This course surveys the law of wills and trusts. Topics include: intestate succession, wills (with an emphasis on execution and revocation), will substitutes, planning for incapacity, trusts, and problems arising during trust administration. The course emphasizes cases and materials arising under the California Probate Code. Materials for the course include a California supplement as well as a casebook. Estate and gift taxation is not covered in this class.

1. At the end of the course, students will begin to be able to provide elementary estate planning advice to meet a client's objectives while complying with relevant case law, statutes and regulations.

2. At the end of the course, students will be able to interpret and apply case law and statutes to determine how a court might resolve legal issues arising from gratuitous transfers at death.