In re the Estate of McLaughlin

In November 2002, after more than 20 years of marriage, decedent and respondent were divorced pursuant to a judgment entered in California, where the parties lived. Decedent thereafter moved to the Village of Endicott, Broome County, where he resided until his death in June 2005. Decedent’s will was admitted to probate two years later and respondent, a resident of California, thereafter filed two notices of claim in Surrogate’s Court, seeking a sum of money as repayment of a debt allegedly owed to her by decedent, as well as the return of certain items that she alleged were hers but had been…