Author Description

Learning Wills, Trusts, and Estates covers intestacy, will formalities, testamentary capacity and contests, will construction, will substitutes, trust creation, and trust administration. It is suitable for a three-hour course on wills and trusts for both in-person and online students. Unlike traditional casebooks, this book prioritizes readability, clarity, rule learning, and frequent assessments over the case-centered teaching method. "Cases" in this book are presented in the author's words, with key passages from the original opinions cited in indented paragraphs. As a result, each case takes up one to two pages on average. Students will find the cases much easier to read and follow. This book utilizes flowcharts, timelines, family trees, and other visual aids throughout to simplify ideas and promote comprehension. Additionally, each chapter has a "Quick Summary" which synthesizes the key concepts and rules and provides example questions, allowing students to test their understanding. These tools help students receive, retain, and reinforce the complex information in the chapter and better navigate the course as a whole. Students will find this book more accessible, streamlined, and reader-friendly than traditional casebooks.