Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/02/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am writing to formally express my concerns and frustrations regarding the administration of my late brother, ******* E. ******** estate, which has been handled by attorney ****** *. **********************. My sisters and I retained Ms. ********************** with the understanding that she would manage this process diligently and transparently. However, her actions have raised serious concerns about her ability to fulfill this role.Lack of Compliance and Transparency: Ms. ********************** has repeatedly failed to comply with court requirements and our requests for information. She has not provided us with the necessary documents related to our brother's estate, nor has she been transparent in her communications.Misleading Information: We were not informed that my sisters and I directly inherited our brother's house, which is not attached to his estate under North Carolina law. Ms. ********************** misled us by denying access to the house that we rightfully inherited, causing us significant distress.Failure to Meet Deadlines: Ms. ********************** has filed for four time extensions from the Durham County Clerk and was granted all four. The final extension required her to submit an inventory by October 1, 2024, which she failed to meet. This continued delay is unacceptable and has not been explained.Inadequate Communication: At no point has Ms. ********************** provided us with a detailed account of the **********************'s status or shared critical documents as promised. She mentioned that information would be available via a portal, which we have yet to receive access ******** and Financial Implications: Due to Ms. **********************'s inadequate administration of the estate, I have been compelled to hire additional legal counsel to understand how the estate should be properly managed. Furthermore, her failure to file my brother's taxes may result in penalties, further jeopardizing the estate's value.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/05/2024

  Please see the attached and uploaded response. 

  Sincerely,
  Marjorie J. Brown, CELA- Managing Partner

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/07/2024

   
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  The defendant has failed to address any concerns outlined in the original complaint and continues to obfuscate information without providing clear solutions or answers. Jazmin has missed four time extensions and has not offered any substantiated reason for these delays. Furthermore, she was required to conduct an initial inventory within 90 days of being appointed as administrator, a deadline she has failed to meet. It has now been over a year, and Jazmin has made monetary disbursements that are long overdue.
  We have consulted with other attorneys who specialize in estate planning, and they also agree that Jazmin has not fulfilled her duties. She does not take accountability for her shortcomings and instead offers excuses for her repeated failings. Additionally, she has yet to grant us access to the portal, which was promised. The defendant's response is nothing but the same tired, recycled nonsense we've seen in previous emails. It's absurd that Jazmin can find the time to hire counsel to send out cease and desist letters, yet she can't seem to make it to the courthouse on time. If she's so quick to bring on extra legal help, why can't she have that attorney assist with the actual case? Their time and efforts should be focused on serving the beneficiaries, not playing these stalling games.
  The defendant continues to reference other siblings who have not raised the same concerns, likely due to their lack of understanding and knowledge. However, this has no bearing on Jazmin’s failure to perform her responsibilities and honor the oath she took upon accepting this role. It is clear that Jazmin’s actions, or lack thereof, must be addressed.
  
  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/14/2024

  The complainants request is that we finish the estate.  We cannot because there are General Statues that govern when an estate can be opened and closed, as well as the steps that have to take place in the interim.  We cannot jump over those steps simply because an individual is not happy with the timeline set by the NC General Statutes and approved by the court.  Unfortunately, there can be no middle ground from what the complainant wishes and what the law requires.

   

  The courts have approved the extensions due to lack of response from a third party that we cannot control.  Most estates take at least a year to process and this one has been hampered by lack of responses from third parties which the Executor does not control.

   

  Even though we are not a BBB member, our reputation as being fair and honest attorneys is paramount, which is why we responded to the complaint.

   

  While we would like to be able to approach a middle ground, the law prohibits us from doing so.

   

  Warmest regards,

  Marjorie