“ARTICLE OF EDWARD J. BLAKE, JR., BELLEVILLE, ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS WILL CONTEST, TRUST DISPUTE, ESTATE SETTLEMENT ATTORNEYS”. WE WERE RETAINED BY SISTERS FROM NEW YORK AND SOUTH CAROLINA THAT HAD BEEN PART OF A FAMILY ENGAGED IN FARMING IN THE JERSEYVILLE, JERSEY COUNTY, ILLINOIS AREA. THEY ALSO HAD A BROTHER WHO WAS ACTIVELY FARMING THE FAMILY FARM. OUR CLIENTS’ FATHER PREDECEASED THEIR MOTHER. OUR CLIENTS THOUGHT THAT WHEN THEIR MOTHER DIED THAT OUR CLIENTS WOULD SHARE EQUALLY, ONE-THIRD (1/3) TO EACH OF OUR CLIENTS AND ONE-THIRD (1/3) TO THEIR BROTHER IN REGARD TO THE FAMILY FARM. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THEIR MOTHER PASSED AWAY THAT OUR CLIENTS DISCOVERED WHAT HAD OCCURRED BEFORE THEIR MOTHER PASSED AWAY. PRIOR TO THE DEATH OF THEIR MOTHER, THEIR BROTHER WAS INVOLVED IN ACTIVITY THAT RESULTED IN THE FAMILY FARM, WORTH MORE THAN $1,000,000.00, BEING TRANSFERRED TO THEIR BROTHER, WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR CLIENTS, BEFORE THEIR MOTHER PASSED AWAY. THERE WERE ISSUES RAISED REGARDING DURESS, UNDUE INFLUENCE, LACK OF MENTAL CAPACITY AND TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH AN INHERITANCE EXPECTANCY. AFTER A LAWSUIT WAS FILED AGAINST THE BROTHER IN JERSEY COUNTY A SETTLEMENT WAS REACHED WHEREBY THE BROTHER AGREED TO PAY HIS SISTERS THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF THE SHARES OF THE FARM THAT THEY WOULD HAVE RECEIVED IF THE FAMILY FARM WAS STILL IN THEIR MOTHER’S NAME WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY. EDWARD J. BLAKE, JR., IS A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION (ABA) AND IS A MEMBER OF THE ILLINOIS STATE BAR ASSOCIATION (ISBA). MR. BLAKE AND HIS LAW FIRM HAVE MORE THAN FORTY (40) YEARS HANDLING ISSUES INVOLVING WILLS AND CODICILS, CONTROVERSIES INVOLVING TRUSTS AND AMENDMENTS, ESTATE CLAIMS AND PROBATE CONTROVERSIES, MEDIATED SETTLEMENTS, DISPUTES AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS AND OTHERS, CONTROVERSIES INVOLVING MULTI-GENERATIONAL ISSUES WITH RESPECT TO FARM FAMILIES AND AGRICULTURAL DISPUTES. AVAILABLE TO REPRESENT CLIENTS FROM WHITE COUNTY, CARMI, GRAYVILLE AND NORRIS CITY, JACKSON COUNTY, AVA, CARBONDALE AND MURPHYSBORO, WILLIAMSON COUNTY, HERRIN, MARION AND CARTERVILLE, ILLINOIS.