Terry Franklin Speaks at Marvin R. Pliskin Advanced Probate and Estate Planning Seminar

Partner Terry Franklin is presenting “The 1846 Last Will of John Sutton: What’s New and Not So New in the World of Drafting Wills and Contest Litigation” at the Marvin R. Pliskin Advanced Probate and Estate Planning Seminar hosted by the Ohio State Bar Association. Mr. Franklin went looking for evidence that would answer the question whether there was love in the relationship between his fourth great-grandfather, John, a white slaveholder in the Antebellum South, and his fourth great-grandmother, Lucy, who was described in John’s 1846 will as his “mulatto slave.” The will emancipated Lucy and the eight children and six grandchildren that John and Lucy shared. Mr. Franklin’s search for answers also revealed a fascinating discovery, perfect for a trust and estate litigator. In this multi-media presentation, Mr. Franklin retraces the path to his discovery of the will, and the unexpected will contest that threatened to keep his family enslaved. During the presentation, Mr. Franklin also discusses issues of drafting to anticipate potential problems, the estate planner as witness, and how the facts of an estate planning meeting can play out at trial. The program is scheduled for September 14, 2018 at the Columbus Airport Marriott.