The topic of handwritten wills has gained interest recently because of developments in the Aretha Franklin estate. Basic Questions So what is the law? Can handwritten wills be legally valid? Can a Court or Judge admit a handwritten will to … more

The Guymon Ambassadors recently helped Main Street Guymon welcome motorcycle enthusiasts from all over to Guymon for the Five States Run. Five States Run The Five States Run is a three hundred mile motorcycle ride beginning in Guymon which allows … more

Did Aretha Franklin leave a handwritten will? Or several handwritten Wills? That is what the Detroit Free Press is reporting. Previously Thought No Will It was previously reported by the same source and others that Aretha Franklin died without a … more

Guymon welcomed the 2019 Leadership Oklahoma class recently. As a Guymon Ambassador, I was part of a reception and dinner for the class put on by the Guymon Chamber of Commerce. It is always a great event and lots of … more

If you are a Trustee or Beneficiary of a Trust and you have major questions about how the Trust is supposed to work, Oklahoma law may have a helpful avenue for you.  (See this prior blog post for a breakdown … more

My mom Gloria Stump is retiring this week. There is a retirement reception Friday to honor her 21 years of service to her current employer: Panhandle Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (PTCI). I remember her also working in this area at CRI … more

When the Settlor (i.e. creator) of a Trust dies, it is usually an important event in the life of the Trust.  Legal and other work becomes necessary.  This is especially true if the Trust holds real estate.  (See my prior … more

Guymon, Oklahoma recently hosted the Lone Wolf District Pinewood Derby races for Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts throughout the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles.  There were lots of great cars and lots of great racing. However, in addition, many in the … more

The first blog post in this section on Trusts looked at the three basic parties to a Trust: the Settlor, the Trustee, and the Beneficiary. The second looked at when a Trust begins. This post focuses on property issues in … more

Last week, I had the privilege as a Guymon Ambassador to attend the Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening of Gordmans in Guymon. It was a fantastic scene.  Many of the ribbon cuttings we do are “soft” openings – after the business … more