ESTATE OF ELIZABETH VIRGINIA PANETTA
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
In re Estate of Elizabeth V. Panetta, Deceased.
DOUGLAS L. PANETTA, MARGO A.
CASCARELLI and JOAN D. FARAONE,
UNPUBLISHED
July 16, 1999
Appellants,
v
No. 206073
Ingham Probate Court
LC No. 95-012223 SE
RODGER L. MONTGOMERY, Personal
Representative,
Appellee.
Before: Holbrook, Jr., P.J., and Zahra and J.W. Fitzgerald,* JJ.
MEMORANDUM.
Appellants appeal as of right from an order approving certain personal representative fees
related to the administration of the decedent’s estate. In addition, appellants’ counsel, Michael A.
Faraone, challenges the imposition of $200 in fines for contempt of court. We affirm.
Having carefully reviewed appellants’ claims—notwithstanding the insufficient record provided
to this Court and a nonconforming appeal brief that contains repeated inaccurate cites to the record,
inaccurate cites to case law, blatantly inflammatory language, and baseless personal attacks on both
appellee and the trial judge—we deem the claims to be without merit. Based on our review of the
limited record provided, we note that appellants’ counsel exhibited wilful disregard or disobedience of
the authority of the court and of the Rules of Professional Conduct during the course of these
proceedings. The contempt sanctions imposed against appellants’ counsel by the learned trial judge,
whom we believe exhibited admirable restraint, were entirely appropriate. MCL 600.1711; MSA
27A.1711.
* Former Supreme Court justice, sitting on the Court of Appeals by assignment.
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Affirmed. Appellee may tax costs, if any, pursuant to MCR 7.219.
/s/ Donald E. Holbrook, Jr.
/s/ Brian K. Zahra
/s/ John W. Fitzgerald
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