Estate Planning

Looney Tunes: A Varmint's Approach to Estate Disputes

By Hull & Hull LLP

There may be some out there who believe that the art of managing estate disputes is best learned by getting one's hands dirty, by spending long hours poring over the finer details of probate law, by pacing the floors of the courtroom, perhaps even by shadowing a senior partner to soak up the nuances of the mediation process… Bah! For those of you looking to fast-track, you need only tune in on Saturday mornings for an abbreviated approach. To wit:

Operation Rabbit – an animated Looney Tunes cartoon first released in 1952, and featuring Bugs Bunny and Wile E. Coyote. The cartoon consists of about seven minutes of the Coyote scheming to trap and eat Bugs Bunny. In a clever attempt to turn the tables, Bugs arrives at Coyote's cave claiming to surrender, and requests that Coyote sign as a Witness to his Last Will and Testament. Bugs conveniently hands Coyote a 'pen' which is in fact a stick of dynamite. Coyote offers Bugs his best 'How very boring' look and snuffs out the fuse, seconds before the fuse at the other end of the stick of dynamite explodes.

                                                                 
Dough-Ray-Me-Ow – a Merrie Melodies cartoon released in 1948, starring Heathcliff the Cat and Louie the Parrot. Heathcliff enlists Louie's assistance to read a note (actually a Will) left behind by their owner. This gist of the note is that their owner has bequeathed $1 million to Heathcliff, unless Heathcliff happens to meet his demise, in which case, Louie is one bounteous birdie. Cue Louie's plotting of the downfall of his feline companion.

I could provide other examples, but th-th-th-that's all folks.
 

Jennifer Hartman, Guest Blogger
 

Full post as published by Toronto Estate Law Blog on March 11, 2010 (boomark / email).