Probate Litigation Avoided - Mediation is scheduled in Parks case
The Will Contest and Probate Litigation may be avoided as the estate litigation attorneys and the beneficiaries of the Rosa Parks estate, their clients have agreed to try to mediate the estate dispute. The article reporting this can be found here Despite the other side waiving the potential conflict of interest it does seem strange though that an interested party as one of the two personal representatives for the estate would serve as the mediator for this dispute.
Adam Shakoor and Elaine Steele were chosen by Rosa Parks to represent her estate.
Both sides in a probate dispute and will contest over the estate of civil rights icon Rosa Parks agreed Tuesday to have former Detroit District Court Chief Judge Adam Shakoor mediate in hopes of avoiding a probate estate litigation trial disputing the will and seeking to establish or disprove undue influence.
The decision to have Shakoor conduct the May 17 mediation was reached at a meeting Tuesday attended by lawyers and Wayne County Probate Judge Freddie Burton Jr.
Parks' nieces and nephews planned to pursue a will contest of her 1998 will, which designated the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute as the recipient of most of her estate. Its vice president is Elaine Steele, Parks' longtime caregiver, whom Parks designated as co-personal representative of her estate.
Parks' relatives say their aunt, who suffered from dementia before her death last year, was unduly influenced by Steele. Parks' estate attorney and an estate litigation attorney for Steele have denied the charges.
Although Parks also designated Shakoor as a co-personal representative, a lawyer for the family, Lawrence Pepper, expressed confidence that he would be a fair mediator.