Probate Law Section Newsletter
December
Urgent message concerning the Massachusetts UTC
We need everyone's HELP!
In order to get the MA UTC Legislation (House 3780)
and MA UPC Corrective Legislation (Senate 704) passed to be
effective on January 2, 2012, we need EVERYONE'S support in
contacting their state senators and state representatives, even
if they have been contacted within the past month.
We especially need help from those in those in Senate Minority
Leader Bruce Tarr's district (First Essex and Middlesex consisting
of Gloucester, Boxford, Essex, Georgetown, Groveland, Hamilton,
Ipswich, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Middleton, Newbury, North Andover
-- precincts 2, 3, 5 and 7, Rockport, Rowley, Wenham and West
Newbury, in the County of Essex, and North Reading and Wilmington,
in the County of Middlesex). Please contact Tarr and let him know
it is very important for him to help get these bills passed.
Probate and Family Court Chief Justice Paula M.
Carey is working very hard to get both bills passed,
especially since she indicated at the meeting last week that there
are many fees that can NOT be charged effective January 2,
2012, without the passage of the MA UPC Corrective Legislation,
Senate 704. In addition, if the UTC House 3780 does not pass, then
we start the year with Article VII of MA UPC and at some point when
the UTC passes, we then replace Article VII of the MA UPC with the
UTC. These are very serious issues for the Probate Court and all of
us.
Last week, legal counsel at the Legislature and Government
Relations for the Boston Bar Association stated that in order to
get these bills passed during informal session, every senator and
representative should be contacted (even if contacted within the
past month) to encourage passage of both bills. Apparently, that is
how things work during informal session.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact
section council member Robert H. Ryan at [e-mail BRyan]
or Michael Christy, section council chair at [e-mail mrchristy].