In this episode of Law & Pop Culture, we go back to a topic we've already discussed but this time with the latest updates. In January 2024 a new lawsuit was filed by L. Londell McMillan and Charles Spicer, managers of Prince Legacy LLC, the holding company that oversees half of Prince's estate. This lawsuit alleges that four of Prince's family members attempted to remove the company from his Estate, let's remember the battle for his estate began back in 2016 when he passed without a will, and his $156 million inheritance was to be distributed among his 6 half-siblings. During the episode we delve deeper into this lawsuit and discuss how this endless battle could have been prevented with proper Estate Planning. Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

Welcome to Law & Pop Culture, a podcast in which we talk about the trials and tribulations of celebrity Estate Planning. In this compelling episode, attorneys Kristine Carranceja-Gurski and Christine Matus delve into the crucial importance of keeping estate plans up to date. Focused on the untimely passing of basketball legend Kobe Bryant, the episode uncovers the challenges faced by his wife, Vanessa Bryant, due to the absence of provisions for their youngest daughter in his estate plan. We dissect the legal complexities that ensued, shedding light on the court process Vanessa had to navigate to ensure her daughter's rightful inclusion. Join us as we explore the implications of neglecting updates in estate planning and the valuable lessons to be learned from this poignant case.Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

Welcome to another episode of Law & Pop Culture, this time we are discussing the details of Matthew Perry's estate plan after his unexpected death in October 2023. Luckily it is clear that he had expert guidance and he is one of the celebrities who gets a 10/10 on our Estate Planning scale: he had a Trust in place. Listen to the full episode to learn more about the takeaways you can apply to your own Estate Plan. Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

On this Law & Pop Culture episode, we are revisiting the first episode of the podcast in which we talked about Britney Spears' Conservatorship (or Guardianship as it is known in NJ) and the legal battle she undertook to revoke it. This time around we get a fresh new perspective on how she ended up under this Conservatorship thanks to her Memoir: The Woman in Me. Christine and Kristine discuss the legal loopholes that this legal tool has and how it is possible for people who don't need this type of control over their lives and finances to end up in an unfair situation the way Britney did. Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

Welcome to the fourth episode of Season 4! This time we will have a slight change in our format and will focus only on discussing a real-life case. We will discuss Rupert Murdoch’s Succession Plan from the highly successful News Corp. Murdoch's oldest son Lachlan will be taking over as the sole chair of News Corp and Fox. The 52-year-old congratulated his father on his seven-decade career, with Murdoch becoming Chairman Emeritus in mid-November but at the heart of the story are three siblings: James, Lachlan, and Elisabeth.  If this story rings any bells is because the highly successful HBO show Succession is loosely based on this real-life story, which we even discussed in our second season. Listen to the the full episode to listen to the insights of Estate Planning attorneys Christine and Kristine. Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

In the final episode of our Jane Austen special, we are discussing the 2020 Emma starring Anna Taylor-Joy, later we talk about Real Estate mogul Leona Helmsley. What do these two women have in common? Bequests on Wills. Bequests are petitions made in these estate planning documents that condition how the assets are to be distributed, in Helmsley's case the bequest involved no other than her Maltese dog! Leaving her $12M and causing a big conflict in court. Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

On our second episode, we are back with the Jane Austen theme where we talk about another one of her classics: Persuasion. This time the movie came out in 2022 starring Dakota Johnson as the protagonist Anne, and Cosmo Jarvis as her love interest Captain Wentworth. The movie talks about what can happen when one does not correctly handle their inheritance, which fortunately is something that can be addressed nowadays with proper Estate Planning. Unfortunately, this was not the case with our real-life example: Whitney Houston’s daughter Bobbi Kristina.  Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

Welcome to the 4th season of Law & Pop Culture! This season we are dedicating the first 4 episodes to one of the greats of literature: Jane Austen. In this episode, we will discuss the book-turned movie called Sense and Sensibility starring  Kate Winslet, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, and romcom heartthrob Hugh Grant. Besides being a love story it also discusses the complications that come when you have several potential heirs but fail to plan accordingly. This is why later in the episode we discuss the battle dispute for Barry White’s estate, who had several children come forward to claim their stake in his Estate when he passed in 2003.Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

In the final episode of season 3,  we are going back to talking about Succession Planning and how the ultra-rich do it, and of course, the drama that can come from having all that money. We discuss the first episode of the 2017 tv show TRUST, which details the unraveling of the Getty Family and that famous kidnapping.  Later in the episode, we continue with the Getty's story except that for this we compared the show to the real-life events that inspired Trust.Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

In this episode titled Plot Twists in Estate Planning, we’ll be talking about what happens when a rightful heir comes forward, or when the person who is supposed to administer the estate gets replaced without their knowledge! We start with our movie starring Adam Sandler and Winona Rider: Mr. Deeds.  Later in the episode, we discuss the dispute over the Estate of Lisa Marie Presley, the late daughter of the King of Rock himself: Elvis Presley. Which involves a complicated court battle between her mother, Priscilla Presley, and her eldest daughter, Riley Keough. Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

This week we are once again talking about Elder Care and the conflicts that can cause in families. Let’s start with our movie. It is called Hanging Up and stars rom-com darlings Diane Keaton and Meg Ryan, and Phoebe from Friends herself Lisa Kudrow.  Later in the episode, we discuss the drama behind another media mogul whose Estate ends up in an epic family battle that goes to court: billionaire Sumner Redstone of Viacom Communications.  Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

In this episode of the podcast, we talk about protecting your assets through a divorce or separation, and how the actions may change depending on how amicable or nasty that process is. We begin with the movie: A Simple Favor starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, in which there are some questionable actions from one of our protagonists in regard to a life insurance policy involving her husband. Next, we discuss Bruce Willis and Demi Moore’s very amicable divorce. Bruce and Demi were married in the late 80’s and had three daughters, in 2000 they divorced but remained close friends. Seven years later Bruce remarried and had two daughters with Emma, his current wife. However, an unexpected health condition changed everything for him in recent years, prompting him to make essential changes in his Estate Plan. Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

In this episode we talk about Undue influence, very large Estates, and the legal consequences of taking advantage of the elderly. First we discuss the movie Bernard and Doris starring Susan Sarandon as Doris and Ralph Fiennes as Bernard, in which Doris is a decadent Hollywood star and Bernard her new butler who ends up being her sole heir! After, we discuss the case of Brooke Astor and her son Anthony Marshall who got accused of changing his mother's will to inherit her multi-million dollar Estate. Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

Welcome back to the second half of the third season of the podcast! On this episode, we will discuss Conditions on Wills. Some of them can be Conditional gifts, these are often referred to as 'contingent gifts' as they rely on the occurrence of the specified contingency. Which is exactly what happens in the movie The Bachelor in which Jimmie finds out that if he want to inherit the multi million dollar estate from his grandfather he has to marry in the next 24 hours. Later in the episode we talk about Marve'ls comic book artist Matt Gruenwald and the bizarre request he left in his will so that he could remain to live on his comic books forever. Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

In this episode of Let's Discuss, Law and Pop Culture we will talk about what happens when you create an Estate Plan and have a Will in place but for whatever reason, your beneficiaries can't find it. First, we discuss the movie The Greatest Inheritance starring Mena Suvari, which tells the story of 4 estranged siblings who come home after their mother dies but getting their inheritance turns into a scavenger hunt. Later in the episode, we talk about "The Fastest Woman Alive", 1988's olympian Flo Jo who sadly passed away at an early age, and her family could never find her will which led to a nasty fight between Flo Jo's husband and her mother. Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

In this episode, we are talking about different scenarios that can happen if we fail to plan ahead, think of them as warnings of what you DON’T want to happen. First, we talk about the movie Death at a Funeral starring Kevin Hart, Regina Hall, Zoe Saldana, Chris Rock, Danny Glover, Martin Lawrence, Peter Dinklage, Luke Wilson, and James Marsden, a star-studded cast.  Later in the episode, we talk about another situation in which there was no planning involved, this time regarding Estate Planning: Hollywood legend Judy Garland.  Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

On this episode of Let's Discuss: Pop Culture and Law, we talk about the importance of having a proper plan in place when you have underage children and some things that can go wrong when you don't have it. We start the episode by talking about our first animated film in the podcast: Lilo & Stitch, which besides being about a little girl and her pet alien, it also deals with the failure ofnot  naming a guardian for your children when you unexpectedly pass away. Later on the episode we discuss 90's grunge legend Kurt Cobain from the band Nirvana. He famously passed away at 27 years old leaving behind a little girl: daughter Frances Bean Cobain who he shared with another famous musician, Courtney Love. Througout Frances' life a lot of drama has surrounded her regarding her mom and dealing with the aftermath of accessing her dad's Estate without a will in place. Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

Welcome to the THIRD season of our podcast Let’s Discuss, Law and Pop Culture, in this space we talk about movies and celebrity cases that deal with Estate Planning matters and discuss if that really happens in real life or what they could have done instead. We are starting this season with a topic we have yet to touch on: Non-Profits and Foundations. We begin by discussing the classic 90’s romcom featuring Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn, and Bette Midler: The First Wives Club. In this film, the three divorced women seek revenge against their emotionally neglecting exes and end up founding a Crisis Center for Women. Later on, we talk about actor and philanthropist Paul Newman and the legal hassle his foundation currently finds itself in because his daughters decided to sue it! Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

This week we will be talking about the type of matters The Matus Law Group is known for: Special Needs Estate Planning. First, we’ll begin with the 1999 movie The Other Sister, starring Juliette Lewis, Diane Keaton, and Sarah Paulson, in which Carla (Juliette Lewis) has a mental disability but that doesn't stop her from wanting to break free from her family and gain some independence as an adult. Next we talk about the real-life case of actor Colin Farrell’s son who has a condition called Angelman Syndrome, which caused his parents to seek legal help to continue caring for him. Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup

This week we are once again tackling the topic of Succession Planning, which is the process businesses should go through as it determines what would happen to the business if the owner were to pass away suddenly,  become incapacitated, or retire.  First, we discuss a very talked about TV show that is currently heading to its 4th season. This show is an Estate Planner’s dream in terms of the themes it deals with: HBO’s Succession. We will only be discussing the first episode of the first season but those 40 minutes are enough to give us something to talk about. Next, we discuss a real-life plot that sounds a lot like the fictional one: The French Luxury goods consortium LVMH run by Bernard Arnault and his 5 children. Thanks for listening, to learn more about The Matus Law Group head to our websitewww.matuslaw.comFollow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/matuslawgrouphttps://www.instagram.com/matuslaw/https://twitter.com/MatusLawGroup