Estate Litigation

Executors deserve to be compensated for their work, but that compensation is not unlimited or immune from scrutiny. When fees start to look excessive or unsupported, you may have the right to challenge that in probate court.  Disputes over executor compensation are...

Undue influence can have a dramatic impact on how an estate is distributed. It may mean that the wishes expressed in a person’s will do not actually align with what they wanted because they were manipulated into making those changes. It is important for family members...

When it comes to trusts, numbers rarely lie. Every financial statement tells a story, sometimes revealing a trustee’s careful management. Other times, it reveals concerning signs in the trustee’s actions. When this happens, your inheritance faces real danger. When to...

One potential reason for estate litigation is undue influence. This means that an outside party influenced the estate plan and it does not reflect the deceased person’s true wishes. One sibling may say that another sibling used undue influence to manipulate the parent...

A person's property typically becomes the contents of their estate after they die. Those assets pass either to chosen beneficiaries if the person had an estate plan or to heirs if they died without a will.  Beneficiaries or heirs expecting to inherit from an estate...

Will contests may arise due to a variety of different circumstances. Sometimes, family members believe that an individual lacked capacity at the time when they drafted or modified their will due to dementia or other pressing medical issues. Other times, a contest...

When someone dies, the executor must handle the estate correctly. In California, you can take legal action when the executor moves past normal delays or minor mistakes and causes real harm to the estate or the people who should inherit from it. Who can bring a claim...

Many items passed on to the next generation have sentimental value to beneficiaries. There may be a strong connection to childhood or youth, and these items can bring back nostalgic memories of the time their parents were raising them. This emotional attachment can...

If you were named the executor (personal representative) of a loved one’s estate when they created their estate plan, you know that they gave you an important job and a big responsibility. Unfortunately, others in the family may not be so happy about it – especially...

In California, you usually go through probate before distributing assets to beneficiaries. If everyone cooperates, you may find the process moves steadily. However, disagreements among heirs or questions about how the executor manages assets can extend the timeline,...