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

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

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

It’s a cool view out my office this morning toward the Guymon City Hall.  Big flakes.  But pretty dry and not a lot of accumulation, unlike the huge, wet snow between Christmas and New Year’s.

On occasion, whether by design or in response to schedule issues, I will take one or more of my kids to a routine hearing or other work event.  It is usually fun, and most people at the courthouse, or wherever we go, enjoy seeing … more

Next Tuesday, November 6, is Election Day in the 2018 Midterm Elections.  In Oklahoma, this includes an election for Governor – as well as numerous election and retention decisions for members of all three branches of government. If you are registered to … more

The prior blog post made this main point: if you die without a will (or a trust or other estate planning) like Aretha Franklin, you will not ultimately control who your property passes to at death. This blog post focuses … more

One week from today, on Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at 5:00 p.m., candidates for Oklahoma Senate District 27 will debate in Guymon, Oklahoma at the Guymon Public Library and Arts Center.  You can see more details about the debate by … more

Successful musicians can seem larger than life.  But at the end of the day, they are humans just like the rest of us with many of the same problems and issues – including death and taxes.  They need to consider … more