Weigold

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Loretta J. Nisewander (the decedent) died on March 23, 2014. On December 17, 2014, Rosenstein filed a petition for order confirming ownership of property (Rosenstein’s petition). Rosenstein’s petition sought an order confirming that monies held in five bank accounts were assets of the Loretta J. Nisewander Trust (the Nisewander Trust), despite being titled in the decedent’s name at the time of her death. Rosenstein alleged the trust

2 document identified the bank accounts as trust assets, and stated he believed the decedent’s failure to transfer title of the bank accounts to the Nisewander Trust was unintentional. The petition alleged that Rosenstein was the successor trustee and beneficiary of the Nisewander Trust, and that Weigold was the only other beneficiary. On April 10, 2015, respondents Velma Fine, Wanda Waltrip, and Joyce Jozsa (the Fine parties), as lineal blood decedents of Nisewander, filed their own petition (Fine Petition). The Fine parties were represented by respondents Thomas Randolph Catanese and David Y. Yoshida of Catanese & Wells. The Fine Petition sought an order declaring the Nisewander Trust invalid because, among other reasons, it…