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Trusts, Estates & Probate

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PA Orphans' Court Practice A-Z: Probate, Guardianships, and More

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
New Jersey CLE Approved 7.2 Total
New York CLE Approved 7 Total
Pennsylvania CLE Approved 6 Total
CPE for Accountants/NASBA Approved 7 Total
Live Online + OnDemand
6 hours
Gerald Clarke
James Creenan
Faith Lucchesi
Gary Freedman
With Gerald R. Clarke from Clarke and Associates + 3 others

Tue, Feb 24, 00:00 AM – 00:00 PM

Product ID 101464

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Course Includes
$389

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OnDemand Video

Video Download

Course Book Download

Save $100 when you buy 2 or more seats!

OnDemand content will be available within 7 days of event date.

Overview

Mastering Pennsylvania Fiduciary Litigation and Estate Proceedings

Whether you're stepping into Orphans' Court for the first time or looking to sharpen your command of complex fiduciary litigation, this course is your guide to Pennsylvania's unique probate and fiduciary court. Let experienced attorney faculty walk you through the full lifecycle of Orphans' Court matters. You'll gain procedural insight, tactical guidance, and updates on key statutory and rule-based changes, including the Pennsylvania Orphans' Court Rules and local practice nuances. Ideal for estate planners, litigators, family law attorneys, and general practitioners alike, this course ensures you're prepared to handle disputes over wills, trusts, guardianships, and fiduciary accounts with confidence. Register today!

  • Navigate Pennsylvania Orphans' Court procedure with confidence.
  • Draft and respond to key pleadings in fiduciary litigation.
  • Advise clients on trust and estate disputes, guardianships, and will contests.
  • Comply with ethical obligations in fiduciary representation.
  • Prepare for evidentiary hearings and appeals in Orphans' Court matters.

Abbreviated Agenda

  1. Orphans' Court Jurisdiction, Structure, and Procedure
  2. Commencing an Action: Petitions, Citations, and Service
  3. Estate Administration Procedures, Disputes, and Accountings
  4. Ethics in Orphans' Court
  5. Will Contests and Incapacity Challenges
  6. Guardianships of Incapacitated Persons and Minors
  7. Trust Disputes and Modification Proceedings
  8. Evidentiary Hearings and Procedures

Related Topics

Product ID 101464

Credit Details

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
New Jersey CLE Approved 7.2 Total
New York CLE Approved 7 Total
Pennsylvania CLE Approved 6 Total
CPE for Accountants/NASBA Approved 7 Total
Select Jurisdiction
CLE
Other

Agenda

All times are shown in

  1. Orphans' Court Jurisdiction, Structure, and Procedure

    1. Statutory Authority and Jurisdiction
    2. Role of the Register of Wills vs. the Orphans' Court
    3. Types of Matters Heard: Estates, Trusts, Guardianships, Adoptions
    4. Working With Clerks, Court-Appointed Experts, and Auditors
    5. Local Rules and Judge-Specific Protocols

  2. Commencing an Action: Petitions, Citations, and Service

    1. Drafting Initial Pleadings Under Pa.O.C. Rules 3.5-3.10
    2. Citation Practice and Scheduling Hearings

  3. Estate Administration Procedures, Disputes, and Accountings

    1. Estate Opening: Letters Testamentary and Letters of Administration
    2. Fiduciary Duties, Liabilities, and Surcharge Actions
    3. Gathering Assets: Inventory, Valuation, Asset Management, etc.
    4. Heirs and Beneficiaries: Intestacy, Wills, and Beneficiary Identification
    5. Objections to Inventories, Accountings, and Distributions
    6. Procedural Requirements Under Pa. O.C. Rule 2.7

  4. Ethics in Orphans' Court

    1. Who Is the Client? Fiduciary Representation
    2. Conflicts of Interest and Multiple Fiduciary Roles
    3. Representing Incapacitated Individuals
    4. Attorney-Client Privilege

  5. Will Contests and Incapacity Challenges

    1. Grounds: Undue Influence, Lack of Capacity, Fraud, Improper Execution
    2. Procedural Posture: Caveats, Appeals From Probate
    3. Medical Testimony and Burden-Shifting Under Estate of Clark

  6. Guardianships of Incapacitated Persons and Minors

    1. Qualifying as Guardian: Petitions for Adjudication of Incapacity
    2. Rights of Incapacitated Persons: Due Process and Least Restrictive Alternatives
    3. Scope of Authority: Guardians of the Person and Estate
    4. Termination of Guardianship: Restoration of Capacity and Death

  7. Trust Disputes and Modification Proceedings

    1. Accounting Issues and Trustee Removal
    2. Nonjudicial Settlement Agreements (20 Pa.C.S. 7710.1)
    3. Modification/Termination Under UTC Concepts in Pennsylvania Law

  8. Evidentiary Hearings and Procedures

    1. Conducting Depositions and Discovery Under Pa.O.C. Rule 3.9
    2. Hearing Procedure, Exhibits, Testimony
    3. Pretrial Statements and Judicial Expectations

Who Should Attend

This basic level online seminar is designed for:

  • Attorneys
  • Accountants and CPAs
  • Fiduciaries
  • Trustees
  • Child Advocates
  • Paralegals

Speakers

Gerald R Clarke
Gerald R.
Clarke
Clarke and Associates
James W Creenan
James W.
Creenan
Creenan & Baczkowski, PC
Faith M Lucchesi
Faith M.
Lucchesi
De Boef Lucchesi PC
Gary B Freedman
Gary B.
Freedman
Freedman & Grinshpun, PC
Speaker bio
Gerald R Clarke

Gerald R. Clarke

Clarke and Associates
Gerald Clarke

is a solo practitioner at Clarke and Associates, located in Glenside, Pennsylvania. He focuses his practice on wills, trusts and estates, estate administration, and personal and business income tax. Mr. Clarke also serves as general counsel to several medium size employees in the eastern Montgomery County vicinity. He has significant experience representing clients on both sides of employment cases and now works exclusively with employees in dealing with issues that they may have with a current or former employer. Mr. Clarke earned his bachelor's degree from La Salle University and his J.D. degree from Temple University, James E. Beasley School of Law. He also obtained his CPA license and practiced as an accountant prior to becoming a lawyer. Mr. Clarke's financial background provides a unique perspective and detailed understanding of the tax ramifications of proposed estate planning scenarios. He is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

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Speaker bio
James W Creenan

James W. Creenan

Creenan & Baczkowski, PC
James Creenan

is the founding attorney of Creenan & Baczkowski, PC, where he focuses his practice on construction litigation, commercial litigation, and business counseling. He represents construction companies, government agencies, architects, engineers, contractors, landlords, and developers in complex disputes and business matters. Mr. Creenan is highly active in the legal community, having served in leadership positions with the Allegheny County Bar Association, Pennsylvania Bar Association, and American Bar Association. He is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of Pennsylvania. Mr. Creenan earned his undergraduate degree from Canisius College and his J.D. degree from Duquesne University School of Law.

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Speaker bio
Faith M Lucchesi

Faith M. Lucchesi

De Boef Lucchesi PC
Faith Lucchesi

is an attorney, mediator, and arbitrator with De Boef Lucchesi PC. She began her career at the United States Department of Justice working on environmental issues, including oil and gas litigation and property matters before settling in State College. Ms. Lucchesi focuses her practice on estates, trusts and probate, real property, and commercial contract matters. She received her B.S. degree from Penn State University, followed by earning her J.D. degree from the Penn State University, Dickinson School of Law. 

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Speaker bio
Gary B Freedman

Gary B. Freedman

Freedman & Grinshpun, PC
Gary Freedman

is a partner with the Philadelphia law office of Freedman & Grinshpun, PC. He practices in the areas of elder law, probate, estate planning, corporate law, and real estate law. Mr. Freedman is an advisor to many nonprofit agencies on charitable giving through estate planning. He is the former solicitor for the Register of Wills Office in Montgomery County, and has lectured for banks and insurance companies on trust and estate planning topics. Mr. Freedman is a member of the Philadelphia (Estate Planning Section), Montgomery County (Estate Planning Section) and Pennsylvania (Estate Planning Section) bar associations. He earned his B.A. degree from Temple University, his J.D. degree from Temple University Beasley School of Law, his LL.M. degree from Temple University Beasley School of Law and his M.A. degree from Boston University. 

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How do I access my courses?
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Do you have options for attendees who are deaf or hard of hearing?
Closed captioning is available for all Live Webinars. After you've joined the event room, you can enable closed captioning by clicking the "cc" button in the lower right of the player.
What happens if my course is cancelled?
In the unlikely event that NBI cancels or reschedules an upcoming program, each registered attendee will be contacted via email by a representative of NBI. Outreach to attendees begins as soon as NBI is made aware that a program will not move forward at its originally scheduled date and time.
Are multiple attendee discounts available?
Yes, the more people you bring from your organization, the more you save. After the first registration, each additional attendee receives a special discount off of their total tuition.
When will the OnDemand be available and how long will I have access to the content?
The OnDemand Video will be available to stream within 14 days of live broadcast date. You will have access to the content for 6 months in your account. If you’re a subscriber, you’ll have access to your course recordings until 7 days after the expiration date of the subscription.
What is included with my course purchase?
When you enroll prior to the live event date you will receive access to the live-streaming webinar which will allow you to interact with faculty in real-time. With each course, you will receive access to the content via OnDemand Streaming and the Video Download. Course reference materials are included with each course purchase in a downloadable PDF format.
Will I receive a certificate of completion?
Yes, we'll email you a certificate of completion and store in your account for any future reporting needs.
Can multiple people watch courses and request credit?
While only paid registrants can receive continuing education credit for attending, there are no limitations to the number of viewers at each connection.

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