Intestate, Wills & Estates Provisions of the Probate, Estate & Fiduciary Code

AUTHORS: KAREN A. FAHRNER,
EDWIN H. ROUH, JR. & W. STEVEN WOODWARD
1 Volume, Loose-leaf, 860 Pages
Published: 1991 (Previous Editions: 1949, 1958, 1966)
Most recent supplement/update: 2020 supplement; released Jan. 2020; $87.00
(Current Subscriber's Price: $69.50)
Library of Congress Number: 90-84168
ISBN: 1-887024-28-X

A Detailed Analysis of Areas of the PEF Code Most Often Litigated!

This extraordinary resource contains the full text of the covered PEF Code sections, relevant case law and detailed, insightful discussion and commentary of the issue at hand. The original author possessed actual first-hand knowledge of the processes which produced the landmark acts and subsequent legislation on which the current PEF Code is based, and the reasons for the adoption of particular provisions.  Accordingly, Bregy is invaluable in understanding the intent of the drafters of the specific statutory sections which is especially helpful in litigation.  This volume provides the practitioner with a thorough and scholarly commentary.

A COMPLETE REVISION OF LONG-TIME STANDARD REFERENCE KEYED TO PEF CODE

This is a complete revision of Philip A. Brégy's, Esquire's Pennsylvania Intestate, Wills and Estates Acts of 1947, first published over 40 years ago and long the standard commentary on the statutory provisions covered. Mr. Brégy and his colleagues, Karen A. Fahrner, Esquire, Edwin H. Rouh, Jr., Esquire and W. Steven Woodward, Esquire, worked together on the revised edition, which was completed subsequent to Mr. Brégy's death in 1988. Periodic updates to this edition will be provided as warranted by changes in the law.

The revised edition complements rather than duplicates the existing Pennsylvania Orphans' Court texts. It provides an extensive and detailed analysis of those areas of Pennsylvania's Probate, Estates and Fiduciaries ("PEF") Code that are most often litigated. Specifically, it covers the following PEF Code chapters… Intestate Succession (Chapter 21); Elective Share of Surviving Spouse (Chapter 22); Wills (Chapter 25); Estates (Chapter 61); and Disclaimers (Chapter 62).

This treatise details the prior statutory and case law, and Its evolution the present time, The full text of each covered section of the PEF Code followed by a discussion of its statutory predecessors, a summary of the changes, if any, and a general discussion of the operation of the current Code section and its effect on previous law.

Such an exact and detailed compilation of the prior law, particularly the case law, is indispensable to anyone who must interpret and apply the applicable sections of the PEF Code in litigation.

INVALUABLE IN UNDERSTANDING INTENT OF DRAFTERS OF THE STATUTORY SECTIONS
While the Advisory Committee to the Pennsylvania legislature endeavored to explain the PEF Code provisions by appropriate comments appended to each statutory section, those comments were necessarily limited in their scope. The revised edition goes far beyond such brief comments and provides an exhaustive treatise on the importance of each developmental stage of current law, Mr. Brégy himself possessed actual first-hand knowledge of the processes which produced the landmark 1947 acts and subsequent legislation on which the current PEF Code is based, the reasons for the adoption of particular provisions.

Armed with this background knowledge and the current authors' continuing coverage of significant cases in the area, today's Pennsylvania estates practitioner will find this book a welcome and authoritative resource in those areas of the PEF Code most often in need of interpretation and subject to litigation. The authors have provided a much needed service, and their discussions should prove helpful in all cases, even those in which the law remains essentially unchanged.

This volume provides the practitioner with a thorough and scholarly commentary. We invite you to add it to your Pennsylvania Orphans' Court library as a valuable resource in your practice.