Millionaire disputes undue influence claim

We have been following with great interest an inheritance dispute between members of a very wealthy American family that has been playing out in a New Jersey courtroom over the past few months.

It is another example of the perils of making or changing your Will at a time when your mental capacity can be called into question.

The case has been brought by Samantha Perelman, who is the daughter of cosmetics tycoon Ron Perelman and is already a substantial heiress in her own right.

She alleges that her maternal uncle, James Cohen, took advantage of the ill health of his father, Ms Perelman's grandfather, and persuaded him to change his Will, leaving his substantial estate, which included a news distribution empire, to him, reports NorthJersey.com.

Her grandfather Robert Cohen, who died last year at the age of 86, was the owner of the Hudson News Company. According to the Daily Mail, he had suffered from Parkinson's disease for the last 13 years of his life. He had also developed liver cancer, and by 2009, when he wrote his last Will, he was apparently almost fully incapacitated.

Ms Perelman is asking the court to reinstate an earlier Will, written in 2004, that left substantial assets to her mother, Robert Cohen's daughter. As her mother passed away in 2007, Ms Perelman would stand to inherit most of her mother's share of the estate.

James Cohen has denied the claims, saying that his father was not a man who was easily influenced or controlled.

If you are thinking of contesting a Will, you need to consult a Succession Act lawyer quickly. In NSW, the time limit for challenging a Will has changed recently – you must act within 12 months of the date that the Will-maker passed away. Tweet this!

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If you are thinking of contesting a Will, or would like us to assist you with writing a Will where the chances of a claim are reduced, then contact Szabo & Associates Solicitors in Sydney, New South Wales and speak with one of our specialist solicitors. Call us on (02) 9281-5088 or fill in the contact form to the right of this page.