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Q: Inheritance distribution without a will in Tennessee
I am in Tennessee and I'd like to know what happens if someone passes away without a will. The deceased had no children and only nieces and nephews as heirs. The estate is valued at $600,000 and there are 27 nieces and nephews. How would the inheritance be distributed among them? Does each... View More 
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Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Jul 14, 2026
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answered on Jul 14, 2026
Intestate Succession is pretty much the same Countrywide. A determination of heirship needs to be made by the administrator for the Decedent's Estate. Then each heir and next of kin owns a proportionate fraction of the property at the Decedent's death. Usually they do not take... View More
Q: How does Arizona's statute of limitations apply to concealed crimes from 2011?
I have a question about the Arizona Criminal Statute of Limitations under A.R.S. 13-107. I need clarification on how it applies to the following hypothetical scenarios:
1. A felony marijuana sale that occurred in 2011, but it was first reported in 2026 as an admission in connection with... View More
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Zachary Divelbiss
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answered on Jul 14, 2026
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answered on Jul 14, 2026
The statute of limitations for these felonies is going to be seven years from the time it is reported to the police. That's the key indicator here. If the police were unaware and reasonably had no idea of these crimes that were ongoing back in those original dates, then that would not start... View More
Q: Which NY consent form for NC-based bio father's stepparent adoption?
I'm in the process of a stepparent adoption in New York State and have already filed all necessary paperwork. We've had a home visit, and my child has an Assigned Family Court (AFC) representative. A preliminary conference has been held, and we were about to schedule a hearing to... View More
Thomas Anthony Sirianni
answered on Jul 14, 2026
answered on Jul 14, 2026
I am a New York attorney with 27 years of practice on Long Island.
The distinction between the two forms is the distinction New York law draws between judicial and extra-judicial consent under Domestic Relations Law 115-b. A judicial consent is signed in front of the judge and, after the... View More
Q: Do both agents need to sign POA at the same time in NY?
I am in the process of creating a power of attorney for an estate in New York. There are two designated agents, one residing in New York and the other in Washington, D.C. Is it necessary for both to sign and have the documents notarized simultaneously in the same location, or can they each do it... View More
Thomas Anthony Sirianni
answered on Jul 14, 2026
answered on Jul 14, 2026
I am a New York estate planning attorney with 27 years of practice on Long Island.
No. The two agents do not need to sign together, in the same place, or even in the same state. Under New York's power of attorney statute (General Obligations Law Article 5, Title 15), the principal must... View More
Q: Is it a crime to call the police with false allegations?
I live in New York City and reside in a co-op building with my father. Recently, a neighbor called the police to our door with false allegations of something bad happening in our home. The police arrived, and I communicated with them through the closed door, declining to open it without a warrant.... View More
Thomas Anthony Sirianni
answered on Jul 14, 2026
answered on Jul 14, 2026
I am a New York attorney with 27 years of practice on Long Island.
Yes. Knowingly reporting a false incident to police is a crime in New York: Falsely Reporting an Incident in the Third Degree, Penal Law 240.50, a class A misdemeanor, and it can be charged more seriously depending on the... View More
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