Chapter 21 - Victor’s fee hearing
The last major estate dispute was money.
Victor’s fees.
Silver Mesa fees.
Independent counsel.
Asset recovery.
Storage litigation.
Total extraordinary administration costs from dispute:
Around $312,000.
Storage insurer settlement covered $44,500.
Celeste surcharge covered $21,000.
Remaining costs partly trust-wide.
Celeste argued:
Erin’s aggressive response inflated fees.
I argued:
Celeste caused them.
Court did not choose one sentence.
It allocated.
General trust administration/legal:
Trust pays.
Costs directly caused by unauthorized asset removal:
Charged partly against Celeste’s share.
Costs of ring ownership contest:
Each side/trust according to specific statutory/instrument rules; judge allocated substantial part to objecting party but not all.
Victor voluntarily reduced a portion of fees where multiple tasks overlapped.
Final additional surcharge against Celeste’s distribution:
$48,000 beyond prior agreed amounts.
Not $300,000.
Why?
Causation.
Reasonableness.
Shared administration.
Then Celeste accepted.
No appeal.
Estate dispute closed.
Then Victor’s role as trust protector remained for residual family trust assets? Grandma’s trust mostly distributed, but maybe a charitable reserve and commercial note remain. His role continued until winding down.
He said:
“I’m going fishing.”
“You don’t fish.”
“I may learn.”
Probably lie.
Then I asked:
“Why six vehicles?”
He groaned.
“Never again.”
“You looked ridiculous.”
“You were on the floor with a spinal brace.”
“Still.”
He smiled.
Then final ring receipt became permanent.
No one could challenge within remaining deadline? Celeste waived appeal.
Done.
Then my mother requested second meeting.
I said:
“Maybe in a month.”
Not yes.
Not no.
That was more than before.
Then probation.
Celeste complied.
No fiduciary handling.
No new offense.
No contact outside permitted.
Then one family event approached:
My cousin Dana’s wedding.
Celeste invited.
Me too.
Would we both go?
No legal bar if I consent and no-contact modification? We had temporary no contact. Could attend with distance if probation officer/court permitted.
I declined.
Not ready.
No need turn cousin’s wedding into test.
Then Dana said:
May you like
“I understand.”
Good family.
