Kimberly Block v. Penny Weiner

District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania·Decided August 11, 2026·No. 2:26-cv-01784·Unknown

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA

KIMBERLY BLOCK : CIVIL ACTION : v. : NO. 26-01784 : PENNY WEINER : MEMORANDUM KEARNEY, J. August 11, 2026 A daughter pursuing her perceived beneficiary rights under her father’s estate over the last fourteen years in state orphans court now brings her concerns over the administration of her father’s estate to us. The daughter alleges her mother is harming the value of her father’s irrevocable trust also being disputed in state orphans court. She also asks us to declare her rights to assets in her mother’s eventual estate based on an alleged 2012 oral contract to alter her mother’s estate plan even though her mother is alive. We dismiss the daughter’s claims seeking damages allegedly suffered by her father’s irrevocable trust with prejudice precluding her from pursuing these claims for alleged losses to the irrevocable trust. We dismiss her claims for declaratory relief to secure assets under an undefined marital trust and rights against her mother’s eventual estate with prejudice. We dismiss without prejudice her claims alleging her mother tortiously interfered with her father’s testamentary intent sometime before his 2012 passing and aided and abetted a trustee’s decision not to make mandatory income distributions to her from the father’s irrevocable trust on unknown dates. I. Facts pleaded and drawn from public records.1 Warren Weiner married Penny Weiner sometime before 1986. Their adult daughters Robyn Carp and Kimberly Block are beneficiaries of an anticipated multi-million-dollar inheritance. Warren Weiner creates an Irrevocable Trust forty years ago funded by a life insurance policy on the “second-to-die” between himself and his wife. Warren Weiner created the Weiner Family Irrevocable Trust in 1986.2 He named his two daughters, Robyn Carp and Kimberly Block, as co-beneficiaries of the Irrevocable Trust.3 He appointed Barry H. Frank and Robert Shein as Trustees.4 Mr. Shein became the sole trustee of the Irrevocable Trust in 2009 after Mr. Frank resigned as Trustee.5 The main asset of the Irrevocable Trust is a $44.5 million second-to-die life insurance policy on Warren Weiner and his wife, Penny

Weiner.6 The life insurer requires the Irrevocable Trust pay annual premiums of $52,000 until the latter of Father Weiner reaching age 100 or Mother Weiner reaching age 95 to avoid a lapse in coverage.7 The family addresses tax liability leading to litigation after Father Weiner’s 2012 death. Father Weiner died in February 2012.8 Mother Weiner and her professional advisors determined Father Weiner’s estate owed substantial gift tax liability.9 Mother Weiner and her agents formulated a plan to reduce the tax liability.10 Mother Weiner convened a family meeting with her daughters, Ms. Block and Ms. Carp, an attorney, and an accountant in December 2012 to discuss reducing Father Weiner’s estate’s tax burden.11 Daughter Block and Ms. Carp co-signed promissory notes and authorized a transfer of

money after Mother Weiner assured them they would each receive the notes upon her death.12 Mother Weiner also told her daughters they would share equally in assets from an unpleaded Marital Trust.13 Daughter Block has vigorously challenged the administration of Father Weiner’s estate, the Irrevocable Trust, and another undefined trust in three separate actions before Judge Murphy in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas, Orphans’ Court Division over the last fourteen years.14 Father Weiner’s estate administrative matter has 265 docket entries.15 Daughter Block became estranged from her mother in 2020.16 Daughter Block filed two

separate actions in August 2021 regarding the Irrevocable Trust and another undefined trust before Judge Murphy.17 The Irrevocable Trust matter has 259 docket entries.18 Daughter Block sought attorney’s fees and opposed a case management and scheduling order as recently as May 5 and June 18, 2026.19 The undefined trust matter has 255 docket entries.20 Daughter Block, for example, moved for reconsideration of Judge Murphy’s order denying her motion for sanctions, responded to an amended petition for accounting, and opposed a consolidation motion since June 2026.21 Daughter Block deposed Trustee Shein in July 2024.22 Daughter Block deposed Mother Weiner in November 2024.23 Daughter Block issued third-party document subpoenas to several companies.24 Daughter Block claims, based on her discovery in state court, Mother Weiner

interfered with Trustee Shein’s administration of the Irrevocable Trust through the Montgomery County proceedings.25 Daughter Block learned in 2022 of Mother Weiner’s decision to remove her as a beneficiary of the undefined Marital Trust.26 Trustee Shein agreed to resign as Trustee of the Irrevocable Trust on February 27, 2026.27 Daughter Block sues here. Daughter Block then came here in March 2026 invoking our limited federal court jurisdiction to sue Mother Warren notwithstanding her vigorous litigation efforts before Judge Murphy in Montgomery County. She seeks remedies for her rights and for harm to the Irrevocable Trust. She first seeks declaratory relief asking us to enforce Mother Warren’s 2012 oral contract to guarantee her share in an undefined Marital Trust.28 Daughter Block also seeks two types of remedies for personal harm: as to assets in an undefined Marital Trust when Mother Weiner passes away; and, damages caused by aiding and abetting the Trustee of the Irrevocable Trust in not making a mandatory income distribution to her.29 She also alleges Mother Weiner caused harm to the Irrevocable Trust by: fabricating loans, selling shares of stock, settling a claim for a “fraction

of the actual damages,” transferring accounts at an investment bank, and instructing the Trustee to stop paying premiums on the “second-to-die” life insurance policy and to withhold mandatory income distributions from the Trust.30 Judge Murphy issued an Order on June 25, 2026 appointing a Successor Trustee for the Irrevocable Trust and holding the Successor Trustee need not pay the insurance premiums on behalf of the Irrevocable Trust.31 II. Analysis

Mother Weiner moves to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and failure to state a claim.32 She argues the declaratory judgment claim fails because Daughter Block is seeking to enforce an oral contract contrary to Pennsylvania Law, she is alive, and the probate exception bars our exercise of subject matter jurisdiction.33 She also argues the declaratory judgment and tortious interference with her father’s testamentary expectancy claims fail because Daughter Block fails to plead the required elements.34 Mother Weiner argues Daughter Block lacks standing to assert her claims for aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, unjust enrichment, and constructive trust.35 Daughter Block opposes.36 She argues Mother Weiner’s 2012 oral contract to make a testamentary disposition is enforceable through declaratory relief in Pennsylvania even if Mother Weiner is alive and the probate exception does not apply.37 She also argues the declaratory judgment and tortious interference with testamentary inheritance claims are not defeated by Mother Weiner’s power of appointment argument.38 Daughter Block argues she has standing to bring her remaining claims for aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, unjust enrichment, and constructive trust.39 We dismiss Daughter Block’s claims for declaratory judgment, damages under an aiding

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Kimberly Block v. Penny Weiner, (E.D. Pa. 2026).

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