Probate: Taking Dacey Off the Hook

The path to fame and fortune seemed bramble-free for Estate Planner Norman F.Dacey, 59, when his book How to Avoid Probate! hit the bestseller lists in 1966. But as sales of Probate climbed to more than 700,000, Dacey's troubles mounted too. The American Bar Association took potshots at Probate, which sandwiches 310 pages of do-it-yourself legal forms with a few slices of advice and terrifying examples of the costs of probating an estate. Charging unlawful practice of law, the New York County Lawyers' Association took legal action, which resulted in a $250 fine or 30-day jail sentence for Dacey...

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