Probate and Disputes

Probate is the court process by which a last will and testament is determined to be the deceased's final statement and the court approves the appointment of the person or institution named in the will to administer the estate.

When a loved one passes away, you need a law firm you can trust to assist you in assuring that your loved one's wishes are carried out.  If your loved one had a will, our firm can assist the executor of the will in navigating the probate process.  Our firm can also help in the administration of the estate distribution.

Sometimes families cannot agree on the proper interpretation of the will provisions.  When these disagreements arise they can often lead to an unwillingness to resolve the dispute without a courts intervention.   Often times people have chosen the wrong individual to handle their assets after their death.  They also may have chosen the wrong person to handle their assets when they are incapacitated.  Unfortunately, the mishandling of someone's assets is not easily recognized.  It may be months or years before you or another beneficiary realizes that your inheritance was not distributed.  Whe you or another beneficiary does realize that someone has stolen your money, you face a more difficult task of legally recovering your lost inheritance.  Someone steals an inheritance when they divert the assets from its intended recipient.  This is most often done by someone destroying a valid will.  In situations involving a trust, the inheritance is stolen by the trustee simply not following the trust provisions and then trying to keep it a secret.

Our law firm can help you if you suspect foul play has occurred in regards to your inheritance.  Our firm can assist you in recovering assets and possessions for you that rightfully and legally belong to you.  The provisions of a will and trust must be followed.

Someone can become a victim of inheritance theft if:

• They are subject to the influence of another person who may cause them to act against their own wishes;
• Mentally or physically incapacitated;
• Elderly and under the care of a family member who is estranged from the immediate family;
• Make assuptions about how their estate will be distributed without consulting professional legal advice;
• Recently married or divorced;
• Estranged from family members, especially if one child is the executor of a will and the other siblings are beneficiaries;
• Died without any immediate family members to inherit the estate;
• Careless about who they trust to handle their estate.

Please contact my office at 817-912-0722 to set up a consultation and review your situation.