Lessons From Fisk: Family Fights and the Role of Wills

+Lessons From Fisk: Family Fights and the Role of Wills

By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi

December 29, 2023

The final episode of Season One of the Australian comedy Fisk has two parallel storylines.  One storyline features two men who, may or may not, be brothers.  Their confrontation in the law offices of Gruber & Associates ends with fisticuffs in the waiting area.  The second storyline involves an elderly man seeking to write a will.  His intent is to be prescriptive and thus avoid fighting after his death.  Helen grabs her pen and paper to begin taking notes and chuckles a bit when the man says "let's start with the fitted sheet sets".  He was not joking. The client painstakingly created the most detailed list of the contents of his home.  Listing each item and stated who should inherit.

The take-away from this final episode of season one of Fisk is that a well thought-out will may prevent or reduce family fighting that can occur in the wake of a death.  The emphasis on may is my own doing.  After nearly twenty years of working as an estate planning and probate attorney I know that no matter how detailed and precise a will can be, in some situations nothing can dampen the emotions that flare to life during a period of grieving.  As a lawyer and as a parent my heart breaks to see the relationships that end due to fighting when a loved one dies. However, taking the time to draft proper legal documents that say who is in charge and what things you want to have happen is a final gift to your loved ones.  A plan, while perhaps not perfect, is better than no plan at all.

Thank you for reading.  Remember that a blog is meant to spark thought and reflection, it is not legal advice.  Pleas consult with an attorney in your home state for advice specific to your situation.  Follow along in the year ahead by clicking on Follow in the upper right corner and enter your email address to receive future posts.  I'll be back in the New Year with fresh posts, and one day more take-aways from Fisk Season Two was released on Netflix December 1, 2023.  Check out my blog later in 2024 for more "take-aways" from the show.