her long time chaffeur that the heiress didn't recognize her son on a number of occassions during the last few years of her life.  The prosecution introduced this testimony to support their fraud claim.

In California will contest and trust litigation cases, evidence a parent does not recognize their child is often introduced to prove lack of capacity or undue influence.  California law presumes competence and part of that is recognizing your family.  The law assumes most people will leave their money and property to their children barring a child being estranged or another good reason for doing otherwise.  Failing to recognize your own son or daughter often explains why all the property was left to just one son or daughter or someone who is not part of the family.

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The Grossman Law Firm, A.P.C. are San Bernardino, California probate lawyers.  We help probate estates in San Bernardino County, California.  We appear in the Redlands probate court for cases from Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Fontana, Rialto, San Bernardino, Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley, Loma Linda and Redlands, California. If you  would like more information on probate and trust administration then order our free book The Insider's Guide to California Probate and Trust Administration as well as our free DVD Probate a Will or Administer a Trust After the Death of a Loved One.