IN RE MARRIAGE OF DALL
Jan 01, 1991OUTCOME:
569 N.E.2d 1131 (1991) - 212 Ill.App.3d 85 - 155 Ill.Dec. 520
PRO
Edward James Blake Jr.'s Legal Cases (51)
Belleville, IL
Probate Lawyer at Belleville, IL
Practice Areas: Probate, Family ... +4 more
$9,000,000.00 Estate Administration Settlement
N/AOUTCOME: After contested proceedings involving numerous parties and law firms in Illinois and Missouri the surviving spouse ended up with an estate in excess of $9,000,000.00
We represented a surviving spouse who was scheduled to receive basically an income interest from her predeceased husband’s fortune while the husband’s substantial corporus was to be given to his distan ... t relatives. After contested proceedings involving numerous parties and law firms in Illinois and Missouri the surviving spouse ended up with an estate in excess of $9,000,000.00 which she was then able to leave as she wished, to her side of the family and friends, including on a tax-free basis since she passed away in 2010, at time when there was no estate tax. If the surviving spouse had not contested matters timely, and if appropriate and aggressive action had not been taken immediately, she would have had relatively little to leave to her side of the family and friends upon her death.
Wife Receives in excess of $3,000,000.00 in Divorce Case
N/AOUTCOME: By proceeding with the matter through trial, the wife ended up with a substantially better result that had been offered by the husband
We were involved in a divorce case where the wife received in excess of $3,000,000.00. The parties had been married for a number of years and the husband had extramarital affairs with several women. Hi ... s wife had enough of it. The Judge took the position that the husband basically manipulated information and testimony in his best interests and that he lacked credibility. The wife could have settled for less. However, by proceeding with the matter through trial, the wife ended up with a substantially better result that had been offered by the husband.
Settlement in Excess of $500,000.00
N/AOUTCOME: Resulted in a generous settlement with our client but preserved the assets of the husband and his successful businesses.
We represented the wife of a prominent business person who had been in the agricultural business for decades and who had a multitude of customers including farmers and agricultural people throughout So ... uthern Illinois. He was attempting to minimize press exposure and did not wish for his customers to know what was occurring. Although there were substantial assets, there was not a lot of immediate cash. As a result, we worked out a resolution whereby the husband basically bought out the wife over a period of years through a series of promissory notes with various payments, which included interest, with various due dates. That resulted in a generous settlement with our client but preserved the assets of the husband and his successful businesses.
Elderly Blind Widow Almost Loses Farm Worth More Than $100,000.00 Because of a Non-Payment of a $38.00 Real Estate Tax Bill
N/AOUTCOME: We were able to reach a favorable resolution
We were contacted by the son, and Power of Attorney, for an elderly, blind widow who basically lost the family farm, worth in excess of $100,000.00 because she did not pay a real estate tax bill in the ... amount of $38.00 in St. Clair County, Illinois. After being hired, we immediately filed a Petition to set aside the tax deed that was issued to the tax buyer and asked for other relief. After that, through investigation and working assiduously on the case, we were able to show the tax buyer had served the wrong party and had not given proper notice to our client. As a result, we were able to reach a favorable resolution within a short period of time that restored the family farm to our client so same could be passed down to future generations.
Over $100,000 saved with the Internal Revenue Service
N/AOUTCOME: We were able to reach a resolution within a short period of time, that saved the taxpayer in excess of $100,000.
We were contacted by a doctor in Southern Illinois for representation in regard to serious tax issues. The allegation was that all taxes had not been paid, and all tax returns had not been filed. We ... agreed to representation, forwarded Power of Attorneys to the Internal Revenue Service and obtained transcripts. After that, we began working with the Revenue Officer of the Internal Revenue Service and were able to reach a resolution within a short period of time, that saved the taxpayer in excess of $100,000. This result kept the medical practice of the taxpayer from being shut down, kept liens from being filed and did not interrupt the professional practice of our client. There was no publicity, including through newspapers, patients were not aware of what was occurring and this resolution took care of matters that had been developing for many years.
$5,000,000.00 Missing from Estate
N/AOUTCOME: Our client prevailed and the complaining beneficiaries did not receive a favorable decision from the Court.
We represented a surviving spouse who had married a wealthy widower. Although a prenuptial agreement was entered into prior to the marriage, the widower made several changes to the estate planning doc ... uments benefitting his new wife and her children. There were also transfers of substantial assets from the husband to wife, many occurring within less than a year from the date of death of the widower. When the husband passed away, beneficiaries identified in his estate planning documents claimed there was in excess of over $5,000,000.00 missing in regard to which they were entitled to a substantial share. Issues were raised regarding fraud, undue influence, lack of mental capacity, duress and tortious interference with an expectancy. Our client prevailed and the complaining beneficiaries did not receive a favorable decision from the Court.
$75,000 Unpaid Child Support Recovery
N/AOUTCOME: We recovered in excess of $75,000 for our client.
Our client had been married to an Anheuser Busch executive. There was a clause in the divorce settlement agreement that provided that our client was to receive child support with an additional bonus o ... r override based on increases in income of her highly paid former spouse. Unknown and undisclosed to our client, her former spouse received substantial stock options after the divorce. Counsel for the former spouse claimed that the stock options were not income and therefore were not subject to the override or bonus for additional child support. We conducted discovery. We obtained copies of tax returns. The tax returns of the former spouse proved that he had considered same as income since they were identified as such on his tax returns. We recovered in excess of $75,000 for our client, possibly one of the largest back child support recoveries for an Edwardsville, Illinois law firm.
$585,000.00 Recovered in Divorce Case
N/AOUTCOME: Our client received in excess of fifty percent (50%) of the marital estate.
We represented a wife in a dissolution of marriage proceeding. Her husband was a successful business person in Southern Illinois, including in the agricultural and seed business. Tragic had struck our ... clients on many occasions before the divorce including losing three children in three separate accidents. Our client was not thinking straight. Her husband’s attorneys were attempting to coerce her into a meager settlement and divorce resolution, not in her best interests, but solely in the best interests of her husband because he had contacts with the right people. Once we agreed to become involved, we immediately disassociated ourselves from the settlement discussions that had transpired. After discovery, and after the intense settlement negotiations, our client received in excess of fifty percent (50%) of the marital estate, including because our client could not count on meaningful job opportunities in the future, and because her husband had a favorable financial future.
Over $375,000.00 saved - Resolution Reached with the Internal Revenue Service
N/AOUTCOME: We worked out a resolution, saved our client hundreds of thousands of dollars and kept our client in business
We were hired by a client who had previously paid in excess of $20,000.00 to a national tax representation firm that advertised on the media throughout the United States. Nothing had been accomplished ... that benefitted the client. After we took over, we immediately began communicating with the Internal Revenue Service, worked out a resolution, saved our client hundreds of thousands of dollars, kept our client in business and our client was grateful for the results obtained. We had recommended to our client that a new accountant be retained and we made a referral to a local accountant and tax return preparer. We filed suit against the national tax firm to recover substantial amounts on behalf of our client. We isolated the old corporation and then created a new limited liability company, to basically continue with the customers in regard to future work. This strategy saved our client in excess of $400,000.00. There was no criminal prosecution. We worked closely with our client for a period of time which included frequent office conferences, correspondence and telephone calls. At each step of the way our client was in contact with us regarding issues and concerns. We used a team approach which, in this case, meant that since more than one attorney was working on the file, someone was always available to respond to the concerns of the client and/or handle communications with the Internal Revenue Service. We treated the Internal Revenue Service with respect and responded to all telephone calls and inquiries. We explained to our client that the Internal Revenue Service has a job to do which is basically follow the law.