Probate, guardianship, and conservatorship cases are governed by statutes and court rules, but effective representation also requires understanding how those requirements operate in the courtroom.
Members of the Berk Law Group team regularly attend probate bench-bar meetings, continuing legal education programs, and other court-related events. These meetings provide valuable practical guidance directly from the judges and attorneys who work with Arizona probate matters every day.
The July 14, 2026, probate bench-bar meeting included several useful reminders for attorneys, fiduciaries, and families involved in Maricopa County, Arizona probate proceedings.
Minor Conservatorship Petitions May Require Supplemental Information
One important discussion concerned petitions…
Continue Reading Staying Current in Arizona Probate Court: Practical Takeaways from the July 2026 Bench-Bar Meeting

When an estate is asset-poor and claim-heavy, a personal representative often faces an uncomfortable choice: fight every claim to the last dollar, or cut a deal that protects what little value remains.
The Arizona Court of Appeals’ 2026 decision in Gonzalez v. Fiduciary Solutions is a clean illustration of how much room Arizona law gives a personal representative to make that call, and how hard it is for an unhappy heir to unwind a settlement on appeal. Division One affirmed the probate court’s approval of a settlement that handed the estate’s only meaningful asset to one heir, over the strenuous…
Continue Reading A Personal Representative’s Power to Settle: Gonzalez v. Fiduciary Solutions and When Arizona Courts Will Approve a Compromise

Earlier this month, Catalan, Spain police arrested Jonathan Andic, heir to the multi-billion-dollar Mango fashion empire, in connection with the December 2024 death of his father, founder Isak Andic.  Isak fell almost 500 feet into a ravine while the two were hiking outside Barcelona.  The death was initially ruled accidental, and the file was reopened only after forensic review of phone and photo data contradicted the son’s account.
Spain will sort out the criminal case and the estate. But the underlying question is one we field in Arizona probate and trust litigation: what happens to a child’s inheritance when…
Continue Reading When a Child Kills a Parent: Arizona’s Slayer Statute and the Mercy-Killing Gap

Intervention issues don’t arise often in Arizona probate Court.  Nichols v. Slavicek, No. 1 CA-CV 25-0272 PB (Ariz. App. May 4, 2026) (mem. decision), is a sharp reminder that the rules apply and probate courts cannot quietly sideline a surviving parent from cases involving her own minor children.  Even in an unusual procedural posture, and even when a guardian ad litem and a law firm say they have things under control. Division One vacated the superior court’s denial of a mother’s motion to intervene, holding that her constitutional and statutory parental rights, combined with the liberal construction of Arizona Rule…
Continue Reading When a Probate Court Locks Out a Surviving Parent: Nichols v. Slavicek and Why Rule 24 Still Matters in Conservatorship Disputes

AI is everywhere. And if you’re involved in a probate, trust, or estate dispute, there’s a good chance you’ve already wondered whether you should be using it to help with your case.
It’s a fair question.  One we now routinely hear from clients. The answer is yes, AI can help. But only if you use it the right way. That’s why we’re excited to release a new free resource for clients and anyone else navigating an Arizona probate or trust matter: the Berk Law Group AI Client Tipsheet.
You can access it here: https://berklawgroup.com/tools/ai-client-tipsheet/
Why we built it
Public AI…
Continue Reading Announcing the Berk Law Group AI Client Tipsheet: How to Use AI Safely When You’re in a Probate or Trust Dispute