5 Ways to Successfully Settle a Dispute
Monday, January 14, 2013 10:00AM
On today's show, former prosecutors from Staten Island Michele and Elura, helped two sisters figure out a way to resolve their differences. Michele and Elura, who also star in "Staten Island Law" on OWN, came up with the top five ways to help you resolve an issue with someone.
Comments
What a waste of time and a shame to the grandmother's memory.
Why did it take them that long to have it appraised? A lot of time and hurt could have been avoided.
It's $3,000 dollars if the appraisal is correct - really ladies... have the one sister pay half of it. They would split the profit if it was sold anyways.
Heaven forbid there was a fire and it was lost... what then - you lose your table and sister... sheesh!
This is not an issue of a table,this is family dynamics. I lost count of the number of times the one sister said "my" grandmother and "my" namesake.
You have a sister that is probably the one who gets her way regardless and feels she is always right, people relent as they choose not to get run over. Maybe she is the favorite and feels the need to hold on to that(table),or maybe she is not the favorite and is hanging on to that table to say well you may have everyone's heart but I have grandma's name and her favorite table.
On the other hand I hear the other sister saying this table is in the way of us,let it go,relent, at least this time so I can have my sister,who is strong and unfortunately right sometimes. Give the table to mother,you can visit it when you go see her. Mom probably doesn't want it,sell it and buy something for mom,make a donation to something grandma cared about in her name. Finance a $300 or $500 scholarship at the local High School every year in grandma's name. Let it go
These women are disputing the OWNERSHIP of a table. One assesses a higher value to it sentimentally, and the other assesses it merely financially. The advise of the lawyers will cause the same problem they are hoping to resolve; they will leave the current holder of the table with resentment for having to sell it.
A better solution:
If grandmother had left $3,000 in cash our current holder of the asset might suggest that it has sentimental value because grandmother actually held the cash in her hands, while the other sister sees the inheritance merely as an object. This being the case, our sentimental sister should keep the table after giving her sister her half of the $3,000. The table will not be a reminder of this issue because both have what they wanted; half of grandmother's inheritance. If grandmother had left a house the only solution would have been to sell it and split the money or for one to buy out the other. Why is that any different in this situation?
Let the sentimental sister keep the table as a clothes folding table, and give the other sister her fair share of the inheritance.