1 /5 Mark Darnell: BEWARE!!!!! PARENTS OF BLENDED FAMILIES DUE TO MULTIPLE MARRIAGES... DO NOT USE THIS FIRM!!!
For all those parents that have multiple marriages and want to make sure their own blood children are treated fairly through Probate STAY CLEAR of using this attorney firm.
My Dad died June 15th, Father’s Day. He was married to his 3rd wife. My Dad has two BLOOD children, myself and my brother. His 3rd wife has two daughters. My Dad’s second wife had three boys. Unfortunately, my dad’s second wife was murdered on a business trip in Mexico.
WHAT A MESS… BUT IS TYPICAL OF TODAYS FAMILY MAKE-UP!!! You cannot imagine the emotional trauma that my brother and I experienced being raised with other families we did not know. I’ve always wondered why society does not mention the mental anguish that the original blood children are exposed to when you blend all these families together.
My Dad’s estate is large, and my brother and I had concerns on how he would handle the inheritance upon his death due to all these multiple blended families. My Dad was an executive for a large lighting company and was a very hard worker, always working. My Dad and I were very close. He worked up and until his death at 86 years old. I always asked him why he worked so hard. He laughed and stated, “building up your inheritance son”. “When I leave this earth you and Randy should never have to work.” I can at least leave you with that!
So, from time to time, I confronted my dad and asked him what happens with the estate when you die. It is very hard to ask a parent that but again this is the mental anguish the original blood children go through when they are exposed to blended families. He ALWAYS stated son upon my death contact McCurdy & Candler and speak to this specific attorney and he will guide you and your brother through the probate. Upon his death we did contact McCurdy & Candler and found that the original attorney had retired. So, they handed my dad’s probate to one of the principles of the firm.
My brother and I did get a copy of the Will and upon reviewing it found that there was nothing left for my brother and I. In speaking to the newly appointed attorney he saw that my brother and I were distraught, so he offered to advise my brother that he knew of an agreement between my Dad’s 3rd wife and my Dad about my brother and I’s inheritance.
Once we started pushing him on what this agreement was, he backed off and then decided to stop all communication with my brother and I. And now he has demanded that my stepmother, Dad’s 3rd wife, stop communicating with my brother and I regarding my dad’s probate. This attorney will not provide my dad’s own blood children with statues of this probate. His last correspondence to me with my dad’s 3rd wife copied. In part his email stated:
Mr. Darnell,
I have asked Mrs. XXXXXXX not to reply directly on matters related to the probate.
I can assure you that my dad did not hire McCurdy & Candler solely to represent his 3rd wife! WE ARE HIS BLOOD CHILDREN. My Dad is turning in his grave right now!!! How dare this firm exclude my dad’s first born and blood children through this very emotional time.
Instead of alienating his blood children this firm should be embracing the entire family and keeping all of us informed. If anyone understands probate, there is much information that must be learned to go through probate. It has now been 8 months since my dad’s death. NO PROBATE
BEWARE…PARENTS that have multiple marriages with BLENDED families DO NOT engage this firm to handle your estate and more importantly your probate. THEY WILL NOT PROTECT YOUR BLOOD CHILDREN!!!! This was not the intention of my dad or he would never have continuously asked my brother and I to contact this firm for information about this estate.
