Overview
Reminger is widely recognized as an experienced provider of legal services involving estates and trusts. We handle a full spectrum of needs, including estate planning, estate and trust administration, guardianships, elder law and special needs planning, and probate litigation. Our team of litigators represent both plaintiffs and defendants in private wealth disputes involving inheritances, trusts, family businesses, and breach of fiduciary duty Several of our lawyers have been recognized as best in their field and location.
Reminger’s Estates and Trusts practice groups are comprised of teams of professionals who are focused on matters that deeply impact individuals and families:
- the preservation of wealth,
- the proper transfer of wealth from generation to generation,
- the well-being of those who are unable to care for themselves through planning and advocating, and,
- the resolution of disputes that arise when there is contention over matters involving probate, estates, and trusts, and the transfer or management of wealth.
Our multidisciplinary background helps us achieve great results for both our individual and corporate clients, with practice groups including:
Estates, Trusts, and Probate Litigation
Estate and Trust Administration
Elder Law and Special Needs Planning
Guardianships and Guardianship Disputes
Honors & Recognitions
Our Trusts & Estates Law Practice Group was ranked as Metropolitan Cleveland Tier 1 for 2024 by Best Lawyers®
Results
- Nov 1, 2024, Jury VerdictSummit County Probate Court
Earned a unanimous jury verdict and an award of $110,000, plus attorney fees, on behalf of their clients—four beneficiaries of a trust who learned their trustee had hired her husband as a “consultant” to the trust. We sued for breach of fiduciary duty and related claims.
- Apr 2, 2023, Plaintiff VerdictDelaware County Probate Court
Adriann McGee and Mary Kraft represented the Plaintiff, the Executor of an Estate in a claim for breach of fiduciary duty. Plaintiff’s claim included that the power of attorney for the decedent breached her duties by adding herself as the co-owner on the decedent’s bank account, then gifting herself funds that belonged solely to the decedent. Adriann and Mary presented their case over a 4 day trial in front of the jury. The jury also awarded attorney fees and costs to the Plaintiff estate. This was the first jury trial to be held in the Delaware County Probate Court in 25 years.
- Jan 17, 2023, Motion to Dismiss GrantedHamilton County Probate Court
Defended an attorney and Trustee of an irrevocable trust against allegations of failure to properly file income tax returns, failure to diversify investments of the Trust, and other allegations of breach of fiduciary duty. Motion to dismiss was granted due to the terms of the trust which opted out of the duty to diversify and also exonerated the trustee for any conduct that did not rise to the level of willful misconduct.
- Jan 10, 2023, Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings GrantedPortage County, Ohio Probate Court
Defended an action filed in the Portage County Probate Court by a Trustee of a Trust seeking a right to a determination that certain amendments to a California Trust were invalid. Motion for judgment on the pleadings, citing Lack of Subject Matter Jurisdiction and a statute of limitations defense under California Law, was granted and the action was dismissed.
- Bohinc, et al. v. Scholtz, et al.Oct 6, 2021Cuyahoga County Probate Court
We obtained a Plaintiffs’ verdict at trial for the decedent’s sisters invalidating, on the basis of undue influence, changes made to their decedent brother’s beneficiary designations for bank accounts, retirement accounts, a car title, and real estate executed two months before the decedent died and were contrary to the decedent’s expressed intent in his estate planning for more than 20 years. The trial victory resulted in $800,000 being returned to the benefit of Plaintiffs and their family members.
- Aug 30, 2021, DismissalU.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
Defense of an attorney-trustee in trust lawsuit. The Federal Court dismissed the Plaintiff’s federal lawsuit on res judicata grounds.
- Sep 10, 2014, Motion to Remand Case DeniedUnited State District Court for the Southern District of Ohio Eastern Division