LEGAL 230: Wills, Trusts, and Estate Administration

Credits 5
Quarter Offered
Spring

Learn the basics of estate planning and bequeathing property to others through wills and trusts. Designed specifically for paralegals, this course familiarizes you with the latest laws and procedures, including the Uniform Probate Code, the new Uniform Electronic Wills Act and the Uniform Partition of Heirs' Property Act. Examine the latest relevant laws, review court procedures, and learn about tax implications and ethical choices. This class may include students from multiple sections. 

  1. Explain the need for and purpose of an estate plan and the procedures and documents used to create a plan.
  2. Identify, explain, and classify the various kinds of property, such as real and personal property or probate and non-probate property.
  3. Recognize the basic terms, including the difference between orthodox(traditional) and UPC terminology, associated with testacy and intestacy.
  4. Use the terminology associated with the validity, modification, and revocation of wills.
  5. Select the relevant facts in preparation for the preliminary draft of a will.
  6. Analyze the collected data and make sure that the information conforms to the client's objectives when preparing a draft of the will.
  7. Identify the participants who are essential for drafting wills and trusts and for administering the estate of a decedent.
  8. Define the essential elements of trusts.
  9. Explain the uses and functions of the various kinds of trusts.
  10. Describe the components of estate planning.