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West Academic Study Aids
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Black Letter Outline on Wills, Trusts, and Future Interests (West Academic)
Black Letter Outlines are designed to help a law student recognize and understand the basic principles and issues of law covered in a law school course. Black Letter Outlines can be used both as a study aid when preparing for classes and as a review of the subject matter when studying for an examination. Each Black Letter Outline is written by experienced law school professors who are recognized national authorities in their subject area.
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Exam Pro on Wills, Trusts, and Estates (West Academic)
This new Exam Pro book contains sample tests that cover an entire wills, trusts, and estates course as well as mini exams that cover discrete topics such as intestacy and future interests. The book also covers the Uniform Probate Code and general common law principles. A detailed answer key explains why the correct answer is the best choice and why other answers are not.
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Exam Pro Workbook on Estates and Future Interests, 3d (West Academic)
This title provides a basic introduction to estates and future interests law. Designed to offer solid knowledge of the area’s central concepts, it guides readers through a series of increasingly complex conveyances. The workbook begins with an analysis of the fee simple estate and builds sequentially toward more complicated interests and conveyances. The information proceeds from the simple to more complex, later problems building on the successful command of earlier material. Each problem is followed not only by that problem’s answer but also by a complete analysis of how the answer was derived. The workbook also contains an extensive glossary, summary charts, and a set of review problems that test the reader’s developing mastery of the material.
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Gilbert Law Summaries on Future Interests and Perpetuities (West Academic)
The topics included in this outline are reversions, possibilities of reverter, rights of entry, remainders, executory interests, and rules restricting remainders and executory interest. Also discussed are rights of owners of future interests, construction of instruments, powers of appointment, and the rule against perpetuities, including reforms of the rule.
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Gilbert Law Summaries on Trusts (West Academic)
This outline covers the trust law you will encounter in your Wills, Trusts and Estates class. Topics include the following: elements of a trust, trust creation, transfer of beneficiary's interest (including spendthrift trusts), charitable trusts (including the Cy Pres Doctrine), and a trustee's responsibilities, power, duties, and liabilities. Other topics include duties and liabilities of beneficiaries, powers to modify or revoke, termination of trusts by operation of law, resulting trusts, and constructive trusts.
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Gilbert Law Summaries on Wills (West Academic)
The topics covered in this outline are intestate succession, simultaneous death, advancements, disclaimer, killer of decedent, elective share statutes, pretermitted child statutes, homestead, and formal requisites of a will. Also discussed are revocation of wills, incorporation by reference, pour-over gift in an inter vivos trust, joint wills, contracts relating to wills, lapsed gifts, ademption, exoneration of liens, will contests, and probate and estate administration.
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High Court Case Summaries, Estates and Trusts (Keyed to Sterk and Leslie) (West Academic)
This publication contains well-prepared briefs for each major case in this casebook. High Court briefs are written to present the essential facts, issue, decision and rationale for each case in a clear, concise manner. While prepared briefs can never substitute for the insight gained by actually reading a case, these briefs will help readers to identify, understand, and absorb the core “take away” knowledge from each case. Moreover, these briefs are followed by a useful legal analysis, which provides extra tips and contextual background about each case, connecting the case to the broader concepts being developed throughout the casebook. This book also supplies case vocabulary, which defines new or unusual legal words found throughout the cases. Finally, to enhance the reader’s recall, there is a corresponding memory graphic for each brief that portrays an entertaining visual representation of the relevant facts or law of the case.
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High Court Case Summaries, Wills, Trusts, and Estates (Keyed to Dukeminier) (West Academic)
Dukeminier’s High Court Case Summaries on Wills, Trusts & Estates contain well-prepared briefs for each major case in Dukeminier’s casebook on Wills, Trusts & Estates. High Court briefs are written to present the essential facts, issue, decision and rationale for each case in a clear, concise manner. While prepared briefs can never substitute for the insight gained by actually reading a case, these briefs will help readers to identify, understand, and absorb the core “take away” knowledge from each case. Moreover, these briefs are followed by a useful legal analysis, which provides extra tips and contextual background about each case, connecting the case to the broader concepts being developed throughout the casebook. This book also supplies case vocabulary, which defines new or unusual legal words found throughout the cases. Finally, to enhance the reader’s recall, there is a corresponding memory graphic for each brief that portrays an entertaining visual representation of the relevant facts or law of the case.
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Law School Legends Audio on Future Interests (West Academic)
Carpenter's Law School Legends Audio on Future Interests features Professor Catherine L. Carpenter's lecture on future interests. This audio lecture covers, in clear, easy-to-understand language: Present possessory estates, such as fee simple, fee tail, life estates, fee simple determinable, fee simple subject to condition subsequent, and fee simple subject to executory limitation; Future interests; Reversion; Possibility of reverter; Power of termination; Right of reentry; Vested remainder absolute; Vested remainder subject to partial divestment; Vested remainder subject to total divestment; Contingent remainder; Executory interests; Rules affecting the transfer of property; Doctrine of merger; Doctrine of destructibility of contingent remainders; Shelly's case; Doctrine of worthier title; Rule against perpetuities. Hypotheticals and exam tips are included.
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Law School Legends Audio on Wills and Trusts (West Academic)
Professor Stanley M. Johanson condenses wills and trusts into one five hour lecture. Included are exam tips and hypotheticals to help you master the subject.
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Principles of Wills, Trusts and Estates (West Academic)
This book introduces students to the federal gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer tax laws; grantor trust rules affecting the wealth disposition process; and the income tax rules applicable to estates and trusts. It covers recent cases and secondary literature and, reflecting the current trend toward globalization, it also includes a discussion of comparative law. It emphasizes the lawyer's role as drafter or estate planner and suggests ways to avoid problems that otherwise lead to litigation. It closely tracks the authors more detailed hornbook, using the same section numbers for easy retrieval of information in the longer version.
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Quick Review of Wills, Trusts, and Estates (West Academic)
This book provides an outline and analysis of Wills, Trusts & Estates, convenient for class or exam preparation. In addition, It provides clear and concise explanations of legal concepts and terms, along with exam hints, strategies, and study tips. Topics covered include intestacy, will execution formalities and contest, revocation, will contracts, will substitutes, construction, restrictions on disinheritance, trust creation and operation, powers of appointment, future interests, planning for incapacity , the Rule Against Perpetuities, wealth transfer taxation, and much more. This title also includes self-testing and diagnostic review questions. Sample essay questions with model answers and detailed explanations are also included.
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A Short & Happy Guide to the Rule: The Little Book on Perpetuities (West Academic)
Most students view the Rule against Perpetuities as the most difficult rule in law school. Moreover, the Rule is still covered on MBE for Property and MEE for Wills and Trusts and yet few student-centered resources exist. The Little Book on Perpetuities fills this gap. An ideal subject for self-study, this guide covers all key parts of the Rule, including problems for self-testing. It presents the Rule in its historical context but in a fun, engaging, and accessible way that is simple and clear for students to use. It can be used for Property classes, as well as Wills & Trusts and can supplement a casebook or be used as a separate, self-continued unit. Coverage includes: the common-law Rule and all the famous classics traps; modern statutory reforms, including the new generations-based rule by the Restatement Third of Property; recent efforts by some states to abolish the Rule; and the history and policies of the Rule.
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Trusts and Estates (West Academic)
The Third Edition of Concepts and Insights on Trusts and Estates makes complex doctrinal rules easier to understand by exploring the history and rationale behind those rules. The analysis is thorough, and focuses both on common law doctrines and statutory reforms—with an emphasis on the Uniform Probate Code and the Uniform Trust Code. Each substantive chapter closes with a set of exam-like problems designed to test understanding of the material included in the chapter. The authors also include thorough solutions to each of these problems. This is the only book in the field that combines thorough doctrinal analysis with more than 60 review problems, each with complete solutions.
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Uniform Probate Code and Uniform Trust Code in a Nutshell (West Academic)
Authoritative coverage provides detailed explanations of the provisions, definitions, and concepts of the Uniform Probate Code (UPC) and the Uniform Trust Code (UTC). UPC topics covered include probate jurisdiction of the courts; intestate succession involving wills and donative transfers; and probate of wills and administration. UTC topics include creation, validity, modification, and termination of trust; discretionary and revocable trusts; creditor's claims and spendthrift trusts; duties, powers, and liability of trustees; and rights of persons dealing with trustees.
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Wills and Trusts in a Nutshell (West Academic)
The sixth edition of this book updates laws affecting intestate succession, wills, guardianships, and trusts. It introduces wills and trust terminology to the lay audience and summarizes the law included in the Uniform Probate Code, Uniform Trust Code, Uniform Principal and Income Act, Uniform Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Act, Uniform Prudent Investor Act, and the Restatement of Trusts. To illustrate legal issues this book utilizes problems arising from celebrity peccadilloes and well-known deaths, such as those of Abraham Lincoln, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Prince, and the mother/daughter team of Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher. The book can be adopted to supplement a traditional wills and trusts class or as the sole text for a seminar. With clarified language, the book is also accessible to the general public interested in learning more about this complex topic.
Lexis OverDrive Study Aids
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Questions & Answers: Wills, Trusts & Estates (Lexis OverDrive)
This study guide includes multiple-choice and short-answer questions arranged topically for ease of use during the semester, plus an additional set of questions comprising a comprehensive "practice exam."
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Questions and Answers: Federal Estate and Gift Taxation (Lexis OverDrive)
This study guide includes multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, and a practice final exam.
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Skills & Values: Trusts and Estates (Lexis OverDrive)
Each chapter offers fact pattern based on a topic covered in a typical course. Most of the chapters offer different levels of tasks. The exercises require students to use the wide range of skills needed in an Estate Planning and Probate Practice course, such as drafting, negotiating, statutory interpretation, litigation strategizing, and ethics problem solving.
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A Student's Guide to Estates in Land and Future Interests (Lexis OverDrive)
This unique self-teaching Guide facilitates the understanding of complex materials from Property courses. Chronologically organized material familiarizes students with basic concepts and necessary technical vocabulary. The authors graphically explain complex concepts, and provide extensive problem and answer sets. Topics include basic possessory estates, remainders and executory interests in response to the statute of uses, modifications of the common law scheme, and interesting complexities and modern changes.
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Understanding Estate and Gift Taxation (Lexis OverDrive)
The book consists of 26 chapters, each addressing one of the basic topics typically covered in a course on the transfer tax system, for example, the computation of estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes; the gift tax annual exclusion; the estate and gift tax marital deductions; the estate and gift tax implications of transfers with retained powers or interests; etc. Because the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations are the primary source materials for the transfer tax system, the book includes numerous excerpts of those provisions. Each chapter also includes summaries of the leading cases and IRS rulings, plus examples of how this area of the law applies to common fact patterns.
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Understanding Trusts and Estates (Lexis OverDrive)
This volume updates earlier editions to continue offering efficient, yet comprehensive, coverage of the issues in a standard Trusts and Estates course.
Aspen Study Aids
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Casenote Legal Briefs for Wills, Trusts, and Estates Keyed to Sitkoff and Dukeminier, Eleventh Edition (Aspen)
After your casebook, a Casenote Legal Brief is your most important reference source for the entire semester. Expert case studies and analyses and quicknote definitions of legal terms help you prepare for class discussion.
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Emanuel Law Outlines for Wills, Trusts, and Estates Keyed to Sitkoff and Dukeminier, Tenth Edition (Aspen)
Any law school graduate will tell you that when picking your outline tool you need to pick the best because your outlines are the most important study tool you will use throughout your law school career. Developed by legendary study aid author Steve Emanuel, Emanuel® Law Outlines (ELOs) are the #1 outline choice among law students.
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Examples & Explanations for Wills, Trusts, and Estates, Eighth Edition (Aspen)
A favorite classroom prep tool of successful students that is often recommended by professors, the Examples & Explanations (E&E) series provides an alternative perspective to help you understand your casebook and in-class lectures. Each E&E offers hypothetical questions complemented by detailed explanations that allow you to test your knowledge of the topics in your courses and compare your own analysis.
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Friedman's Practice Series for Wills, Trusts, and Estates (Aspen)
Friedman's Practice Series is keyed to exam preparation with real law school essay exams, model answers, multiple choice questions and academic analysis, and offers students insights into writing essay exams in core courses.
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Inside Wills and Trusts: What Matters and Why (Aspen)
Inside Wills and Trusts: What Matters and Why offers students a concise, student-friendly study aid that provides a big-picture view of how all of the essential elements of this field fit together as part of a coherent framework of legal theory and practice. Using a wide variety of pedagogical aids, this new addition to the successful Inside Series offers basic coverage of the main themes of wills and trusts law, focusing on what matters and why, while providing students multiple opportunities for review.
CALI Lessons
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The Execution and Revocation of Wills Under the Uniform Probate Code (CALI Lesson)
This exercise helps users understand the requirements of the Uniform Probate Code for the execution and revocation of testamentary instruments such as wills and codicils. It looks at the requirements for both attested written wills and holographic wills in the context of hypothetical estates. It explores the rights of pretermitted heirs. This lesson was revised to reflect the 2008 Amendments.
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The Interpretation of Wills Under the Uniform Probate Code (CALI Lesson)
This program explores the Uniform Probate Code rules for interpreting wills where devisees die before the testator or there are changes in the nature or extent of the estate property. Survival, lapse and antilapse and statements of contrary intent are explored at some length along with ademption, increase and advancements of bequests.
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Intestacy and Descendants (CALI Lesson)
This lesson is designed to introduce students to three different ways that "representation" can be defined under the intestacy system. The three approaches states have used to distribute an estate to the descendants of a person who dies intestate are strict per stirpes, modern per stirpes, and per capita by representation.
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Intestate Succession Under the Uniform Probate Code (Based on 2008 Amendments) (CALI Lesson)
This exercise introduces users to the Uniform Probate Code scheme of intestate succession. It explores the application of the Code (as amended in 2008) to various hypothetical situations and gives feedback to the student utilizing the applicable Code provisions. The program examines the inheritance rights of descendants, ancestors and collateral heirs and looks to subsidiary problems of inheritance such as the rights of posthumous heirs, adopted heirs, illegitimate children, and the slayer of the decedent. The requirement of survivorship is also explored.
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Powers of Appointment (CALI Lesson)
This lesson addresses the creation and exercise of a power of appointment. The lesson discusses the different parties involved in the creation of a power of appointment. The lesson includes a variety of problems designed to test the student's understanding of the rules governing the power of appointment.
